Iâm sitting here in a busy high street McDonaldâs in Manchester wondering how does McDonaldâs make their fries? As much as I hate to admit, McDonaldâs french fries are a secret indulgence of mine, especially on a cheat day. So I thought Iâd do some research to understand how the Golden Arches produce their world-renown fries.
In the UK, McDonaldâs source British potatoes that go by the snazzy names âPentland Deli, Shepody, Innovator, Russet Burbank, and Ivory Russetâ. These special potatoes are picked for their ability to produce long fries. All potatoes are washed, peeled, and cut up before theyâre prepared. Fun fact, the washed potatoes are shot through a tube at over 60 MPH through razor-sharp cutters for ultimate efficiency and precision.
The preparation involves partial frying to get that incredible crispy finish. After prep, they are frozen and shipped to the franchise restaurants. Frozen in bags initially, theyâre then placed into a machine that will automatically weigh and sort the right amount of fries into a frying basket. It then takes just 3 minutes in a blend of sunflower and rapeseed oil, plus a pre-configured amount of salt so theyâre consistently golden and tasty.
Are McDonaldâs Fries Vegan?
Short answer: Yes, McDonaldâs french fries are vegan-friendly in 2019. If youâre a long-time vegan or have recently decided to give it a go, McDonaldâs french fries are most definitely vegan-friendly. During preparation, the fries are not coated in any fats or substances that derive from animals. As mentioned already, the chips (for those that call them that!) are fried for 3 minutes in a mixture of rapeseed and sunflower oil which are both vegan-friendly.
If you love BBQ sauce with your french fries just note that âSmokey BBQ Dipâ contains honey and is therefore not vegan-friendly.
Are McDonaldâs Fries Halal?
As of today, McDonaldâs fries in the UK are not certified as Halal, and there are no current plans to do so.
What do McDonaldâs Cook Their Fries In?
Some might think that McDonaldâs uses a magic concoction of unicorn tears and fairy dust to make such mouth-watering, golden crispy delights. This is not true. A mixture of rapeseed and sunflower oil is used when frying the french fries to give it their color and crunch.
Rapeseed oil contains Omega 3, 6, and 9 which are known to help maintain healthy joints as well as reduce cholesterol â please note, Iâm not saying McDonaldsâs french fries will lower your cholesterol! đ. Itâs also versatile in cooking methods, typically low in saturated fat, and has a higher smoke point which is likely why McDonaldâs prefers it to olive oil.
Sunflower oil is quite nutrient-dense. Pressing sunflower seeds to produce the oil delivers high vitamin E content, as well as phytochemicals such as choline and phenolic acid which are known to promote a healthy heart. Weâve discussed the benefits of choline on the body by eating eggs.
How Are McDonaldâs Fries Made
Ever since childhood Iâve always wondered exactly how are McDonaldâs french fries made. The process must be super slick and efficient, but also very scientific to get the same result time and time again. The biggest question is how do they make McDonaldâs french fries taste so good?
The key is picking the right potatoes to start with. Ivory Russet, Russet Burbank, Shepody, and Pentland Deli are the superstar potatoes that make the chips so long and tasty. Without any difficult preparation, the potatoes are washed and shot at 60 miles per hour through a high-pressure tube running with water (think water slide đ) and cut through razor-sharp metal grid-shaped cutters to give them the exact shape and length desired.
A quick partial fry for extra crunch, then frozen immediately and shipped to the franchise restaurants. From here the final step is to fry your delightful fries in a mixture of sunflower and rapeseed oil for 3 minutes at high temperatures with a dash of salt. Et Voila â golden, crispy, french fries. đ
McDonaldâs Fries ingredients UK?
McDonaldâs french fries donât contain that many ingredients, unlike most of their other menu items.
Quite simply:
Potatoes
Dextrose (mostly added at the start of potato season)
Rapeseed Oil
Sunflower Oil
Salt
McDonaldâs Fries Calories
It can be tempting to always upgrade to âLargeâ when ordering a McDonaldâs meal, however, be aware of the increase in calories, fats, carbs, and salt by doing so.
On average, thereâs an 88% increase in nutritional content going from âSmallâ toâ âLargeâ, and on average a 32% increase going from âMediumâ to âLargeâ. Thankfully in the UK, we donât offer Super Size!
| Nutritional Information | Small | Medium | Large |
|---|---|---|---|
| Calories | 237 | 337 | 444 |
| Fat | 12 | 17 | 22 |
| of which Saturated | 1.1 | 1.5 | 2 |
| Carbs | 29 | 42 | 55 |
| of which Sugars | 0.4 | 0.6 | 0.8 |
| Fibre | 2.6 | 3.6 | 4.8 |
| Protein | 2.3 | 3.3 | 4.4 |
| Salt | 0.44 | 0.62 | 0.82 |
Still canât get McDonaldâs off your mind? Why not read our breakdown of the best Sausage and Egg McMuffin!