Copycat McDonald’s McRib Sandwich Recipe

There was a summer when I drove cross-country with nothing but gas station coffee, an overstuffed duffel bag, and a GPS that kept calling Oklahoma “Oak-lah-HO-mah.” Somewhere outside Des Moines, I bit into my first McRib. Sticky, sweet, saucy, and soft enough to confuse your brain into thinking you’d found barbecue in a strip mall parking lot.

That first bite felt absurdly good, like a sloppy, smoky hug wrapped in pickles and onions. Ever since, I’ve craved that flavor but never wanted to wait for McDonald’s random seasonal drop. So I figured out how to make it at home. Turns out, with the right technique and a rib-shaped mold (or just a butter knife and a little imagination), you can recreate that iconic sandwich in your own kitchen. Saucy shirt stains optional.

This McDonald’s McRib copycat recipe nails the sweet BBQ cling, soft hoagie texture, and signature pork patty that somehow tastes like ribs even though there’s not a bone in sight. It’s comfort food with a little roadside nostalgia, and it’s easier than you think.

How to Make McDonald’s McRib at Home

Start by grinding pork shoulder until it’s sticky and smooth, this isn’t your average burger patty. Season it with salt, spices, and a splash of ice water to get that signature sausage-like texture, then press it into rib-shaped patties and freeze briefly to help them hold. Meanwhile, simmer up a glossy BBQ sauce with ketchup, molasses, brown sugar, and a touch of liquid smoke. It should be sweet, tangy, and thick enough to cling to your fingers.

Sear the patties until golden, then baste them in sauce like you mean it. Toast soft hoagie buns, pile on the sauced patties, and top with crunchy pickles and raw white onions for that classic contrast.

Eat it hot with extra napkins, or wrap it in foil and eat it cold later like a proper guilty pleasure. Either way, it’s messy in the best possible way.

Nutrition Facts (Per Sandwich – Approximate)

• Calories: 610
• Total Fat: 27 g
  • Saturated Fat: 9 g
• Cholesterol: 85 mg
• Sodium: 980 mg
• Carbohydrates: 60 g
  • Sugars: 22 g
• Dietary Fiber: 2 g
• Protein: 30 g

Prep & Cook Times

• Prep Time: 25 minutes
• Cook Time: 10–12 minutes
• Chill Time (optional for shaping): 20 minutes
• Total Time: ~45–50 minutes

Ingredients (for 4 sandwiches)

For the pork patties

• 1½ lbs (680 g) pork shoulder, cubed and well-chilled
• 2 tsp kosher salt
• 2 tsp sugar (or 1½ tsp dextrose)
• 6 tbsp ice-cold water
• ½ tsp white pepper
• ½ tsp onion powder
• ½ tsp garlic powder
• ¼ tsp smoked paprika
  (Optional for extra bounce: ½ tsp sodium phosphate dissolved in the water)

For the McRib-style BBQ sauce

• ¾ cup ketchup
• 3 tbsp tomato paste
• ⅓ cup brown sugar (or light corn syrup)
• 2 tbsp molasses
• ⅓ cup apple cider vinegar
• ⅓ cup water
• 1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
• 1 tsp mustard powder
• 1 tsp smoked paprika
• ½ tsp onion powder
• ¼ tsp garlic powder
• ¼ tsp salt
• ½ tsp liquid smoke
• Optional: ¼ tsp xanthan gum OR 1 tsp cornstarch mixed with 1 tbsp cold water

To build the sandwich

• 4 soft hoagie rolls
• 1 small white onion, thinly sliced
• Dill pickle chips (6–8 per sandwich)
• Neutral oil for the griddle

Tools You’ll Need

• Food processor or meat grinder
• Small baking tray (or mold)
• Plastic wrap
• Saucepan
• Cast iron skillet or griddle
• Knife or bench scraper
• Spatula
• Tongs
• Paper towels (trust me)

Instructions

1. Grind and season the pork

Grind the pork shoulder finely or pulse it in a food processor until it’s sticky and paste-like (don’t overdo it, stop before it becomes a mousse). Mix in salt, sugar, spices, and ice-cold water. Stir with your hands or paddle until it becomes elastic and holds together. That’s your restructured magic.

2. Shape the patties

Line a tray with plastic wrap. Press the mixture into a ½ to ¾-inch layer and shape into 4 rectangular patties (roughly 6 inches long). Score 4–5 shallow lines across each one with a butter knife to mimic rib bones. Freeze for 15–20 minutes to help them hold their shape.

3. Make the sauce

In a saucepan over medium heat, combine all sauce ingredients except thickener. Simmer 8–10 minutes, stirring often. If using cornstarch or xanthan, add it now and simmer another minute until thick and glossy. Taste and adjust for tang or sweetness.

