What’s On a Wendy’s Junior Bacon Cheeseburger? A Close Look at This Iconic Burger

The Junior Bacon Cheeseburger, affectionately known as the JBC, is one of the most popular items on the Wendy’s menu This modestly sized burger packs a flavor punch, with the winning combination of a beef patty, cheesy goodness, applewood smoked bacon, and classic toppings.

But have you ever wondered exactly what comes on a JBC from Wendy’s? In this article we’ll take a close look at every single ingredient that makes up this iconic little bacon cheeseburger.

Here’s a preview of what we’ll cover:

• Wendy’s JBC Nutrition Facts
• The Beef Patty
• Cheese
• Applewood Smoked Bacon
• Bun and Condiments
• Vegetable Toppings
• How Wendy’s Makes the JBC
• Customizing Your JBC
• JBC History and Fun Facts

Let’s get started dissecting this fan favorite to see everything layered between that toasted bun!

Wendy’s JBC Nutrition Facts

First, let’s look at the basic nutrition facts for a Wendy’s Junior Bacon Cheeseburger:

• Calories: 390
• Fat: 24g
• Carbs: 25g
• Protein: 19g

A JBC definitely isn’t the lowest calorie item on the menu, with about 56% of calories coming from fat. But as an occasional treat, it hits the spot for a flavorful burger experience.

The Beef Patty

The star of the show in any burger is the beef patty. Wendy’s prides itself on using fresh, never frozen 100% North American beef.

The JBC patty is a standard compact 2 oz beef patty, seasoned simply with just salt and pepper. It’s flat grilled until hot and juicy with a nice bit of char.

Wendy’s beef has a signature flavor thanks to being never frozen. The fresh beef makes the texture more tender and moist compared to frozen patties.

Cheese

Slapped on top of the hot juicy patty is a slice of melty American cheese.

The pasteurized processed American cheese is made from a blend of milk, cream, water, and seasoning. It melts smoothly over the patty, adding a creamy boost of cheesy richness.

Fun fact: Wendy’s was the first major fast food chain to add cheese to their burgers back in the 1970s. So cheeseburgers have always been a part of their menu DNA.

Applewood Smoked Bacon

Of course the “B” in JBC stands for bacon!

Wendy’s applewood smoked bacon undergoing a special smoking process to infuse it with a subtle smoky maple flavor. Applewood smoke has a sweeter, milder taste compared to hickory or mesquite smoke.

The bacon is cured with basic ingredients like water, sea salt, cane sugar, and sodium phosphate. Overall the applewood smoked bacon delivers a nice balance of smokiness, sweetness, and saltiness.

Adding that savory bacon flavor and crispy meaty texture really takes the JBC to the next level.

Bun and Condiments

All of the ingredients described above sit sandwiched between a toasted bun smeared with condiments.

The JBC bun is Wendy’s signature baked bun, made from enriched wheat flour. It has a soft slightly sweet taste with a dusting of white and yellow corn flour on top.

Sandwiching the patty and cheese is a spread of Wendy’s signature mayonnaise sauce. Their mayo has a creamy texture and tangy flavor from ingredients like soybean oil, egg yolks, vinegar, and mustard.

A layer of mayo on both bun halves helps keep the patty and toppings in place while adding a nice moisture barrier.

Vegetable Toppings

To finish off the JBC, some fresh veggie toppings add texture, flavor, and nutrition:

• Leaf lettuce: Cool and crispy green leaf lettuce provides fresh crunch.

• Sliced tomato: A juicy red tomato slice adds sweetness.

• Onions: Chopped onions give a pungent bite. Ask for no onions if you’re not a fan of their strong flavor.

• Pickles: Tart pickle chips are included on request for an acidic zing.

The veggies help cut through the richness of the cheese and bacon. Enjoy them all or customize by asking for any toppings to be left off.

How Wendy’s Makes the JBC

At Wendy’s, all buns, patties, and toppings come in pre-prepped. Here is the general process for assembling a hot Junior Bacon Cheeseburger:

1. Toast bun until lightly browned.

2. Spread both bun halves with mayonnaise sauce.

3. Place patty on bottom bun.

4. Top patty with a slice of American cheese.

5. Place 2-3 pieces of applewood smoked bacon.

6. Add freshly sliced tomato, onion, lettuce, and pickles.

7. Finish with top bun and lightly wrap sandwich.

8. Serve JBC hot and delicious!

The prep line cooks receive thorough training to build consistent, high quality JBC burgers every time.

Next time you visit Wendy’s, see if you can observe the sandwich assembly process in action!

Customizing Your JBC

One of the best things about Wendy’s is their willingness to customize any menu item. Feel free to tweak your JBC to your perfect specifications.

Some ways to put your own spin on the classic JBC include:

• Add extra bacon – because everything is better with more bacon!

• Swap the cheese – try pepper jack or provolone for a flavor change.

• Extra veggies – load it with tomato, lettuce, onions, even ask for fresh spinach!

• Sauces – request extra mayo or dip it in ketchup, honey mustard, ranch, etc.

• No bun – go low carb and get your JBC as a lettuce wrap.

Don’t be shy about special requests. The Wendy’s employees want you to enjoy your food just the way you like it.

JBC History and Fun Facts

To finish off, here are a few tasty nuggets of Wendy’s JBC history and fun facts:

• The JBC was added to the menu in 1981 shortly after Wendy’s was founded in 1969.

• In the 1980s it was marketed as the “Joe Jr. Bacon Cheeseburger” before being shortened to the JBC.

• For a while in the 2000s they experimented with a