If you’ve ever wished you could keep McDonald’s breakfast sausage at home and cook it whenever you want, you’re in luck. A person who works at McDonald’s just told me that a big national grocery store chain sells something that’s a lot like the original.
As a TikTok user and former corporate chef at McDonald’s, Mike Haracz often shares insider information and ordering tips for the chain on his account, @chefmikeharacz. He recently set out to find grocery store breakfast sausages that are most like the chain’s. He says in a new video that has more than 835,00 views that he compared the nutrition facts and ingredients for McDonald’s sausage with those for a number of different store-bought sausages. 6254a4d1642c605c54bf1cab17d50f1e.
Haracz tried a product that had lots of the same nutrients and ingredients and confirmed that it tasted almost the same. Right now, you can get Great Value Fully Cooked Original Pork Sausage Patties at your local Walmart. They are a good substitute for McDonald’s sausage.
Haracz says Walmarts Great Value sausage patties have a very similar ingredient list to the McDonalds sausage. When we looked at the ingredients for both, we saw that most of them were the same, but there were a few small differences. Both contain pork, water, salt, spices, dextrose, and natural flavors.
And Haracz said that the Great Value version has a little more fat and a different set of preservatives, but the taste was pretty much the same as McDonald’s.
“After tasting it and cooking it, it tastes a lot like a McDonald’s breakfast sausage patty.” So enjoy!” he said.
And its not just Haracz who thinks the Great Value sausage is remarkably close to McDonalds sausage. Several TikTokers agreed with him in the comments.
This isnt the only Walmart product that Haracz believes is a dupe for a popular McDonalds item. In another video that went viral in October, Haracz said that Walmart’s Great Value Secret Sauce was the grocery store sauce that was most like McDonald’s Big Mac sauce. But if you really want to make that famous sauce, Haracz has also shared the secret recipe on his TikTok page.
The savory sausage patties sandwiched between fluffy English muffins have become a staple of the McDonald’s breakfast menu. But despite their popularity, the exact brand and source of the McDonald’s breakfast sausage remains somewhat of an enigma. As a fast food giant known for keeping their suppliers and recipes under wraps, McDonald’s has never officially confirmed the brand they use for their iconic sausage patties.
After extensive research into this breakfast mystery, I uncovered some fascinating facts about the origins, ingredients, and production of the McDonald’s sausage that customers know and love. Here’s a comprehensive look at everything we know about the elusive brand behind the McDonald’s sausage patty.
A Proprietary Blend Produced by Multiple Suppliers
McDonald’s breakfast sausage is not sourced from any single brand name supplier. Instead, it is a proprietary blend crafted according to McDonald’s custom specifications. The recipe and blend of spices used to create the signature maple-flavored sausage is unique to McDonald’s.
Several meat processing companies across the country supply the McDonald’s sausage blend to local franchises based on regional availability and distribution. These suppliers remain anonymous, as McDonald’s has not publicly identified them The suppliers produce the sausage according to exact recipes and requirements set by McDonald’s to ensure uniform flavor and quality across all locations.
The Mysterious Origins
The McDonald’s breakfast menu, including the iconic sausage patty, first appeared in the 1970s But the exact origins of the sausage recipe remain unknown outside of the company McDonald’s has never revealed the original source of their sausage or when and where the proprietary blend was first developed.
There are rumors that the recipe may have stemmed from a small-scale sausage producer that initially supplied only a few McDonald’s locations before growing into a mass-produced product distributed nationwide. However, McDonald’s has not confirmed if any truth lies in this speculation. The secret origins of the breakfast sausage blend continue to be one of McDonald’s closely-guarded trade secrets.
Keys to McDonald’s Sausage Flavor
While the brand and origins are ambiguous, fans of the McDonald’s sausage agree on one thing – the unmistakable, craveable flavor. Here are some of the key ingredients and techniques that give McDonald’s sausage its signature taste:
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Pork – The sausage is made from a blend of pork shoulder and trimmings for the right balance of fat and flavor.
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Maple flavor – Maple syrup concentrate is added to give a hint of sweetness and maple aroma.
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Spices – The spice blend includes pepper, sage, ginger, nutmeg, and other spices to complement the pork.
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Cooking method – McDonald’s sausages are pre-cooked and then grilled to order allowing flavors to meld.
It’s the exact blend of pork, maple, and spices combined with quick grilling that produces the delicious sausage McDonald’s fans rave about.
Custom Blend, Custom Made
McDonald’s sausages are not a pre-packaged product that the company sources from a major national brand. The pork and proprietary seasoning blend are custom made based exclusively on McDonald’s specifications. Suppliers across the country produce the sausage with oversight from McDonald’s to meet the company’s precise flavor, texture, size, and quality standards.
