McNugget Autopsy; Chicken Select Dissection

[Jason Perlow]

After hearing all about the new and improved White Chicken Mcnuggets, we had to go out and try some today. As you can see from this six-pack, there is in fact new packaging and labelling for the new McNugget.

The new nuggets appear on the surface to be fairly similar to the old ones, as they have maintained effectively the same post-modern processed shapes, instead of going to a more natural design, such as Burger King's. I would have preferred the latter.

Close-up reveals that the content appears largely as processed "white meat" (indicating they are likely rib meat, probably not chicken breast). The coating/breading appears to separate from the interior meat filling, likely due to the reduced fat content.

Taste? Well, I am not sure if these are a representative sample as we bought these at the McDonalds in the Englewood NJ location, but the oil they were fried in seems to have gone somewhat rancid. But as an experienced nugget eater, who can see through rancidity like an experienced wine master can taste through a corked Burgundy, I can definitely say that these are only a -slight- improvement over the previous product.

I will note that the new and improved product was $2.85 for a container of 6, which seems pretty expensive.

[awbrig]

What would be a good wine match for these new nuggets, would you think?

[Jason Perlow]

What would be a good wine match for these new nuggets, would you think?

Dry (trocken) reisling or alsatian gewurtztraminer. Something with serious acidity to cut the grease.

[vengroff]

Any new and improved dipping sauces to go along with them?

[Rachel Perlow]

A nice tart white, or a tannic red. Something to strip the grease from your tongue.

Dunno about the sauces. I just got the BBQ.

Edited March 7, 2003 by Rachel Perlow (log)

[Jason Perlow]

Any new and improved dipping sauces to go along with them?

We had ours with the barbeque sauce, there did not appear to be any changes with the seasoning. We totally forgot to try the other ones, whoops.

[jeniac42]

Lucky Central Ohioans can try the new White Meat McNuggets for only $1 (ish, for five, so I guess that sixth McNugget is really expensive). I have not done so as yet; reading the Sysco catalog with USDA descriptions of what is and is not allowed to be in various types of ground beef has kind of put me off the fast food for a while. And I haven't even read Fast Food Nation yet (it's next to the bed; just have to work up the stomach).

Anyway, in the ad I believe they said that "White Meat" includes chicken skin, too.

[nerissa]

Jason,

You are a brave soul for your report following your recent food poisoning.

[Jason Perlow]

Jason,

You are a brave soul for your report following your recent food poisoning.

Sometimes we must make sacrifices in the name of science and cutting edge food reporting, nerissa!

[awbrig]

Incredible Day...

First a review this morning of ADNY...

then a review of

McDonalds Six Piece Nuggets

[Jason Perlow]

According to the McDonalds web site, here is the current ingredient list for the McNugget:

Chicken, water, salt, modified corn starch, sodium phosphates, chicken broth powder [chicken broth, salt, and natural flavoring (chicken source)], seasoning (vegetable oil, extracts of rosemary, mono, di- and triglycerides, lecithin). Battered and breaded with water, enriched bleached wheat flour (niacin, iron, thiamine mononitrate, riboflavin, folic acid), yellow corn flour, bleached wheat flour, modified corn starch, salt, leavening (baking soda, sodium acid pyrophosphate, sodium aluminum phosphate, monocalcium phosphate, calcium lactate), spices, wheat starch, dried whey, corn starch. Batter set in vegetable shortening. Cooked in partially hydrogenated vegetable oils, (may contain partially hydrogenated soybean oil and/or partially hydrogenated corn oil and/or partially hydrogenated canola oil and/or cottonseed oil and/or sunflower oil and/or corn oil). TBHQ and citric acid added to help preserve freshness. Dimethylpolysiloxane added as an anti-foaming agent.

[Stone]

Why does chicken need an anti-foaming agent?

[SobaAddict70]

On McD's pricing: being that each store is owned separately even though its a franchise, I would think that the price of a 6 piece varies depending on the store's location. For instance a #1 Value Meal which is, for the uninformed, a Big Mac, fries and soda is $5.36 (w/o tax) at the McD across the street from my job, but at a McD in Chelsea, on 6th Avenue and 20th Street, it's $5.19 (w/o tax), and at the McD a block away from my apartment in midtown Manhattan, its slightly more expensive than the downtown McD. (Yes, I eat them on the sly, although not as often as the Gang of Two. )

On Mystery Chicken: Maybe there's hope for a McFish Nuggets in the future?

Soba

[Schielke]

Yes, pricing does vary.

I paid 2.35 for a frigging egg McMuffin in San Jose where the same McCrap costs 99 cents in Seattle.

Ben

[jeniac42]

True about the pricing, but the White Meat McNuggets are (according to an article I read in the Dispatch - registration possibly impossible, but there you have it) a test market item and only available in Columbus and NYC. The Ohio pricing is set at $1, but the article didn't give NYC pricing. It also didn't mention any new sauces.

I suspect the ingredient list on the McD's website is, therefore, inaccurate for the new-wave McNuggets. But yeah - anti-foaming?!

[guajolote]

I just noticed that the box says "White Chicken McNuggets", not "White Meat". Do you think the nuggets are only made from white chickens?

[=Mark]

You knew that eventually the race card had to come up...

[Jason Perlow]

I just noticed that the box says "White Chicken McNuggets", not "White Meat". Do you think the nuggets are only made from white chickens?

Well, considering McD's demographics, you would think that would be a bad move.

[rstarobi]

My eyes glazed on the ingredient list - does anyone know if the McNuggets are still cooked in beef tallow?

[col klink]

Two questions, if they use mechanically seperated chicken do they have to list it, and second, is this what gave you the food poisoning Jason?

[Jason Perlow]

Two questions, if they use mechanically seperated chicken do they have to list it, and second, is this what gave you the food poisoning Jason?

No but I am monitoring my alimentary canal as we speak.

[Varmint]

No but I am monitoring my alimentary canal as we speak.

Too much information, thank you.

Although I am wondering about your monitoring methods . . . .

[jeniac42]

USDA meat labelling information. So I guess the answer is that possibly, technically McNuggets don't have mechanically separated meat, although there might just not be enough calcium somehow for it not to require labelling.

[Schielke]

So are new sauces confirmed? Katie is a fan of honey mustard.

[vengroff]

Why does chicken need an anti-foaming agent?

That's got to be proof, as if we really needed any, that Ronald McDonald is the anti-Adria.