Homemade McRib (Copycat)
Description
This homemade McRib recipe makes a copycat McDonald's McRib with real baby back ribs. Tender boneless rib meat is air fried until sticky, dunked in tangy homemade McRib sauce, and topped with slivered onions and dill pickles on a toasted roll. It's ready in about 20 minutes, no drive-thru required.
Ingredients
Ribs
- 3 pounds baby back ribs, fully cooked and deboned
McRib sauce
- 1 cup ketchup
- ¼ cup water
- 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
- 2 tablespoons brown sugar
- 1 tablespoon molasses
- 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
- 1 teaspoon liquid smoke
- ½ teaspoon onion powder
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon smoked paprika
For serving
- 4 six-inch sub or hoagie rolls, toasted
- ½ small white onion, thinly slivered
- ½ cup dill pickle chips
Instructions
- Simmer all sauce ingredients in a small saucepan over medium-low heat for 10 minutes, stirring often. Keep warm.
- Slide the bones out of the cooked ribs, keeping the meat in one slab. Cut into 4 pieces about the length of the rolls.
- Spray the air fryer basket. Add the rib meat in a single layer and cook at 350°F for 10 to 12 minutes, brushing with sauce during cooking, until heated through.
- Dunk each piece in the warm sauce to coat.
- Place on toasted rolls with more sauce, then top with onions and pickles. Serve immediately.
Equipment
- Small Saucepan
- Parchment Paper
- Instant-read thermometer
Notes
- Ribs: Use store-bought precooked baby back ribs, leftovers, or ribs cooked from scratch until the bones slide out easily.
- Deboning: Remove the bones while the ribs are warm and keep the meat in one slab for the classic McRib look.
- Doneness: The ribs are already cooked, so heat them only until they reach 165°F in the center.
- Sauce shortcut: Swap the homemade sauce for about 1½ cups of a thin, tangy bottled BBQ sauce.
- Rolls: Six-inch sub or hoagie rolls are closest to the original; brioche or potato rolls also work.
- Other methods: Bake at 400°F for 10 to 15 minutes, or grill or griddle for 3 to 4 minutes per side.
- Storage: Refrigerate deboned rib meat up to 4 days or freeze up to 3 months. The sauce keeps up to 2 weeks in the fridge.
Nutrition
Serving: 1ServingCalories: 764kcalCarbohydrates: 61gProtein: 47gFat: 37gSaturated Fat: 12gPolyunsaturated Fat: 6gMonounsaturated Fat: 15gTrans Fat: 0.3gCholesterol: 148mgSodium: 1196mgPotassium: 849mgFiber: 2gSugar: 28gVitamin A: 512IUVitamin C: 4mgCalcium: 114mgIron: 13mg