The Surprising Ingredients Fast-Food Chains Use to Make Their Food Irresistible
There are a variety of reasons why fast-food franchises reach their current size. Sure, shrewd economic decisions and an effective franchising strategy, but nobody invests in food that tastes lousy. These firms have flourished for decades due to their use of trademarked secret formulas and unusual, and occasionally problematic, substances.
While it is only possible to conjecture on the actual formula, unless it is disclosed or leaked, we will use the breadcrumbs we have to determine what ingredients make your favourite chains so delicious. From McDonald’s renowned chicken nuggets to Subway’s trademark bread, here are the small details that make fast food attractive.
1. McNuggets use celery salt in its breading
This is one of the more well-known “secret ingredients” on the market, yet the flavour you quickly identify with the crunch of a chicken McNugget is a combination of celery salt and other substances.
No, there aren’t vegetables in your nuggets. Celery salt is a combination of common table salt and finely powdered celery seeds. Also included is white pepper, a spice used largely in East Asian cuisine that imparts a subtle but tasty kick.
You can find celery salt and white pepper in the spice section of any grocery store, so if you want to make those nuggets at home, just head to the store!
2. McDonald’s fries use beef extract
McDonald’s fries are widely regarded as the best in the industry. Almost everyone is aware that the chain was sued over the usage of cow fat in the oil used to fry the fries, and that in the 1990s it switched to vegetable oil. The chain shifted away from the meaty oil but continues to flavour the oil with beef extract.
According to McDonald’s website, “when our suppliers partially fry our sliced potatoes, they use beef-flavored oil.” According to the ingredients in the fries, this flavour is produced from wheat and dairy, but the company has been silent on whether actual beef is used to generate the seasoning.
Although this recipe may seem unusual, it is actually rather frequent in the culinary world. For instance, duck fat is a renowned great cooking medium for delectable french fries, and some upscale restaurants make a lot of money off of this.
3. Buffalo Wild Wings fries in beef shortening
Yes, Buffalo Wild Wings is famed for its chicken wings, but the restaurant also serves beef. Okay, technically speaking, Buffalo Wild Wings is fast food, but this is an interesting one. The chicken-centric restaurant company fries several of its menu items in beef shortening, including its iconic wings. Consult the chain’s allergy guide for a list of all products that are fried in beef fat.
In 2018, the business prevailed in a lawsuit after the plaintiff failed to demonstrate actual losses from eating beef-fried products.
4. MSG in Popeyes’ chicken
KFC has earned a fortune and a legacy from its 11 secret herbs and spices, and Popeyes has done the same. Even if it lacks a catchphrase or legend, the cajun blend is ferociously guarded with a lock and key.
However, certain secrets must be revealed, even if they are minor. According to their nutritional menu, Popeyes chicken includes MSG.
While many have a bad connection with MSG, it is merely a flavouring agent. Now, it’s not very healthy, but it’s no worse than any other spice. In the West, MSG has a lengthy and convoluted history of stigma.
However, there is currently no scientific evidence to support assertions that MSG causes headaches, nausea, or other similar symptoms, and what many foodies refer to as umami is mostly derived from MSG.
5. Wendy’s Chocolate Frosty uses vanilla
Because it is not a standard chocolate milkshake, a Wendy’s frosty does not taste like a typical chocolate milkshake. Those who have experienced one can vouch to this. Compared to a Shake Shack or Five Guys shake, the chocolate flavour is considerably muted due to the vanilla extract. While the majority of the formula for the chocolate delicacy is a well guarded secret, it is known that vanilla contributes to the Frosty’s exquisite chocolate balance.
6. The “flame” at Burger King
Everyone has seen a Burger King commercial in which the Whopper is referred to as “flame grilled” or “flame-broiled.” This is not an ingredient per per, but everyone has seen this phrase. This is because Burger King was originally constructed on the back of a machine called a “Insta-Broiler” that simultaneously cooked a burger on both sides using radiant heat. It could apparently fry over 400 hamburgers each hour.
While Burger King no longer use that precise piece of equipment, they continue to use a broiler that employs real flame. The notion of flame-grilled burgers has been a trademark of the company for a long time, creating a flavour similar to that of a burger cooked on a backyard barbecue.
Brining fried chicken is a time-honored tradition, and pickle juice has been a trade secret for quite some time. Brining chicken for at least a few hours prior to frying it will tenderise and hydrate the flesh, as well as infuse more flavour into the cut.
Although Chick-fil-A has a seasoning procedure that is virtually as closely guarded as that of its chicken competitors, it appears that brine is what gives Chick-fil-A chicken its distinctive flavour.
7. Subway’s bread has sugar in it
Due of its high sugar level, the Supreme Court of Ireland found that Subway cannot legitimately term its product bread within Irish boundaries. Now, this may sound scary, but sugar is a staple ingredient in many types of bread, allowing them to retain their moisture. Sugar is hygroscopic, which means it draws and retains water. Without sugar, therefore, most bread would be dry and crumbly.
The sugar-to-flour ratio in Subway bread is approximately 10%, which is significantly more than the average ratio used for baking bread, but this is what gives it its trademark light texture. Is that necessarily the world’s healthiest option? Possibly not, but that sugar is a crucial component of what makes Subway bread what it is.
8. Sugar in french fries
Who enters a fast-food restaurant and requests an ingredient list before devouring golden, salty fries? Correct, nearly nobody. But if you did, you would discover that many eateries, including McDonald’s and Burger King, use a secret sweetener called dextrose in their fries. This component is mostly used to ensure that the fries come out of the fryer golden brown and tasty, since sugar caramelises in a process known as caramelization; nevertheless, sugar is also excellent. These are the restaurants that employ freshly-cut potatoes in their french fries.
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