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McDonald’s is rolling out a new burger bun recipe in the US, UK, and Australia.
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It’s also changing the way it cooks burger patties and stores some of its fresh ingredients.
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The new bread is good, but the new Big Mac tasted too sweet.
McDonald’s burgers are getting a new look. The menu shakeup comes as the fast food chain prepares to celebrate its 50th anniversary, and constitutes the biggest change the chain has made to its food in 10 years.
I visited the McDonald’s UK head office in East Finchley, London, to hear more about the changes, and to get a side-by-side comparison of the old and new burgers.
The McDonald’s UK head office is housed in an unassuming building in North London.
It was my first time at the McDonald’s UK head office. I was expecting some more glitz and glamor from a company with a $204 billion market cap, but the flag was a nice touch.
Inside is a test kitchen where chefs prepare new dishes.
The test kitchen is modelled on an actual McDonald’s restaurant, with a similar layout and the same equipment you would find in an average store.
The biggest change is the new bun recipe
McDonald’s has overhauled its buns. The new recipe is described as “a buttery, brioche-style” bun with a “soft and pillowy” texture. McDonald’s has also scaled back the number of sesame seeds on each bun.
They look great, taking on a shine thanks to a light glaze. It’s worth noting that while they are “brioche-style” they do not contain any egg, milk, or butter like a traditional brioche does.
The burger patties are also being cooked differently.
The beef patties at McDonald’s are now getting a “tighter sear” on the grill. The idea is that by exposing them to more heat, you seal more moisture inside the patties for a juicier bite and a stronger grilled flavor.
Onions are now added during the grilling process, not after.
The onions found on hamburgers, cheeseburgers, and the Big Mac are now being added to the patties during the grilling process rather than after. This way they soften up more and take on some charred flavor from the grill and the meat.
Every ingredient has had a rethink, even the lettuce
The lettuce used at McDonald’s stores isn’t changing, but the way it is handled is. It will now only be kept out of the refrigerator for a maximum of 30 minutes, and kept at colder temperatures once out to retain more crunch.
The cheese may seem more gooey than before
The iconic McDonald’s American cheese slice isn’t getting any recipe changes, but McDonald’s claims the hotter sear on the patties makes for more melty cheese than before.
So how do these method and ingredient tweaks actually taste?
Armed with all of the information I needed about the new recipes and cooking methods, it was time for me to try some new and old style burgers to see how the changes stacked up.
First up was the McDonald’s Double Cheeseburger
The visual differences were pretty striking. The new bun looks much more appealing thanks to its glossy finish and darker toasty color. It was clear that the cheese had melted more in the newer burger, with the slice’s edges drooping while the original burger’s slices stayed rigid.
This change definitely felt like an…