As a bacon lover I’m always on the hunt for the perfect slice – crispy yet tender, smoky and salty. And in my opinion some of the best fast food bacon can be found at McDonald’s! Their applewood smoked bacon has just the right amount of fat, packs a ton of flavor, and adds the perfect crunch and smokiness to so many of their menu items.
But if you’re like me, you’ve probably wondered – what kind of bacon does McDonald’s use exactly? Is it available for consumers to buy? In this article, I’ll demystify the bacon at McDonald’s and share some tips on how you can recreate their iconic bacon flavor at home!
An Overview of McDonald’s Bacon Menu
Let’s start with an overview of how McDonald’s uses bacon across their menu. Some of the most popular bacon items at McDonald’s include:
- Quarter Pounder with Cheese Bacon – Their classic burger topped with a slice of crispy bacon
- Bacon, Egg & Cheese McGriddles – Breakfast sandwiches with soft griddle cakes and bacon
- Bacon, Egg & Cheese Biscuit – Flaky biscuit sandwich with bacon
- Bacon, Egg & Cheese Bagel – Bacon topped bagel sandwich
They also offer bacon as an add-on option for burgers, sandwiches, salads, and more. It’s clear that McDonald’s leans heavily on bacon as a flavor booster for many of their most iconic and craveable menu choices.
The Bacon McDonald’s Uses
So what is the exact type and brand of bacon at McDonald’s? Here are the key details
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Pork Bacon – McDonald’s bacon is made from pork, not turkey or other meats
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Applewood Smoked – The bacon gets its signature smoky flavor from being smoked with applewood.
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Thick Slices – Each slice of McDonald’s bacon is thicker than average fast food bacon.
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Pre-cooked – The bacon arrives at restaurants pre-cooked then reheated on the grill when ordered.
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OSI Brand – McDonald’s works with food supplier OSI Group to produce their custom bacon.
Buying McDonald’s Bacon in Stores
The bad news is that the exact OSI bacon McDonald’s uses is not available for direct purchase by consumers. It is a proprietary product made exclusively for McDonald’s.
However, OSI does produce a line of bacon products under the Brand 77 label that are sold at some retail outlets. The applewood smoked bacon from Brand 77 would likely be the closest match you can buy in stores to mimic McDonald’s. But it still won’t be exactly the same.
Your best bet is to read on for tips on replicating the taste at home!
Tips for Making McDonald’s Style Bacon
While not identical, you can come very close to the McDonald’s bacon experience using grocery store bacon with these tips:
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Buy thick-cut bacon – Choose a pork bacon slab that is roughly 1/4 inch thick. Thinner bacon won’t crisp up the same.
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Use applewood smoking – Seek out applewood smoked bacon for the signature flavor. Or add applewood smoked salt to unsmoked bacon.
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Partially pre-cook – Frying the bacon halfway before finishing on a grill or oven will mimic McDonald’s process.
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Use lower heat – Cook the bacon at around 325-350°F instead of higher temps to achieve crispy but not burnt.
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Add seasonings – Sprinkle on a bit of brown sugar, maple, cinnamon, or thyme to complement the applewood.
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Drain excess fat – Remove some of the grease during cooking for a less oily bacon like McDonald’s.
With the right thick-cut, applewood bacon and using these tips, you can make McDonald’s-quality bacon at home! It may take some trial and error to perfect your technique, but you’ll end up with crispy, smoky, sweet bacon.
Top Uses for McDonald’s Style Homemade Bacon
Once you’ve nailed cooking up excellent McDonald’s-esque bacon at home, here are some of my favorite ways to use it:
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Breakfast sandwiches – Bacon, egg, and cheese on an English muffin or biscuit
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Burgers – Add crispy bacon to your favorite burger recipes
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Salads – Crumble over lettuce, veggies, eggs, and avocado
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Baked potatoes – Chop up bacon for loaded baked potatoes
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Mac and cheese – Mix into ooey-gooey mac and cheese
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Bacon and Brussels sprouts – Toss with roasted Brussels sprouts
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Pasta carbonara – Use in an indulgent carbonara sauce for pasta
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Bacon jam – Make a spreadable sweet and salty bacon jam
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Candied bacon – Coat with brown sugar and cinnamon and bake into candied bacon