The Big Mac, arguably the most iconic McDonald’s menu item, might be a little different in the UK than in other countries like the US or Australia. According to Thomas O’Neill, head of menu at McDonald’s UK & Ireland, there are subtle recipe variations specific to the UK. Recently, Maccies made significant changes to their beef burgers, revamping their preparation and cooking methods to create their ‘best burger’ yet. While explaining these changes, Thomas shared a little-known fact about the Big Mac sauce with Metro.co.uk. He stated, ‘There are some nuances around our recipe changes that are different to elsewhere, so, for example, [we] use a different amount of Big Mac Sauce in the UK, which we always have done.’
This isn’t the only difference that dedicated Big Mac fans might notice. Thomas explains, ‘Fundamentally the idea is that every Big Mac should taste the same wherever you go. But there are market nuances wherever you go in the world, and it could be because we have a different bakery in one country to another. Ultimately, flavour-wise it’s pretty much the same though.’
Confirming these slight differences, a McDonald’s spokesperson explained that the taste of menu items varies depending on the country due to sourcing ingredients from different locations. However, they emphasized that the ‘iconic Big Mac sauce recipe is the same across the world,’ assuring that every Big Mac delivers the familiar deliciousness.
The Big Mac sauce recipe has been a mystery for years, with fans trying to recreate it at home. We know it includes pickle relish, mustard, onion, and garlic, but what else? McDonald’s has finally revealed the full ingredient list, including water, rapeseed oil, gherkin, spirit vinegar, sugar, modified maize starch, free range egg yolk, spices (containing mustard), salt, glucose-fructose syrup, thickener (xanthan gum), natural flavorings, and calcium chloride as a firming agent.
While the detailed ingredient list might not sound as appealing, a former McDonald’s chef, Dan Coudreaut, shared a recipe in 2015, claiming it can be recreated at home with mayonnaise, sweet pickle relish, classic yellow mustard, white wine vinegar, garlic powder, onion powder, and paprika. Whether the UK’s Big Mac sauce is truly different in taste remains a mystery, but it certainly sparks curiosity for those seeking a unique flavor experience.
