Building a Better Egg McMuffin

[MachineGhost]

Not convinced, but it is interesting.  The egg cooking technique alone is worth the read.  I suspect the reason why the ham is placed on the top is due to physics and incisors.

http://www.seriouseats.com/2016/01/buil ... d-lab.html

[dualstow]

Now here's an Other thread I can get into!

I read about the history of this breakfast sandwich once. It goes way, way back, long before the dawn of McDonald's. (Edit: I see the article covers that). I love making them at home once in a while.

[Maddy]

Great post.  Yes, this is the best breakfast ever.  Unfortunately, at my age this kind of thing goes directly to the middle--so it's a rare treat.

But I beg to differ with the author about factory-farmed eggs being indistinguishable from "better" eggs (even those laid in your own backyard),factory farm eggs being no better than store-bought ones.  I'm fortunate to live in the country and to get my eggs straight from the coop.  Huge, bright orange yolks that scream with flavor.  Absolutely no comparison.

Edit:  Apparently I shouldn't be allowed anywhere near a keyboard until I've had at least two cups of coffee.

[dualstow]

But I beg to differ with the author about factory farm eggs being no better than store-bought ones.  I'm fortunate to live in the country and to get my eggs straight from the coop.  Huge, bright orange yolks that scream with flavor.  Absolutely no comparison.

I was confused by how he said factory & coop tasted the same, and then

simply knowing that my eggs are coming from chickens that are treated better is enough to make them taste better to me

. I followed his link to the taste test and read that. If his conclusion is that it's all in our minds, I'm not sure why he calls for "a factory-farmed egg" in his list of ingredients.  (Edit: he doesn't) How is a factory-farmed egg "treated better"? Maybe it's a typo.

In any case, I get mine from a farmer's market and have been doing so for so long that I can't remember what the factory ones taste like.

[dualstow]

My mistake. Although he says the eggs are the same, he was just listing the factory-farmed egg as an McD ingredient, not his own. I misread that.

[jafs]

Isn't this just McDonald's version of Eggs Benedict?

And, you can definitely taste the difference between free range eggs and factory eggs (also, the treatment of chickens is much more humane with free range ones).

[Mountaineer]

Isn't this just McDonald's version of Eggs Benedict?

And, you can definitely taste the difference between free range eggs and factory eggs (also, the treatment of chickens is much more humane with free range ones).

Interesting - "free range" may not mean as much as we would like to believe re. humane treatment. 

... M

Consumer Reports – Greener Choices evaluation of the claim “Free Range” states:
WHAT THIS GENERAL CLAIM MEANS: The USDA has defined “free range” or “free roaming” for poultry products but not for eggs.  For other products carrying the “free range” label, there is no standard definition for this term.

CONSUMER UNION EVALUATION:  Free range (or free roaming) is a general claim that implies that a meat or poultry product, including eggs, comes from an animal that was raised in the open air or was free to roam.  Its use on beef is unregulated and there is no standard definition of this term.  “Free Range” is regulated by the USDA for use on poultry, only, (not eggs) and the USDA requires that birds have been given access to the outdoors but for an undetermined period each day.  USDA considers five minutes of open-air access each day to be adequate for it to approve use of the “Free Range” claim on a poultry product.  “Free range” claims on eggs are not regulated at all.  To learn more about what is meant by this term, consumers must contact the manufacturer.

From a second source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Free_range

The U.S. Department of Agriculture Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) requires that chickens raised for their meat have access to the outside in order to receive the free-range certification.[6] There is no requirement for access to pasture, and there may be access to only dirt or gravel . Free-range chicken eggs, however, have no legal definition in the United States. Likewise, free-range egg producers have no common standard on what the term means.

In the United States, USDA free range regulations currently apply only to poultry and indicate that the animal has been allowed access to the outside.[3] The USDA regulations do not specify the quality or size of the outside range nor the duration of time an animal must have access to the outside.[4]

The term "free range" is mainly used as a marketing term rather than a husbandry term, meaning something on the order of, "low stocking density," "pasture-raised," "grass-fed," "old-fashioned," "humanely raised," etc.

There have been proposals to regulate by the USDA the labeling of products as free range within the United States. As of now what constitutes raising an animal free range is entirely decided by the producer of that product.

[MachineGhost]

I thought it was me, but I've noticed that eggs seem relatively tasteless when I occasionally have them (allergy) from what I remember.  Even the Omega-3 eggs.  If I had to put my tongue on it, I'd say they lack sulfur.  There's just no strong upfront or finish tatste anymore, especially in the yolks which is supposed to have a umami experience.  There's a road-side farmer stand a few miles into what passes for the "boonies" around here that I want to try to see if there's any difference. 

OTOH I really don't think an Egg McMuffin is supposed to have a strong egg flavor.  The point isn't to overwhelm the fake ham and processed cheese but work with it.  But maybe McD's egg is tasteless now too?

[jafs]

Isn't this just McDonald's version of Eggs Benedict?

And, you can definitely taste the difference between free range eggs and factory eggs (also, the treatment of chickens is much more humane with free range ones).

Interesting - "free range" may not mean as much as we would like to believe re. humane treatment. 

