A former McDonald’s chef declared dark meat Chicken McNuggets to be the “goat” of chicken nuggets—but also revealed the reason it’s no longer part of our lives.
The TikTok video revealing the dark (meat) secrets comes from creator Chef Mike Haracz, responding to a commenter’s suggestion to bring them back to the global fast-food restaurant. Haracz is keen on the idea.
He starts by saying, “This is an amazing comment because not only have I tried 100% dark meat McChickens, I have tried 100% dark meat McNuggets and when I tell you they are far superior in flavor in moisture in texture and all the things that make your McNuggets delicious … they are the goat of Chicken McNuggets.”
@chefmikeharacz Replying to @Super Secret Ninja #McDonalds all dark meat #chickenmcnuggets are GOAT #mcdonaldssecrets #mcdonaldslife #McNuggets #ChickenMcNugget #mcdonaldschickennuggets #mcdonaldschickennuggies #mcdonaldschickennugget #mcnuggetsforlife #FYP ♬ original sound – Chef Mike Haracz
However, as he relays, “Many, many moons ago, white meat became trendy and it switched … not nearly as good.”
Commenters were there with him to remember the good old days.
“I remember the switch,” one recalled. “After they dropped beef tallow and then the ‘all white meat’ I gave up. Rarely go now.”
The beef tallow comment refers to how McNuggets used to be cooked. A New York Times article from 1986, titled, “What’s in that Chicken Nugget Anyway?” noted, “Many restaurants—including McDonald’s, Burger King and Hardee’s—fry foods in almost pure beef fat rather than in liquid vegetable oil. Not only are the potatoes, chicken and fish laden with fat, but the fat they absorb is also highly saturated.”
Someone else said, “I don’t see why everyone is so scared of dark meat. I think it taste better.”
Another commenter provided an answer. “Dark meat has a lot more tendons and fat. More likely to bite into something hard or chewy.”
But there were other dark meat stans in the comments, including one who declared, “I no longer eat chicken but when I did, I always preferred dark meat. It’s weird that people pretend dry white meat is better.”
Another, who said by way of introduction, “I was the chicken McNugget implementer in the San Fernando Valley when McNuggets came out,” opined, “I concur. The dark meat was by far the best!”
And someone else, recalling the Mulan-inspired Szechuan sauce so beloved that someone once paid nearly $15,000 for a vintage packet on eBay, offered, “Going to find the universe where Mulan sauce and dark meat nuggets were released together.”
The Daily Dot has reached out to the creator via TikTok comment and to McDonald’s via meal.
