Adrienne Crezo
The Quick 10: 10 McRib Facts
by Adrienne Crezo - November 1, 2011 - 11:42 AM

q10

The McRib is back! Here are ten fun facts about America’s favorite limited-time fast food sandwich.

1. There’s more to a McRib than barbecue sauce-slathered pork on a bun with onions and pickles. The sandwich contains a staggering 70 different ingredients, the least innocuous of which are “pig bits like tripe, heart, and scalded stomach.” Add in some azodicarbonamide, ammonium sulfate, ethoxylated mono- and diglycerides and… well, you get the idea.

2. But the one ingredient it doesn’t contain: Kangaroo meat. A persistent urban legend lingering around the interwebs says the rib-shaped patty is actually made of Australia’s famous roos. (It’s not.)

3. This year marks the McRib’s 30th birthday. It debuted on McDonald’s menus in 1981.

4. The sandwich was inspired during a trip to Charleston, South Carolina. McDonald’s Executive Chef Rene Arend was visiting the city and had several pulled pork sandwiches. He thought the flavor combination “should really go over.”

5. You can thank chicken farmers for the McRib’s invention. Turns out McNuggets, which debuted in 1979, were so popular that McDonald’s couldn’t keep up with demand. As Arend told Maxim, “There wasn’t a system to supply enough chicken. We had to come up with something to give the other franchises as a new product. So the McRib came about because of the shortage of chickens.”

6. And you can thank the Flintstones for its return. After mediocre sales, the McRib was pulled from the national menu in 1985. When The Flintstones hit theaters in 1994, McDonald’s capitalized on the resemblance between the slab o’ribs atop the Flintmobile and the pork patty, and brought it back as a movie tie-in. Rosie O’Donnell was in the commercial, but John Goodman declined.

7. But why is it shaped like that? The McRib is sort of famous for not containing ribs (bone or meat, really), so why does it look like a slab of ribs? Because, that’s why. “Some thought, why not just make it round?” recalls Arend. “It would’ve been easier. But I wanted it to look like a slab of ribs.” So there you have it.

8. McDonald’s is currently hosting the Quest for the Golden McRib. We don’t know what this means, but it seems there are Golden McRibs “virtually hidden in McDonald’s across the country.” If you’re a “true McRib lover” and can stomach enough restructured pork product to complete the quest, let us know. Previous McRib events: the “Legend of the McRib” contest, which asked fans to create a mythical history for the sandwich (perhaps this is where the kangaroo meat legend came from?) and three McRib Farewell Tours, in 2005, 2006 and 2007.

9. A (fake) petition to save the McRib was featured on the McDonald’s site in 2005, sponsored by the Boneless Pig Farmers of America.

10. The process of turning meat into a McRib patty takes about 45 minutes. “The pork meat is chopped up, then seasoned, then formed into that shape that looks like a rib back,” Rob Cannell, director of McDonald’s U.S. supply chain, explained in Maxim. “Then we flash-freeze it. The whole process from fresh pork to frozen McRib takes about 45 minutes.”
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Who among you are rushing to Mickey D’s to grab one? And who’s decided to never touch a McRib again?

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Comments (66)

  1. Mc Rib!

    so gross, yet so delicious.

    Thinking of using Morningstar Farms Riblets as a substitute during the off season…also, they aren’t as disgusting, since it’s veggie meat.

    posted by Lola on 11-1-2011 at 11:52 am

  2. McDonald’s should just create a McKangaroo burger and be done with it. I’ll bet it’d be awesome.
    And they should do it quick before Fuddruckers beats them to the punch.

    posted by Scotty A on 11-1-2011 at 12:03 pm

  3. Never had one, and I never will. The “mechanically separated” meat products are scary.

    posted by Kevin Fitch on 11-1-2011 at 12:04 pm

  4. I really don’t understand why people go so crazy for the McRib. It doesn’t bother me that it’s processed meat or made from the leftovers. It bothers me that it tastes like donkey balls dipped in cheap barbecue sauce.

    posted by The Chef on 11-1-2011 at 12:09 pm

  5. Just finding out how many ingredients are in that one slab of “meat” is enough to make me glad I’ve never tried the McRib.

    posted by goog on 11-1-2011 at 12:09 pm

  6. I’m with Kevin Fitch. Grody to the max.

    posted by Kris on 11-1-2011 at 12:19 pm

  7. I have never eaten a McRib. Never been tempted. Slightly nauseated at the thought of eating one. This post pretty much nails why. I even get nauseated when I drive up to the drive through(to get my medium Mocha Frappe’, and NO, I don’t want to know how many calories are in it), and they ASK me if I want one… However, the new sweet potato pies are REALLY surprisingly good.