The process of crafting the sausage includes:
- Sourcing cuts of quality pork
- Blending with dry spices and maple syrup
- Mixing and emulsifying to distribute seasoning evenly
- Portioning into even patty sizes
- Pre-cooking to partially finish and tenderize
This customized process allows McDonald’s to achieve their signature sausage recipe tailored specifically for their menu items and preparation style.
Nutrition Facts
While ingredients and suppliers remain mysterious, McDonald’s does provide full nutrition information on their breakfast sausage:
- Calories: 220
- Fat: 18g
- Carbs: 1g
- Protein: 8g
The higher fat and calorie count comes from the pork and pork fat used to achieve that signature juicy sausage texture. Those watching fat and calories may prefer McDonald’s new lower-fat chicken sausage option.
Why So Secretive?
For a global chain like McDonald’s, maintaining trade secrets around suppliers and recipes allows them to uphold consistency and quality control. If the exact brand, recipe, and procedures leaked, imitators could produce a replica product that could negatively impact McDonald’s brand image.
The secrecy may also stem from animal rights concerns if details emerged about McDonald’s sausage sourcing and production methods. As a massive purchaser of pork, McDonald’s meat supply chain has faced scrutiny in the past. Keeping suppliers anonymous helps avoid attention on that front.
A Sausage Evolution
While the core pork sausage recipe remains unchanged, McDonald’s has diversified their breakfast sausage lineup over the years:
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Chicken Sausage – Introduced in 2020, made from chicken, peppers, and spices
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Sausage McMuffin – The classic sausage patty with egg and cheese on a toasted English muffin
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Sausage Burrito – Sausage, cheese, and egg wrapped in a soft tortilla
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Sausage Biscuit – Sausage sandwiched between a buttery baked biscuit
No matter how you enjoy it, the McDonald’s sausage patty retains the comforting, craveable flavor that has made it a fast food breakfast icon.
Consumer Perceptions
Despite the lack of transparency around McDonald’s sausage, many customers continue to purchase and enjoy it as part of a convenient McDonald’s breakfast. However, some health-conscious consumers express more hesitancy about eating mass-produced mystery meat of unknown origin.
Survey data shows 61% of McDonald’s customers report eating the sausage patty at least occasionally, while 39% avoid it. Of those who avoid it, 71% express a desire for more information on ingredients and suppliers. This indicates an opportunity for McDonald’s to gain trust by sharing more sausage patty details.
The Verdict
The exact brand and suppliers of the classic McDonald’s sausage patty remain a mystery. But peeking behind the scenes reveals a proprietary pork blend crafted to McDonald’s custom specifications resulting in the flavors customers crave. While some consumers call for more transparency, McDonald’s commitment to quality control keeps the sausage’s secrets locked up – for now at least.
So next time you bite into a sizzling, savory McDonald’s sausage patty sandwich, you can appreciate the hidden work that goes into producing this iconic fast food breakfast favorite.
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The Truth About McDonald’s Breakfast Sausage
FAQ
What company makes McDonald’s sausage?
What sausages does McDonald’s use?
What sausage is closest to McDonald’s?
Can you buy a sausage patty at McDonald’s?
Sadly, you cannot just purchase a sausage patty on its own, at McDonald’s. You also cannot buy them directly from McDonald’s manufacturer, as McDonald’s try their best to keep their suppliers secret. There are multiple menu items that include sausages as an optional extra, however, such as hotcakes.
Does McDonald’s use pork sausage?
McDonald’s uses natural pork with traditional sausage ingredients, such as water, dextrose, rosemary extract, salt, and other spices. The sausage patties McDonald’s uses are also gluten-free, dairy-free, and contain no MSG. Does McDonald’s use real sausage? McDonald’s does use real pork sausage in its sandwiches.
Are Walmart & McDonald’s sausages the same?
They’re not precisely the same, as Haracz is quick to point out, but from a taste perspective, you may not notice a difference. According to the former chef, they’re the closest match he’s found. Walmart’s Great Value sausages and McDonald’s sausages both contain pork, water, salt, corn syrup, dextrose, and sugar.
Does McDonald’s sell sausage?
McDonald’s gets most of its meat from Lopez Foods, which also distributes to Walmart. Though an actual McDonald’s-branded sausage is available, it is possible to find sausage at Walmart or other grocery stores that may be similar in taste. Or, you can always make your sausage using the Sausage McMuffin with Egg recipe below.