... M

Consumer Reports – Greener Choices evaluation of the claim “Free Range” states:
WHAT THIS GENERAL CLAIM MEANS: The USDA has defined “free range” or “free roaming” for poultry products but not for eggs.  For other products carrying the “free range” label, there is no standard definition for this term.

CONSUMER UNION EVALUATION:  Free range (or free roaming) is a general claim that implies that a meat or poultry product, including eggs, comes from an animal that was raised in the open air or was free to roam.  Its use on beef is unregulated and there is no standard definition of this term.  “Free Range” is regulated by the USDA for use on poultry, only, (not eggs) and the USDA requires that birds have been given access to the outdoors but for an undetermined period each day.  USDA considers five minutes of open-air access each day to be adequate for it to approve use of the “Free Range” claim on a poultry product.  “Free range” claims on eggs are not regulated at all.  To learn more about what is meant by this term, consumers must contact the manufacturer.

From a second source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Free_range

The U.S. Department of Agriculture Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) requires that chickens raised for their meat have access to the outside in order to receive the free-range certification.[6] There is no requirement for access to pasture, and there may be access to only dirt or gravel . Free-range chicken eggs, however, have no legal definition in the United States. Likewise, free-range egg producers have no common standard on what the term means.

In the United States, USDA free range regulations currently apply only to poultry and indicate that the animal has been allowed access to the outside.[3] The USDA regulations do not specify the quality or size of the outside range nor the duration of time an animal must have access to the outside.[4]

The term "free range" is mainly used as a marketing term rather than a husbandry term, meaning something on the order of, "low stocking density," "pasture-raised," "grass-fed," "old-fashioned," "humanely raised," etc.

There have been proposals to regulate by the USDA the labeling of products as free range within the United States. As of now what constitutes raising an animal free range is entirely decided by the producer of that product.

Thanks - that's disturbing.  I personally buy eggs that have a "humanely raised" designation on the carton, which is more specifically defined.

First, "cage free" didn't mean as much as we thought, and now "free range" - it's almost like there's a conspiracy among businesses to mislead their customers.

[Mountaineer]

Isn't this just McDonald's version of Eggs Benedict?

And, you can definitely taste the difference between free range eggs and factory eggs (also, the treatment of chickens is much more humane with free range ones).

Interesting - "free range" may not mean as much as we would like to believe re. humane treatment. 

... M

Consumer Reports – Greener Choices evaluation of the claim “Free Range” states:
WHAT THIS GENERAL CLAIM MEANS: The USDA has defined “free range” or “free roaming” for poultry products but not for eggs.  For other products carrying the “free range” label, there is no standard definition for this term.

CONSUMER UNION EVALUATION:  Free range (or free roaming) is a general claim that implies that a meat or poultry product, including eggs, comes from an animal that was raised in the open air or was free to roam.  Its use on beef is unregulated and there is no standard definition of this term.  “Free Range” is regulated by the USDA for use on poultry, only, (not eggs) and the USDA requires that birds have been given access to the outdoors but for an undetermined period each day.  USDA considers five minutes of open-air access each day to be adequate for it to approve use of the “Free Range” claim on a poultry product.  “Free range” claims on eggs are not regulated at all.  To learn more about what is meant by this term, consumers must contact the manufacturer.

From a second source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Free_range

The U.S. Department of Agriculture Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) requires that chickens raised for their meat have access to the outside in order to receive the free-range certification.[6] There is no requirement for access to pasture, and there may be access to only dirt or gravel . Free-range chicken eggs, however, have no legal definition in the United States. Likewise, free-range egg producers have no common standard on what the term means.

In the United States, USDA free range regulations currently apply only to poultry and indicate that the animal has been allowed access to the outside.[3] The USDA regulations do not specify the quality or size of the outside range nor the duration of time an animal must have access to the outside.[4]

The term "free range" is mainly used as a marketing term rather than a husbandry term, meaning something on the order of, "low stocking density," "pasture-raised," "grass-fed," "old-fashioned," "humanely raised," etc.

There have been proposals to regulate by the USDA the labeling of products as free range within the United States. As of now what constitutes raising an animal free range is entirely decided by the producer of that product.

Thanks - that's disturbing.  I personally buy eggs that have a "humanely raised" designation on the carton, which is more specifically defined.

First, "cage free" didn't mean as much as we thought, and now "free range" - it's almost like there's a conspiracy among businesses to mislead their customers.

Indeed.  And "humanely raised" probably just means raised by humans. 

Seems like one would have to grow their own food and raise their own animals to be sure of what we are eating.  Back to the 1800s. 

... M

[MachineGhost]

First, "cage free" didn't mean as much as we thought, and now "free range" - it's almost like there's a conspiracy among businesses to mislead their customers.

[said in Robert de Niro's voice]: You, you're very socialist, you.

[jafs]

[dualstow]

Isn't this just McDonald's version of Eggs Benedict?

Probably just the bread & meat. Breakfast sandwich eggs are never poached. Too slippery. (I speak from personal experience, because I tried anyway after poaching some eggs sous vide style. I put them in a tortilla. Slippery!)

It's McDonald's version of a popular workman's breakfast from the 1800s.