    posted by old hippy chick on 11-1-2011 at 12:19 pm

  8. Fast food isn’t good for you it’s true. But having said that, I don’t think the McRib is any more disgusting than anything else on the menu… and it actually tastes quite good. Since I rarely eat fast food anyway, I figure the few times I do fold to the pressure and buy a McRib, I’m okay.

    posted by Heather on 11-1-2011 at 12:21 pm

  9. Heather nailed it. You can’t be fine with fast food in general and disgusted by the McRib unless you don’t like barbecue sauce or something. And not that I’m saying McDonald’s is quality food – I cook fresh food for myself almost every day – everyone needs to get off their high horse. A sandwich here or there never killed anyone. If you really get grossed out by it you have bigger problems.

    posted by bill on 11-1-2011 at 12:27 pm

  10. I’ve worked for McDonald’s when they had the McRib. I’ve never eaten one, and don’t plan on it. I’m not a fan of BBQ anyway, but the smell of the McRib just makes me queasy.

    posted by AmyD on 11-1-2011 at 12:27 pm

  11. I would drape myself in McRibs if it were socially acceptable. LOVE them. @The Chef–I’ll take your word on the donkey balls, I’ve never tried them, but now I know someone who has!

    posted by Dan on 11-1-2011 at 12:29 pm

  12. ^Seinfeld reference ftw. McRibs ftw. Double winner.

    posted by bill on 11-1-2011 at 12:35 pm

  13. “I really don’t understand why people go so crazy for the McRib. It doesn’t bother me that it’s processed meat or made from the leftovers. It bothers me that it tastes like donkey balls dipped in cheap barbecue sauce.” — The Chef

    My thoughts exactly, Dan. I was wondering how it was that he came up with that frame of reference unless he had consumed them himself….in which case, I find myself asking “WHY???”

    -”BB”-

    posted by Bicycle Bill on 11-1-2011 at 12:36 pm

  14. mmmmmmm. . . . Deep fried pressed pork byproducts slathered in a ketchup/brown sugar sauce. 1981 was my first and last McRib.

    posted by gwdMaine on 11-1-2011 at 12:57 pm

  15. “A (fake) petition to save the McRib was featured on the McDonald’s site in 2005, sponsored by the Boneless Pig Farmers of America.”

    Which was boneless, the pigs or the pig farmers?

    posted by Jungle Rich on 11-1-2011 at 1:21 pm

  16. Forget that, I want some kangaroo.

    posted by Jov on 11-1-2011 at 1:27 pm

  17. never had a mcrib. saving it in case i even end up on death row – my request for my last meal will be a mcrib and a shamrock shake – those limited time offers are almost never available at the same time ;)

    posted by Jen on 11-1-2011 at 1:30 pm

  18. McDonald’s – yark. Period.
    I do agree with Heather and Bill, though: if you eat fast food, you can’t sneer at a McRib.

    posted by Jon on 11-1-2011 at 1:36 pm

  19. Mmm…McRoo…

    I thought it was made from an animal that is smaller than a cow, but with more legs??

    posted by C on 11-1-2011 at 1:37 pm

  20. mmmmmmmmm—Ribwich!

    I remember the McRib in North Carolina in the early/mid 80s. I didn’t want to try one at the time, but wish I did so I would know what they used to taste like since it’s probably nothing like that anymore.

    I completely stayed away from MickeyD’s for a long time, but now my wife drags me there and it is improved from the 90s. This means I missed the revivals of the McRib until last year when I finally got to try one—YUCK!

    I really do like the BBQ sauce they use on it, but the patty was pretty awful.

    posted by Wayne Stevens on 11-1-2011 at 1:39 pm

  21. @ Jen–I always planned on something from a local diner that came with a bottomless cup of coffee so I would never be done with my last meal.

    posted by Wayne Stevens on 11-1-2011 at 1:40 pm

  22. I’m grew up in Germany where the McRib is one of the most favorite sandwiches. I don’t think McD ever removed it from the menu over there. I am so going to load up on McRibs over the next few weeks.

    posted by mgh on 11-1-2011 at 1:49 pm

  23. Okay the first fact alone is gag inducing!

    I like Morningstar Ribs. They’re made from soy, but remarkably tasty and would satisfy that need for “rib” shaped food.

