McDonald's McRib (Copycat)

The original: McRib · McDonald's →A take on the Ribster · Steers →Sam the Cooking Guy’s take →

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About

The McRib was developed in the early 1980s by René Arend, the McDonald’s executive chef behind the Chicken McNugget. It launched in 1981, sold poorly and was pulled a few years later, and it was the decision to bring it back only for short runs that turned a flop into an event people wait for.

This home version makes the rib-shaped patty from ground pork shoulder seasoned with salt, a little sugar and ground coriander. Shape it into rectangles the length of a hoagie roll and press a few shallow lines across the top with a butter knife to suggest the ribs. Twenty to thirty minutes in the freezer is the key step, because it keeps that shape from spreading in the hot pan. Once cooked, the patty goes into warm, smoky-sweet barbecue sauce and onto the roll with slivered white onion and plenty of dill pickles.

Ingredients

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Ground pork1 pound (450g) ground pork shoulder
Salt1 teaspoon (5g) salt
Sugar1/2 teaspoon (2g) sugar
Cilantro1/4 teaspoon ground coriander
BBQ sauce1/2 cup (120ml) barbecue sauce (classic smoky/sweet style)
Hoagie roll4 hoagie-style oblong rolls
White onion1/2 white onion, sliced into slivers
Dill pickle12 dill pickle slices

Recipe

1
Start by prepping the 'rib' patty. Mix the ground pork, salt, sugar, and coriander in a bowl. Don't overwork the meat, or it'll get rubbery. Form the pork into 4 rectangular patties, roughly the shape of your hoagie rolls. Pro tip: Use a butter knife to press 3 or 4 shallow ridges across the top of each patty to mimic the look of a rib rack.
2
Place the patties on a tray lined with parchment paper and pop them into the freezer for about 20-30 minutes. This 'flash freeze' is the secret to keeping that rectangular shape intact when they hit the hot pan.
3
While the meat chills, slice your white onion into thin slivers and get your pickles ready. Pour your BBQ sauce into a small saucepan and warm it over low heat. You want it warm so it doesn't chill the meat when you dip it later.
4
Heat a large skillet or griddle over medium-high heat with a tiny splash of oil. Fry the pork patties for 4-5 minutes per side until they have a nice golden crust and are cooked through. Pork needs to be fully cooked, but keep an eye on them so they stay juicy.
5
The Dip: This is the messy part! Once a patty is done, pick it up with tongs and submerge the entire thing into the warm BBQ sauce. Make sure it's completely coated and dripping with sauce before moving it to the bun.
6
Assembly: Place the sauce-drenched patty on the bottom half of a lightly toasted hoagie roll. Top generously with the raw onion slivers and exactly three pickles (if you want to be official). Close it up with the top bun and let it sit for one minute so the sauce soaks into the bread just a little.