4. Cook and sauce the patties

Heat a griddle or skillet over medium-high. Lightly oil the surface. Cook each patty 3–4 minutes per side until browned and cooked through (internal temp should be 160°F/71°C). Spoon BBQ sauce over each side during the last minute and flip to caramelize slightly. Set aside on a plate.

5. Toast the buns and assemble

Slice hoagie rolls and toast the inside lightly. Add a generous spoonful of sauce to the bottom half. Place a sauced patty, then top with pickle chips and slivered onions. Cap with the bun and press gently.

Tips for McRib Mastery

• Chill your patties well before cooking to keep the shape
• Use sweet pickles for a closer McD flavor (though dill is classic too)
• Don’t skip the “fake bones”, those grooves really sell it visually
• Let the sauce simmer until thick enough to coat the back of a spoon
• Freeze extras raw and cook straight from frozen

What to Serve With

Crispy classics

• Waffle fries or crinkle-cut fries: The salty crunch balances out all the saucy sweetness. If you’re feeling extra, serve them with a dusting of paprika or a side of extra BBQ sauce.
• Onion rings: A golden tower of rings gives you both crunch and sweetness in each bite. They’re especially good dipped in leftover sauce.
• Fried pickles: Hear me out, if you’ve never had hot, crispy dill chips next to a sweet BBQ sandwich, you’re missing out.

Cool and creamy

• Coleslaw: Whether it’s creamy or vinegar-based, a cold slaw cuts through the richness like a dream. I like it with a little mustard in the dressing.
• Potato salad: A chilled, mustard-forward potato salad is great for picnics or just to make the meal feel more “Southern summer.”
• Corn salad: Sweet corn, lime, cotija, and a little jalapeño? Yes, please. The bright flavor balances out the deep smokiness of the McRib.

Drinks to go with it

• Root beer: A classic combo that somehow tastes even more nostalgic when paired with smoky pork.
• Iced tea with lemon: Sweet or unsweet, the tannins in tea help reset your palate between bites.
• Lager or pale ale: If you’re serving this as weekend comfort food, a cold beer ties it all together.

Variations

Mini McRibs
Use slider buns and shape smaller patties for party snacks or game day eats. Two-bite magic.

Spicy BBQ McRib
Add chipotle powder or cayenne to the sauce and a couple of pickled jalapeños to the sandwich for a sweet-heat kick.

Carolina Gold McRib
Swap the tomato-based BBQ sauce for a mustard-heavy Carolina gold sauce, especially good with tangy pickles and extra onions.

Breakfast McRib
Shape patties into round disks, serve on a biscuit or English muffin, and top with a fried egg and cheddar. Thank me later.

Vegetarian McRib
Use a plant-based sausage patty (like Beyond or Impossible) shaped into a rib mold. Same sauce, same toppings, it surprisingly holds up.

Ingredient Substitutes

Pork shoulder
Substitute: Ground pork (90% lean) from the store will do, just mix in the spices and water. It won’t be quite as springy, but still delicious.

Sugar
Substitute: Dextrose for more authentic flavor, or honey for a floral hint in the patty. Brown sugar also works and adds more molasses depth.

Sodium phosphate
Skip it if you prefer a cleaner-label version. It just makes the patty more bouncy and cohesive.

Tomato paste
Substitute: Double the ketchup if you’re out of paste, it’ll be a little less deep in flavor but still saucy and good.

Xanthan gum or cornstarch
Substitute: Simmer sauce longer to reduce it naturally. You can also whisk in 1–2 tsp flour if that’s all you have.

Pickles
Substitute: Bread-and-butter pickles or even chopped sweet gherkins. If you love heat, try spicy dill chips or pickled jalapeños.

Hoagie buns
Substitute: Sub rolls, sandwich rolls, or even burger buns. Just make sure they’re soft, squishy, and not too crusty.

Honest Review

After a few test runs (and more sauce-stained shirts than I’d like to admit), this McRib copycat came out surprisingly close to the real thing. The patty texture is soft but structured, kind of that sausage-meets-burger vibe you expect. No gristle, no weird chew, just a tender bite that holds up under a blanket of smoky-sweet BBQ sauce.

The sauce itself? Spot on. Tangy, sticky, with just enough molasses and smoke to make you think “fast food in a parking lot” in the best way. Once it’s all stacked on that soft bun with cold, crunchy pickles and raw onions… yeah, it hits.

Is it 100% identical to McDonald’s? Not quite. They’ve got molds, freezers, and flavor tech most home kitchens don’t. But flavor-wise, this one checks every box. It satisfies that once-a-year craving without having to wait for the limited-time drop, or put on pants.

If you’ve ever loved a McRib enough to chase it down, this version is absolutely worth making again. Honestly? Might be even better hot off your own griddle.