If you love the McDonald’s McRib, this copycat McRib recipe lets you make the famous sandwich at home anytime you want. Instead of waiting for the limited-time release, you can enjoy tender pork patties shaped like ribs, coated in sweet smoky barbecue sauce, and served on a soft hoagie roll with pickles and onions. This homemade McRib tastes remarkably close to the original fast-food favorite, with fresh ingredients and simple preparation. It is a classic McDonald’s copycat sandwich that delivers the same bold flavor and nostalgic appeal, without relying on the drive-thru.
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What makes the McRib so good?
When the McRib finally shows up for a limited time on the McDonald’s menu each year, it’s a few good weeks. Then they’re gone again. Sad times indeed. But, not when you can prepare a pretty great McDonald’s McRib sandwich at home. This copycat recipe has it all: the boneless “ribs” patty, the soft roll, the tang of the pickles, and the sharpness of the onions. And, of course, you can’t forget the famous McDonald’s McRib sauce. It’s pretty much the same thing, just without the disappearing act.
McDonald’s McRib ingredients and their roles
For the rib patties, you’ll need:
- Pork butt roast (pork shoulder or Boston butt) – these cuts are fatty enough to remain juicy after grinding and cooking, but have enough connective tissue to get the patties a bit of spring, like the originals.
- Cold water – helps the pork to turn into a paste instead of remaining crumbly. This mimics the smooth texture of the original McRib.
- White sugar – adds a touch of sweetness and encourages the meat to brown more deeply. Â
- Salt – enhances the flavor of the other ingredients in the patty.
For assembling the McDonald’s McRib sandwich, you’ll need:
- Kraft BBQ Sauce Original Flavor – is a great substitute for the McDonald’s McRib sauce as it has a similar sweet and smoky taste to the original.
- Six-inch hoagie rolls (the cheaper, the better in this case) offer a squashy consistency that soaks up the sauce and doesn’t add much flavor to the sandwich.
- Unsalted butter – helps the hoagie rolls to toast up crispier.
- Dill pickle slices – supply a tang that contrasts beautifully with the fat from the meat and the sweetness in the sauce.
- White onion, sliced into thin half moons – gives a bit of sharpness and crunch to the sandwich.
How to make this McDonald’s McCrib copycat recipe
To prepare the McRib patties:
- Trim some of the fat from the pork butt roast, then rough-chop it into cubes about an inch across. Place in the bowl of a food processor.
- Add the cold water, white sugar, and salt to the food processor bowl with the meat.
- Process the meat until it forms a thick meat paste. It will be sticky.
- Divide the meat paste into four equal portions.
- Wet your hands and work on parchment paper on top of a baking tray. Form each portion into a rectangle about 3 inches wide and 7 inches long. If you want, you can create the illusion of “ribs” by lightly pressing parallel indentations across the width of the patties with the greased round handle of a wooden cooking spoon.
- Cover the formed patties with another piece of parchment paper. Place the baking tray in the freezer for about two hours, or until the patties are frozen solid. At this point, you can stack the frozen patties between pieces of parchment paper and place them in an airtight, freezer-safe container for up to a month.
To cook the McRib patties:
- Warm up a griddle over high heat.
- When the griddle is hot, add the frozen patties with the “ribs” side up.
- Cook for 3 to 4 minutes on the first side and then flip and cook for 3 to 4 minutes on the other side. Check to ensure an internal temp of at least 145 with an instant-read thermometer.
- Remove the cooked patties from the griddle.
- Use a spatula to scrape off any stuck-on meat from the griddle.
To assemble the McRibs:
- Cut the hoagie rolls in half to form the top and bottom of the buns.
- Lightly butter the cut side of the rolls and place them butter-side down on the hot griddle.
- Toast the bread and place the bottom of the buns on a clean work surface.
- Use tongs to dip pork patties into a bowl of the Kraft BBQ sauce. Be sure to coat the patties completely.
- Place one sauced patty on each of the bottom buns.
