What Type Of Bacon Does McDonald's Use For Its Burgers And Sandwiches?

McDonald's may have made the (frankly tragic) decision to stop serving all-day breakfast, but that doesn't mean that you can't enjoy bacon 'round the clock there. A number of McD's items utilize bacon to great effect, whether we're talking morning delights like the Bacon, Egg, & Cheese bagel or lunch-and-dinner entrees such as the Bacon Quarter Pounder with Cheese. A McDonald's hack that's hidden in plain sight is the fact that your mobile app allows you to add bacon to many sandwiches. In fact, you can pile on several slices ... as long as you're willing to pay the requisite upcharge, obvs. But what, exactly, do we know about the type of bacon that you're getting on your favorite Golden Arches handheld? Actually, we know a lot — thanks to official word from the McDonald's website, which specifies that it uses applewood smoked bacon.

Applewood smoked bacon is a perennially popular choice with foodies. It is, as the name suggests, bacon that is slow-smoked over flames fueled by wood from apple trees. Different types of wood impart different aromas and savors when smoking, and applewood (as opposed to other BBQ heavy hitters like mesquite or hickory) is known for lending a mild flavor to meat that's long on fruity and floral notes. It pairs well with mellow cuts that can properly absorb its delicate essence. Fatty pork belly, which is typically used in bacon cuts, is a perfect match. McDonald's is far from alone in utilizing applewood smoked bacon; in fact, the product has nearly a century of history behind it in America alone.

Some say that the American introduction to applewood smoked bacon came in 1933, when R.C. Nueske utilized traditional skills learned from his Prussian immigrant grandparents to smoke meats over applewood and sell them to his neighbors in northern Wisconsin. Applewood smoking was a European concept that crossed the proverbial pond, and Americans went crazy for the delicious results. Today, Nueske's bacon is still a premium product, but that brand is far from the only one that's smoking pork over applewood. In the 2020s, the best tips for cooking bacon focus on products that are already smoked and packaged, and too many consumers don't spare a thought for the history behind those scrumptious rashers that they fry up for burgers, breakfast combos, baked potatoes, salads, and so on.

It's likely (although not explicitly stated) that McDonald's prefers applewood smoked bacon for the same reasons that generations of consumers around the world have gravitated to this pork product: the flavor is delicious, and the bacon generally doesn't compete with other elements in a dish. In this case, all the components of your Quarter Pound or McMuffin are allowed to shine. The bacon augments the sandwich or burger, but doesn't muscle its way to the forefront. In a world replete with all types of bacon and a society obsessed with its every form, applewood smoked bacon rises head and shoulders above many other comers when talking about deliciousness and versatility, leaving little wonder that it's the choice of a massive fast food empire like McDonald's.