Sometimes you want something a little more original than a burger and fries.
That's where Arby's comes in. Arby's has been known for its roast beef sandwiches for over 40
years. From the roasting process to the sauces, this is what makes Arby's roast beef so tasty.
Fast food meat doesn't always get the best rap, and sometimes that's for good reason.
From McDonald's to Wendy's to Taco Bell, no one is immune from scrutiny,
and that includes Arby's. But despite the rumors that have swirled around,
Arby's roast beef is made with 100% real beef, which is the primary reason it's so good.
No filler, no fake protein, and certainly no liquid meat.
"'cause Arby's roast beef is more of a meal."
Snopes laid out documented research to bust that myth.
Speaking with a representative from Arby's, along with a number of workers, everyone confirmed that,
"Arby's Roast Beef consists entirely of beef."
The report suggested that the way the beef is packaged when it arrives at restaurants may
have led to some confusion. Other sources online have also come to Arby's defense,
assuring fans that the roast beef they know and love is, in fact, roast beef.
Real meat is a great place to start, but that alone does not make for great beef.
That's why Arby's prepares their roast beef in the restaurant every day, making sure it's
always fresh and done right. In the words of one franchise owner in New York, Arby's is serving up,
"Slow-roasted, lean roast beef that we cook in-house all day long [...] Every time that
someone comes in to get a roast beef sandwich [...] they are getting a quality fresh product."
Snopes, in an effort to debunk the liquid meat myth, also confirmed that Arby's kitchen
workers have the routine job of placing all the beef sent to the restaurant each day
onto cooking sheets, to roast for about three hours. The beef
has to cool for a bit afterward, and then it’s ready to slice and serve.
Let's revisit the Arby's liquid meat myth one last time. A big reason for the confusion is
actually tied to Arby's method for ensuring your roast beef sandwich is nice and juicy. All Arby’s
beef roasts, which are eventually sliced up and piled between two buns, are delivered to Arby's
restaurants in sealed plastic bags before they are cooked. An Arby's rep told Snopes that those bags,
which have been rumored to contain nothing more than a gelatinous blob, are actually full of a
"Self-basting solution, which contains just enough water to keep the product
juicy throughout our restaurants' 3-hour roasting process and during slicing."
A peek inside an Arby's kitchen confirms that all the beef is roasted within the bags. This process
allows the roasts to cook through faster and more evenly, marinating in beefy juices the whole time.
It would certainly ruin a perfectly juicy, marinated, and slow-roasted
beef sandwich if all that meat was sliced up too soon and left out to dry. As such,
a key to its legendary roast beef sandwiches is freshly slicing its meat in-store daily,
which it's been doing since it opened its doors in 1964.
The company has said, and employees confirm, that all of Arby's roast beef
is weighed and sliced to order. It may mean a little extra work to craft each sandwich,
but it makes a big difference in quality. At least one former
employee boasted about just how much this set Arby's apart, writing on Reddit that,
"All of the roast beef is cooked daily and sliced to order just moments before it gets on
the sandwich and into your hands. I know this sounds like Arby's propaganda, but it's the
absolute truth and one of the reasons why I was proud to work there compared to other fast-food."
A roast beef sandwich from Arby's has a distinct flavor you can't get anywhere else,
and it's not just because of the onion roll or the added cheese sauce. Arby's uses its
own blend of seasonings to give its roast beef a unique taste that goes right down to the slice.
And you can bet the chain that stakes its whole reputation on having, quote,
"the meats" knows exactly how to season it the right way.
According to Arby's, its beef is coated with pepper, garlic, onion powder,
and other spices. All those seasonings work their way deep into the tissue of the meat,
infusing flavor through the hours-long roasting process. It's nothing fancy or complicated,
but for some reason, it just works. Sometimes it's the simplest ingredients that make
the tastiest things, especially when those ingredients are pepper, onion, and garlic.
Arby's has made it clear that it is committed to supporting and providing sustainable beef,
and it hopes you can taste the difference. The company is a member of the U.S. Roundtable for
Sustainable Beef, which puts forward initiatives to improve beef sustainability across the board.
That means everything from, "Water resources, land resources,
animal health and well-being, employee safety and well-being,
efficiency and yield and air and greenhouse gas emissions."
Sustainable beef is produced from cows that are ethically and humanely
farmed — usually organically fed and pasture-raised. And there's
scientific data to suggest that sustainably farmed cows — which tend to live happier,
healthier lives than industrial-raised cattle — produce better tasting, higher quality meat.