    posted by Kelly on 11-1-2011 at 2:16 pm

  24. every thing at mc doogles tast like it came from the trash dump

    posted by garry on 11-1-2011 at 2:44 pm

  25. I don’t have a problem with fast food and in general, and if we’re being honest I think McDonald’s is on the whole better quality than a lot of fast food places (Sonic I’m looking at you), but the McRib is gross. It’s not the mechanically separated thing, that doesn’t bother me–it just tastes bad! And the texture is weird. And McD’s pickles are awful.

    posted by Nicole on 11-1-2011 at 2:50 pm

  26. Now I want fries . ..

    posted by H on 11-1-2011 at 3:14 pm

  27. I’ve had a McRib but it was so so long ago…been vegetarian for 13 years now.

    Back in the 90s I cooked in a nursing home and we used to cook up hundreds of rib-shaped patties (similar to McRib) on big baking sheets. I could never fathom that we could serve such garbage to incapacitated old folks.

    posted by DCEyes on 11-1-2011 at 4:44 pm

  28. They can keep the McRib, but PLEASE bring back the Deep Fried Apple Pie : )

    posted by Gale on 11-1-2011 at 4:48 pm

  29. Got mine already and satisfied my fix. Now, if only they’d bring back the deep fried pies…

    posted by Steve in San Diego on 11-1-2011 at 7:06 pm

  30. I decided several years ago not to eat one again. Why? They have a funky, weird and fake taste–blah! On the other hand, I love the fish sandwich!

    posted by Cathy Fort on 11-1-2011 at 7:31 pm

  31. Morning Star ribs are Soy based! Bring on the Anaphylactic shock and potential death! Soy is one of the top 10 allergies. You can keep it I will smoke my own ribs pulled pork on my porch myself, then I don’t have to worry about such things

    posted by Chris on 11-1-2011 at 7:46 pm

  32. I worked in McDonalds in 1981 and 1982. It was a great time in my life. The McRib was a tough beast to handle. Too much cooking (grilled and marinated for 30 minutes) and way too much cleaning. My buddy Tim and I happily threw the McRib marinater down the stairs when we heard the McRib was dead.

    But it is delicious. Suspend disbelief and order one. Its just like pulled pork, only better.

    If only we had Louise Ogborn in the office, all would have been complete.

    posted by texas jim on 11-1-2011 at 7:50 pm

  33. Loved the fried pies! especially fried in lard! yum. like the mc rib…. funny to note, the us army provides a “bbq flavored rib shaped patty” in some of the issued mre’s.(meals ready to eat). it comes with a tortilla… my husband loved them. i got some mre’s from the salvation army for disaster relief so i got to try it. pretty tasty, (as were all the meals i got,surprisingly) but strange as the bbq was a flavor baked into the patty,not sauce. you guys should do an article about mre’s and the evolution of army food.

    posted by foodjunkie on 11-1-2011 at 8:03 pm

  34. @ Texas Jim–

    it may have tasted just like pulled pork, only better back in 1981, today–not so much.

    The Big M is all about speed and efficiency, no way would they do something that takes 30 minutes these days.

    posted by Wayne Stevens on 11-1-2011 at 8:05 pm

  35. Give me my mcrib! While im at it, ill take all of those mcribs all you haters aren’t eating to!

    posted by Don on 11-1-2011 at 8:27 pm

  36. Hello McFly! In my McRib! Sorry, couldn’t McResist..

    posted by DJ on 11-1-2011 at 8:32 pm

  37. When we were in Knoxville, TN for the world’s fair in 1982, the McDonald’s across from the hotel had McRib – we had never seen such things in Ohio. We ate them more than we should probably admit. This was before my brother was born (and I was only 4), but whenever they come back my mom, my dad and I go hog wild (pun only slightly intended). My brother can’t stand them…I guess it’s because he doesn’t know what it’s like to have a 29 year love affair with a McDonald’s menu item. =)

    I remember once the McDonald’s by my parents house had McRib Jr. for a buck (I think). I think they were round and maybe on a hamburger bun, but still gosh darn tasty. If they take away McRib, at least leave Jr. behind to help fill the void.

