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McDonald's Video Reveals What's in 'Special Sauce'

Although the copycat recipe for the tangy special sauce that McDonald's uses on its Big Macs was has been floating around the Internet for awhile, the company has disclosed the exact ingredients in a new marketing video out of the business's Canada arm.

Over the last couple of years, McDonald's has been trotting out local farmers in its television ads presumably in an effort to appear less like a colossal multinational corporation and more like Ma and Pa's farm stand up yonder. This latest effort emphasizes that the assembly line burgers are actually just like something you would whip up in your own kitchen.

The video shows executive chef Dan Coudreaut making a version of the Big Mac at home. "We have a question here from Christine," he begins, "What is in your special sauce?" To emphasize the folksy experience, Coudreaut strips off his white chef's coat and "has some fun cooking" in his regular shirt and jeans.

[See also: Behind the scenes of a McDonald's photo shoot]

He cuts to the chase with that magic sauce. According to Coudreaut, it contains plain old mayo from the grocery store, sweet pickle relish, yellow mustard, onion powder, white wine vinegar, garlic powder, and paprika.

Next, the chef chops some onion, shreds lettuce, and lays out some sliced pickles, which he emphasizes, once again, are store bought. He cuts a fat bun into three pieces and toasts them in a skillet, and presses out a perfect couple of beef patties with a cookie cutter.

Now it's time to build the burger. Layering sauce and condiments onto the "heel" and middle slice or "club" of the bun (so, that's what the club in club sandwich is) and topping them with the beef patties, he creates a towering, wonky Big Mac "with ingredients you can find in your grocery store, locally." Coudreaut ads, "Christine, I hope that answers your question about the Big Mac." But chef, now that your secret is out, isn't there is even less of a reason to patronize McDonald's?

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