Arby’s Beef ‘n Cheddar Sandwich
Over the years there’s been quite a few strange rumors and scary stories regarding the roast beef served at Arby’s. The most common of these tall-tales would have us believe the meat is not “real”. Some have said it’s made from a mixture of powder and beef drippings (fat or grease), others claim it arrives in the form of a gelatinous blob, and transformed into a solid substance by heating, or using chemicals and additives. All of these are false. It’s not imitation meat. It’s very real. Enough of the silliness.
That being said, I suppose one could argue the quality of the beef is not the highest, but we’re talking about mass produced fast food here, not a plate of prime rib at a fancy restaurant. You’ve got to keep things in perspective, and this is perfectly good, tender and tasty roast beef. It won’t impress those with an appetite for the finer things in life, but it will definitely satisfy fast food eaters looking for a quick fix.
If you haven’t eaten at Arby’s before, or it’s been a while, this is a good time to pay them a visit because the Beef ‘n Cheddar sandwiches are on sale, 2 for $4.
No regular burger bun here, instead it’s a toasted onion roll that’s fairly big and thick. It’s firm and maintains it’s shape while being eaten, unlike some lighter breads that collapse and flatten once you grab them and take a bite. The flavor of toasted onion pieces on the top is a very nice compliment to the beef and cheese, but it’s not strong enough that people who dislike onions will be bothered by it.
The roast beef is sliced very thin, and it’s tender enough to almost melt in your mouth. It has a good flavor, is lightly seasoned with a bit of salt and cooked in what Arby’s calls a self-basting solution that keeps the meat juicy and moist. Large pieces of beef are roasted on-site for 3 hours before cooling and heading to the slicer. Topping the beef is a thick cheddar cheese sauce. I’m not a fan of most ‘liquid’ cheese, but this is quite tasty, and has never played tricks on my stomach like so many others.
Finally, the bottom of the onion roll is coated with Arby’s red sauce. The ingredients list actually calls it “Red Ranch Dressing” however it doesn’t contain any mayonnaise, buttermilk or sour cream, so don’t let the name fool you. I’m not a fan of mayo, and you would never catch me eating this if it actually resembled ranch dressing in any way. The sauce is made from tomato paste with spices including paprika, onion and garlic. It’s mild but still has a little kick to it. Arby’s says it’s “zesty”. Sounds right to me.
The Beef ‘n Cheddar sandwich from Arby’s is a winner, mixing the classic flavors of roasted beef and cheddar cheese, with a light spicy undertone, packed inside a nice tasty roll. I’ve been eating these since I was a kid, and except for the occasional store who’s quality and preparation was below average, they’ve not disappointed me.
Price: 2 for $4 / Website: Arbys.com
Fast Food Critic Score: A-
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Nutrition Facts - Arby’s Beef ‘n Cheddar Sandwich.
Calories - 445
Calories from Fat - 185
Total Fat - 20 grams
Carbs - 44 grams
Saturated Fat - 7 grams
Trans Fat - 1.5 grams
Cholesterol - 51 milligrams
Sodium - 1275 milligrams
Protein - 22 grams
I’m sitting here on my laptop, 7:44pm at night. Looking at this review and licking my lips.
The meat may not be super quality but looks good enough to eat and make this Aussie hungry!
Someone start an Arby’s in Australia.
Me too, I’m going to grab a couple on my way home from work.
One of the rare instances where the signature item is also the best thing on the menu.
Hey guys!
James — I wish you were here so you could enjoy the same things we do. I’d gladly ship some American fast food to you, but it would probably not be very good by the time it arrived. We think fast food gets a bad rap now, wait until it sits inside a hot cardboard box for a couple days while being shipped. Heh!
We don’t get many american things here, I never knew what poptarts or reeces cereal was until I had an american friend ship me some food for christmas, It was worth gaining the few pounds.
( I enjoyed many other snacks aswell! )
I’m tempted to move to America. :p
Odd, it does look good. Gonna try one tonight.
Have you noticed that different Arby’s locations will make sandwiches differently?
I submit to you:
Exhibit A: The Super Roast Beef Sandwich, at the intersection of Broad St. and Strawberry St. in Richmond, VA. The sandwich is excellent, lots of meat, lots of shredded lettuce and two slices of tomato, NO SAUCE. I always get two packs of Horsey Sauce.
Exhibit B: A sandwich with the same name, at an Arby’s on Denbigh Blvd in Newport News, VA. The sandwich is a soggy mess of noticeably less meat, wilted lettuce, tomato, and a buttload of orangy sauce, blecccccCCCCHHHHHH!
Exhibit C: Same name, different sandwich, at the Quioccocin Rd, Richmond, VA location. Ample meat, good amount of lettuce and tomato, with MAYO.
Just wondering if you had encountered this issue yet.
Ive many people who have worked at Arbys and the ‘red ranch’ is literally just a brand of French dressing!