If you’ve ever enjoyed a savory Burger King sausage breakfast sandwich, you may have wondered exactly what those sausage patties are made of. Are they 100% beef like their famous burger patties? Or do they contain pork? Let’s take a look at what goes into Burger King’s sausage.
A Look at Burger King Sausage Ingredients
According to the Burger King website, their sausage patties consist of the following ingredients:
- Pork
- Water
- Textured Vegetable Protein (Soy Protein Concentrate, Caramel Color)
- Corn Syrup Solids
- Spices
- Dextrose
- Sugar
- Salt
- Potassium Lactate
- Hydrolyzed Corn Gluten
- Natural Smoke Flavoring
- Sodium Phosphates
- Sodium Diacetate
- Sodium Erythorbate
- Sodium Nitrite
Right away in the ingredients list, we see that the number one ingredient is pork. So Burger King sausage does indeed contain pork, not beef.
However, the sausages are not 100% pork. The second major ingredient is textured vegetable protein derived from soy. This soy-based protein acts as a meat extender, allowing them to use less pork.
The remaining ingredients on the list are binders, preservatives, sweeteners, and flavorings used to turn the pork and soy protein into the familiar sausage puck.
Why Pork Instead of Beef?
Burger King uses pork instead of beef in their breakfast sausage for a couple of key reasons:
Flavor – Pork has more natural fat which gives sausage a juicy, rich mouthfeel and savory flavor. Beef sausage tends to be leaner and less succulent.
Cost – Pork is typically a more budget-friendly meat compared to beef. Blending with soy protein further reduces costs while still maintaining a meaty texture.
Expectations – Most diners expect sausage to contain at least some pork. The sweet, smoky taste profile aligns with what people think of as “sausage flavor.”
Burger King sticks with 100% beef for their hamburger patties to align with customer expectations of an all-beef burger But pork makes more sense for sausage from a taste, cost, and familiarity standpoint
Are the Sausage Patties Pre-Cooked?
Burger King sausage patties arrive at restaurants pre-formed and fully cooked. Each frozen sausage patty is reheated on the grill or microwave before serving.
The patties are pre-cooked for food safety and convenience. This allows them to be quickly reheated to order at each restaurant location.
Burger King notes that all their breakfast meats including sausage, bacon, ham, and buns are free from artificial preservatives. They rely on cooking, freezing, and other natural preservative methods to maintain freshness and quality.
Nutritional Profile of BK Sausage
Here is the basic nutritional information for a Burger King sausage patty according to their website:
- Calories: 160
- Fat: 13g
- Carbs: 2g
- Protein: 7g
As expected with a pork-based sausage, a single patty delivers quite a bit of fat and saturated fat along with minimal carbs and moderate protein.
Burger King sausage patties weigh approximately 1.6 ounces or 45 grams each. This means each patty contains 10 grams of fat, 1 gram of carbs, and 4 grams of protein per ounce.
So while not the leanest breakfast option, Burger King sausage provides a satisfying dose of protein and fat to start your day. Moderating portion size is key for keeping calories and saturated fat in check.
Should You Choose Sausage or Bacon?
If you’re debating between sausage and bacon for your BK breakfast sandwich, consider these differences:
Sausage
- Higher in fat and calories than bacon
- More protein than bacon
- Made with pork
- More savory, less smoky flavor
Bacon
- Lower in calories and fat than sausage patties
- Highest protein option of all breakfast meats
- Made from cured pork belly
- Signature smoky, salty flavor
Bacon rates lower for fat and calories while still delivering ample protein. But sausage offers a heartier texture and that classic pork sausage taste. Choose whichever option best satisfies your cravings!
Homemade Sausage Patties
Interested in recreating that sweet, spicy sausage flavor at home? Here are some recipes to try:
- Breakfast Sausage Patties – Pork and sage sausage
- Turkey Breakfast Sausage – Lower fat option using ground turkey
- Keto Breakfast Sausage – Made with pork rinds for ultra low carb
- Vegan Breakfast Sausage – Meatless version with soy and spices
With some simple seasoning and binders, you can whip up a batch of homemade sausage patties that rival the BK versions.
Is it Beef or Pork?
Frequency of Entities:
Burger King sausage: 9
pork: 10
beef: 8
protein: 5
fat: 5
calories: 3
carbs: 3
flavor: 3
patties: 6
pre-cooked: 2
smoky: 1
salty: 1
juicy: 1
savory: 1