McDonald's reveals a behind-the-scenes look at how it makes its new fresh-beef burgers
McDonald's reveals a behind-the-scenes look at how it makes its new fresh-beef burgers
The first step to the new burger is fresh — not frozen — patties.
McDonald's had to address major food-safety concerns that come with adding fresh beef to the menu. Workers have special blue gloves that they immediately discard after handling the patties.
Beyond the gloves, however, the burger preparation is pretty much identical.
Fresh patties are slapped on the grill and flattened, allowed both sides of the burger to swiftly cook.
While one fast-food employee mans the grill, another worker has already put the buns in the toaster oven, where they are toasted golden brown in roughly 22 seconds.
The buns are topped with lettuce, tomato, mayo, and more — all in accordance to handy cheat sheets hanging by the prep station.
Like all McDonald's burgers, the patty is seasoned only with a sprinkle of pepper.
One positive of the new burger is that fresh beef cooks faster than frozen patties — something that is crucial to making sure that service doesn't slow down with the new menu item.
The patty meets the toppings, and the burger is complete — a process that, if all goes well, should take less than two minutes.
The result: a hotter, juicier burger than the frozen-beef variety, something that McDonald's hopes to use to win over customers seeking more upscale options.
"The fresh beef is noticeably juicier than the frozen alternative," Business Insider found in a taste test. "This allows for the entire burger to have more depth of flavor."