Kamil Perry
McDonald's uses processed American cheese on its burgers and sandwiches, but the exact composition of the cheese is a closely guarded trade secret. The cheese is made and packaged specifically for McDonald's and is purchased in bulk without any branding. While the exact cheese used by McDonald's cannot be purchased, former corporate chef Mike Haracz has revealed that the closest alternative is Great Value Deluxe slices from Walmart.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Branding | Unbranded, but made and packaged specifically for McDonald's |
| Type | Pasteurized processed cheese product |
| Composition | 60% real cheese, water, salt, whey powder, butter, milk proteins, emulsifying salt, flavouring and colouring |
| Cheese type | Mostly Cheddar (51%) with other cheeses, including American Cheese, contributing the remaining 9% |
| Similar products | Walmart's Great Value Deluxe slices |
| Preparation | Cheese is left to temper at room temperature for at least an hour |
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What You'll Learn
McDonald's uses an unbranded American cheese
McDonald's uses processed American cheese on its burgers and breakfast sandwiches. The cheese is made and packaged specifically for the fast-food chain, and it comes in bulk with no branding.
According to a former McDonald's corporate chef, Mike Haracz, the closest alternative to McDonald's American cheese is Great Value Deluxe slices from Walmart. The ingredients are almost identical, with minor differences in preservatives. However, he notes that to get the signature McDonald's taste, it's essential to let the cheese temper before cooking. This involves letting the cheese sit out at room temperature for about an hour to gradually raise its temperature, which helps the cheese melt uniformly and ensures a smooth and creamy texture.
McDonald's American cheese is a combination of 60% real cheese and a mixture of water, salt, whey powder, butter, milk proteins, emulsifying salt, flavouring, and colouring. The cheese component is mostly Cheddar (51%), with other cheeses, including American Cheese, making up the remaining 9%.
In Australia, the boxes of cheese supplied to McDonald's are labelled with the McDonald's logo and simply state "McDonald's American Cheese". This further supports the idea that the cheese is custom-made for the company and is not a standard product available to consumers.
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It's made and packaged specifically for McDonald's
McDonald's cheese is made and packaged specifically for the company. It is bought in bulk and has no branding on the cases. It is a "pasteurized processed cheese product" and not actual cheese. It is made from a unique blend that consists of 60% real cheese and a mixture of water, salt, whey powder, butter, milk proteins, emulsifying salt, flavouring and colouring. The cheese component is mostly Cheddar (51% of the total) with a range of other cheeses, including American Cheese, contributing the remaining 9%.
In Australia, the box comes labelled with the McDonald's logo and is referred to as "McDonald's American Cheese". It is supplied by a huge-scale producer called Great Lakes Cheese in the USA.
Former corporate chef Mike Haracz has revealed that the closest thing to McDonald's American cheese is Walmart's Great Value Deluxe slices, which have almost identical ingredients, with minor differences in preservatives. He advises allowing the cheese to temper before cooking with it, as McDonald's does, to achieve a similar taste. This involves gradually raising the cheese's temperature to match the dish it will be added to, helping it melt uniformly and ensuring a smooth and creamy texture.
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The cheese is sourced from a producer called Great Lakes Cheese
McDonald's is a fast-food giant and a cultural phenomenon, with its burgers, including the Big Mac, Quarter Pounder, and Cheeseburgers, being instantly recognizable. A significant part of what has made those burgers so iconic is the sliced “cheese” that lies between the meat patty and the buns. But where does McDonald's get its cheese from?
While McDonald's does not disclose the exact composition of its cheese slices, it is known that Great Lakes Cheese supplies a unique blend specifically tailored to the company's requirements. This blend contributes to the iconic taste and texture that has become synonymous with McDonald's cheeseburgers.
Interestingly, while McDonald's cheese is a closely guarded secret, former corporate chef Mike Haracz has revealed some behind-the-scenes insights. According to Chef Haracz, the closest alternative to McDonald's American cheese in the market is Great Value Deluxe slices from Walmart. He advises allowing the cheese to temper before cooking, as this helps prevent graininess or separation when exposed to high heat, resulting in a smooth and creamy texture.
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The slices are referred to as processed cheese products
McDonald's uses processed cheese products in its burgers, including the iconic Big Mac. The slices are referred to as processed cheese products because they are not purely made of cheese curds. Instead, they consist of about 60% real cheese and a mixture of other ingredients. These ingredients include water, salt, whey powder, butter, milk proteins, emulsifying salt, flavouring, and colouring.
The cheese component is primarily made of cheddar, which makes up 51% of the total cheese content. The remaining 9% consists of a variety of other cheeses, including American cheese. This unique blend is supplied by a large-scale producer in the USA called Great Lakes Cheese.
While the exact composition of the cheese slices is a closely guarded trade secret, former corporate chef Mike Haracz has revealed some behind-the-scenes insights. According to Haracz, tempering the cheese before cooking is essential to achieving the desired texture. Tempering involves gradually raising the temperature of the cheese to match the temperature of the dish it will be added to. By doing this, the cheese melts uniformly, resulting in a smooth and creamy texture.
For those looking to recreate the McDonald's cheese experience at home, Haracz recommends using Great Value sliced cheese from Walmart. By letting the cheese sit at room temperature for about an hour before use, it will taste even more like McDonald's American cheese. This technique of tempering enhances the melting process, ensuring a smooth and uniform consistency.
In Australia, McDonald's cheese packaging is labelled with the McDonald's logo and simply states "McDonald's American Cheese". This reinforces the idea that the cheese is made specifically for the company, with a unique recipe tailored to their needs.
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The closest alternative is Walmart's Great Value Deluxe slices
McDonald's uses processed cheese in its sandwiches and burgers. The exact composition of the cheese slices is a closely guarded trade secret. However, it is known that the cheese is made and packaged specifically for the company, and sources indicate that it is not "actual cheese".
While you may not be able to get the exact cheese McDonald's uses, there are some very close alternatives. Former McDonald's corporate chef, Mike Haracz, has stated that the closest alternative is Walmart's Great Value Deluxe slices, which have "almost identical" ingredients to McDonald's American cheese, with only minor differences in preservatives.
Haracz advises that to get the signature McDonald's taste, it is essential to let the cheese temper before cooking with it. This involves letting the cheese sit out for about an hour so that its temperature gradually rises to match the dish it will be added to. This helps the cheese melt uniformly, resulting in a smooth and creamy texture. Without tempering, the cheese may melt irregularly and become gritty or clumpy.
Therefore, if you're looking for the closest alternative to McDonald's American cheese, Walmart's Great Value Deluxe slices are your best option. Just remember to let the cheese temper before cooking to ensure you get that signature McDonald's taste and texture.
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Frequently asked questions
McDonald's uses American cheese, which is made and packaged specifically for the company. It is a processed cheese product consisting of 60% real cheese and a mixture of water, salt, whey powder, butter, milk proteins, emulsifying salt, flavouring and colouring.
The exact composition of McDonald's American cheese is a closely guarded trade secret. However, it is known that the cheese is produced by a large-scale producer called Great Lakes Cheese in the USA.
McDonald's allows its American cheese to temper, or reach room temperature, for at least an hour before using it. This helps the cheese melt uniformly and ensures a smooth and creamy texture.
According to former McDonald's corporate chef Mike Haracz, the closest alternative to McDonald's American cheese is Walmart's Great Value Deluxe slices. Allowing the cheese to temper before use will make it taste even more similar to McDonald's cheese.