If there's one thing better than an Arby's roast beef sandwich,
it's an Arby's Classic Beef 'N Cheddar sandwich. As described by the chain,
"we took our famous roast beef, topped it with Cheddar cheese sauce and zesty
Red Ranch and served it on a toasted onion roll."
The sauce is rich, creamy, and slightly tangy — a perfect complement to the hearty,
umami flavor of the roast beef. Just add Arby’s Red Ranch, and you’ve got the perfect
combination. Made with tomato, paprika, and tons of vinegar, it cuts through all that cheese and
meat, balancing every bite. It's everything you want in a flavorful, fast-food meal.
Arby's makes several sauces designed to take your roast beef sandwich over the edge.
You can't go wrong with Arby's Sauce — the chain's original signature dressing. It's zesty, tangy,
and a little sweet, made with tomato, garlic, spices, and vinegar. There's definitely a barbecue
vibe to it, but it's still unique in its own right. And when you're having a sandwich stuffed
full of salty roast beef, the mild sugar and acidic notes make it the ultimate flavor pairing.
If you like things a little bolder, Arby's has its own take on the classic roast beef
and horseradish pairing. Arby's Horsey Sauce is creamy and tangy with a kick, made with eggs,
mustard, spices, and horseradish. Of course, you could always throw all
caution to the wind and jazz up your roast beef sandwich with both sauces.
There's some serious science behind why our fast-food favorites are so crave-inducing,
and Arby's is no exception. Fat, sugar, and salt are all problematic in high amounts,
yet they make food so delicious. Salt enhances the natural flavors in food
and keeps meat juicy; data shows that sugar plays a big role in balancing all
the different tastes found in a dish; and fat, well, it just makes things better all around.
So it's worth noting that the ingredients list confirms that Arby's roast beef is made
with added sugar and salt. And a quick peek at the nutritional makeup of this signature
meat product provides some major insight into why it's so delicious. A single,
small roast beef sandwich contains 360 calories, 14 grams of fat, 5 grams of saturated fat,
970 milligrams of sodium, and 5 grams of sugar. Upgrade your sandwich to a Beef 'N Cheddar, and
you're looking at 450 calories, 20 grams of fat, 1280 milligrams of sodium, and 9 grams of sugar.
If you're in the mood for a roast beef sandwich,
chances are you're pretty hungry. And when your appetite gears up for something that hearty,
the last thing you want is a skimpy sandwich. A few measly slices of thin meat just isn't
going to cut it. And Arby's knows that. As Arby's Chief Marketing Officer told Drovers,
"In the end what built the Arby's brand were big, meaty sandwiches."
In that regard, he says the company has always been,
"focused on the quality of the food. The abundance of meat in the sandwich."
That's why each and every Arby's roast beef sandwich is measured as the beef is sliced,
ensuring you're getting maximum meat in every bite. And Arby's also knows that some people
need more meat than others to fill them up. So they offer both their classic roast beef
sandwich and their Beef 'N Cheddar sandwich in a regular size, a larger size that's got twice the
meat of the regular, as well as a mega-sandwich with a whopping half-pound of roast beef on it.
Above all else, Arby's roast beef is so delicious because that's what the
company cares about. Arby's sought to achieve what others weren't from the very beginning,
and has built a legacy out of doing things its own way that goes right back to the founders.
"A big roast beef platter with potatoes and coleslaw. Arby's is a big...change of taste."
Since it first opened, Arby's has cemented its place in the crowded fast-food market
as a destination for meat lovers, and it is committed to leaning into that distinction,
even as the winds of change blow. Arby's President Rob Lynch told USA Today,
"Our brand has always been about big meat,
high-protein sandwiches. [....] [S]ome of our competitors have struggled the last few years.
They're trying to be everything to everyone. [...] [W]e're sticking with our strategy."
To that end, Arby's is one of the only chains out there that has definitively stepped away
from the growing trend of plant-based meat alternatives. In fact, when addressing a rumor
that Arby's was in talks with Impossible Foods back in 2019, the company boldly stated that
"the chances we will bring plant-based menu items to our restaurants,
now or in the future, are absolutely impossible."
Instead, Arby's will stay focused on the meats — specifically the beef. According to Arby's CMO,
"the American consumer's appetite for beef has never been bigger. [...] [W]e
will continue to push the envelope on ways America can enjoy beef."
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