- Arrange pickle and onion slices on top of the patties, and cover with the top bun.
- Serve immediately.
What to serve with this sandwich
The McRib is so full of flavor that you don’t need much from the sides. It’s best to keep things simple. Below are three great options that would go perfectly with this hearty sandwich.
Wingstop Fries – French fries are a classic pairing, but this version, adapted from Wingstop, is not your ordinary fast-food offering. So what makes them so special? It is the salty-sweet seasoning that turns bagged frozen fries into something really special.
Grandma’s Three Bean Salad – For something a little more nutritious, but still delicious, you can’t go wrong with this dump-and-stir recipe. This three-bean salad tosses succulent wax beans, tender-crisp green beans, and hearty kidney beans with a sweet-and-tart vinaigrette. It tastes great and stores wonderfully for make-ahead meals.
Cracker Barrel Cucumber, Tomato, and Onion Salad – Light and fresh, yet bursting with flavor, this simple salad is a snap to prepare. The tomatoes’ sweet tang balances the sharpness of the onions, and the cucumbers bulk up the salad while adding a satisfying crunch. A quick marinade in vinaigrette adds an extra punch of flavor to the vegetables.
Storing and reheating instructions
- Refrigerator Storage: Store patties in an airtight container for up to 3 days. Store rolls and toppings separately. Use the rolls within 1 day for the best texture.
- Reheating Method: Heat oven to 325°F. Place the patties on a baking sheet and loosely cover with foil for 10 minutes. Remove foil, add split rolls cut-side up for 2 to 3 minutes, then assemble with sauce, pickles, and onions.
- Freezing: Freeze uncooked patties (with parchment between) in a freezer-safe container for up to 1 month. Thawing is not required. Cook from frozen.
More McDonald’s copycat recipes
- Bacon Ranch McCrispy
- Big Mac
- Big Mac Snack Wrap
- Classic Hamburger
- Quarter Pounder
- Smoky BLT Quarter Pounder
Check out more of my easy sandwich recipes and the best copycat McDonald’s recipes right here on CopyKat!
McDonald’s McRib Sandwich
Ingredients
- 1 to 1 1/4 pounds boneless pork butt (pork shoulder or Boston Butt) cut into 1-inch cubes
- 3 tablespoons cold water
- 2 teaspoons sugar
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 3 tablespoons butter
- 4 6-inch hoagie rolls center split
- 1 cup Kraft Original Slow Simmered Barbecue Sauce plus more for serving
- 12 slices dill pickle
- 1/2 cup thinly sliced white onion
Instructions
- Place the cubed pork, cold water, sugar, and salt into a food processor. Process until the meat is smooth and sticky, resembling ground pork.
- Divide the processed pork into four portions, each weighing about 4 ounces. Moisten your hands with cold water to prevent sticking and form each portion into a roughly 7×3-inch rectangular patty.
- Place the patties between two pieces of parchment paper on a baking sheet. Freeze until completely solid, about 2 hours, to ensure the patties hold their shape during cooking.
- Preheat a griddle or cast-iron skillet over high heat until it is very hot, but not yet smoking. Place the frozen pork patties directly onto the hot griddle. Cook for about 3 to 4 minutes per side, until golden brown and cooked through (an internal temperature of 145°F for pork that you ground from a pork butt). Remove the patties from the griddle and let them cool for a few minutes.
- While the patties are cooling, spread 1/2 tablespoon of softened butter on the cut side of each hoagie roll. Place the rolls cut side down on the hot griddle until lightly browned, about 1 minute.
- Pour the barbecue sauce into a large, shallow bowl. Using tongs, dip each pork patty into the sauce, ensuring both sides are fully coated. Let any excess sauce drip back into the bowl.
- To build the sandwiches, place a pork patty onto the bottom half of a toasted hoagie roll. Top the patty with 2 pickle slices and about 2 tablespoons of sliced onions. Cover with the top bun and serve immediately.
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