What Steak Does McDonald's Use In Its Breakfast Sandwiches?

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It's a truth universally acknowledged that McDonald's breakfast is the real deal — even though we still wonder why the company stopped serving it all day – and its steak breakfast sandwiches are a special treat. The Golden Arches will dish up steak, egg, and cheese on either a bagel, a McGriddle, or a biscuit, although some of these might require customization. Given that the prices for these sandwiches are in line with other meat options, you probably figured out that McD's isn't grilling filet mignon (or even any of the best affordable steak cuts) on the flat top. So what kind of steak is in these sandwiches? 

Coming to the rescue with the answers we need is Mike Haracz, a former McDonald's corporate chef, who sometimes uses his TikTok to answer your burning questions about his former erstwhile. Chef Haracz previously taught us a beloved Filet-O-Fish bun hack, for reference. When it comes to steak, he doesn't beat around the bush: McDonald's uses a product called Steak-EZE, specifically the 3-oz patty of compressed "lightly marinated" sirloin pieces that break apart when cooked. These are not unlike the Steak-umm brand you might buy in the grocery store for homemade Philly cheesesteaks, but are more of a patty than a sheet. As per Haracz's friends at McDonald's, the Steak-EZE patties are sprinkled with Montreal steak seasoning, just like the kind you might have in your pantry for grilling. Haracz shares that, unfortunately, Steak-EZE is not that easy to source for home use, as it is primarily sold by food service retailers.

Looking up The Original Steak-EZE BreakAway Sirloin Beef Steak on Tyson's website shows us that this beef is sourced right in America from midwest cattle, which may be a welcome surprise to many. As per Tyson, the Steak-EZE patties are designed to cook in no more than three minutes from frozen — a fact that's certainly beneficial in a fast food environment like McDonald's! Notably, the beef is bathed in food starch, which is alleged to enrich beefiness. Like Mike Haracz warned, inquiries about purchasing Steak-EZE are met with links to wholesale food service companies.

The internet is full of busy bees who have taken it upon themselves to duplicate McDonald's steak, egg, and cheese sandwiches, especially the bagel version. In the absence of the Steak-EZE patties, some have had good luck with shaved steak, either of the Steak-umm variety or thinly-sliced ribeye. The seasoning is key, so don't forget that Montreal steak mix, possibly with a bit of Worcestershire for umami goodness.

After that, the components are easy-peasy... or, should we say, EZE? You just need folded scrambled eggs, cheese, fried onions, and a split bagel. Recipes abound on the web for McDonald's breakfast sauce, which is an amalgam of mayonnaise, mustard, seasonings, and a dash of steak sauce. With a little creativity, you can capture what makes a McDonald's steak bagel delicious, even if you don't have the exact steak used at the drive-thru.