    posted by Clevegal42 on 11-1-2011 at 8:58 pm

  38. *Correction – my brother apparently does like them, but I must not have been paying attention because I was busy stuffing my face with McRibs. My bad. He still hasn’t loved them for 29 years. =)

    posted by Clevegal42 on 11-1-2011 at 9:03 pm

  39. @ old hippy chick. McD’s has sweet potato pies now?!? I will definitely have to check this out, next time I crave a mocha frappe.(right there with you, No I don’t want to know how many calories. Let me sin in peace;~} )

    posted by YoSan on 11-1-2011 at 9:22 pm

  40. If it so popular, why don’t they put it on the menu ?

    posted by Larry on 11-1-2011 at 9:38 pm

  41. @YoSan… I was like, “what-the-heck?” when I saw it, but I swear the ‘pie’ filling tastes just like Momma’s sweet ‘tater pie. And for all you people that love McRibs–more power to you…I just think that they, and in fact MOST fast food is disgusting. This includes many chain resturants that dump something out of a plastic bag and heat it up for you. It seems to me,lately that all steaks, pork, and even chicken are chemically ‘tenderized’ to the point of very little texture. Mouth-feel of food is half the battle, for me. If it doesn’t ‘feel’ right in my mouth, it’s often difficult to swallow. And I HATE wasting food, so I’ve forced myself to eat things that didn’t have the right ‘mouth-feel’. Yuck.

    posted by old hippy chick on 11-1-2011 at 9:57 pm

  42. I worked at a McDonalds for (good Lord help me) nearly 10 years, including time in management (which I hope makes me seem less pathetic). I seem to remember the McRib coming back a couple of times in the late 80s and early 90s. Perhaps it was a regional promotion.

    The one thing I remember about the McRibs is how messy they are. After they’re cooked, they’re marinated in a 12x4x6 (approximately) stainless steel container filled with sauce that you have to fish them out of. Not clean to keep, not clean to prepare. One good thing I remember is fixing myself a faux philly cheesesteak with a hamburger patty and grilled onions on the McRib roll.

    I’ll eat at McDonald’s maybe once a year. My dog loves to beg french fries off me, but the only one he’s turned his nose up at are from McDonalds.

    posted by MatthewZD on 11-1-2011 at 10:23 pm

  43. The McRib was definitely around in New Jersey in the late 80s. They were tough to cook, you really had to lean on them hard to get them to sear right. That would have been ok except when the pork (and apparently the 69 other ingredients) started to heat up they got very slippery. Pressure + slippery = McRibs flying majestically off the grill toward the fryer.

    posted by Terry on 11-1-2011 at 10:42 pm

  44. Anyone remember the McRibwich episode on the Simpsons?

    posted by david k on 11-1-2011 at 11:06 pm

  45. @larry- McDonalds, and other fast food restaurants bring back popular items as “limited time only” to bring a rush of customers in. Fans know these items won’t be offered for a long amount of time so they will visit the restaurant more often in a short time. It is not a permanent menu item for several reasons: There is no room on the menu, meaning that other traditional items are consistently high sellers and the company is unwilling to replace it with a specialty item. Restaurants can’t put EVERYTHING on the menu forever- it costs way too much in waste to have that many ingredients in the store. Another reason is so that they have an opportunity to pull almost a bait and switch. A customer never knows when the limited time, and usually at a sale price, item will be gone from the menu so they will probably visit the restaurant to buy the specialty item, be informed that it is discontinued, and buy a more expensive, non sale item.

    so…. that’s why.

    posted by jess on 11-1-2011 at 11:14 pm

  46. I wonder if it’ll be “gone forever” this year again. Just like it has been for the past five years.

    Honestly, the “gone forever” campaign wears kind of thin when it becomes a yearly event.

    posted by Pedantic Pat on 11-2-2011 at 12:45 am

  47. I’m with Don – all you McHaters are freeing up more of the limited McRib commodity for the rest of us! :-) I don’t like fast food in general but I *love* McRibs. It’s also fun after the sandwich is gone to use the fries to sop up any remaining BBQ sauce. There are some great local authentic BBQ places here, too, and I’ll drive past all of them whenever it’s McRib season to get to the arches.

    David K – I was thinking about the Krusty Burger Ribwich too! “We take genuine USDA letter-graded meat and process the hell out of it…”

    posted by Roger on 11-2-2011 at 9:54 am

  48. I recently quit eating pork but I seriously considered the McRib last night. Sooooo tasty.

    posted by Reese on 11-2-2011 at 10:12 am

  49. I would freebase a McRib if I could get it to stay lit in the pipe.

    I dont care if its mechnically separated, liquidated, irradiated, floridated, or carbon dated.

    I love ‘em, and you can’t make me un-love ‘em.

    Tim

    posted by tim on 11-2-2011 at 10:19 am

  50. Your home made kitchen food is going to be worse though. What’s different is not the cleanliness level (well it kind of is, they are likely cleaner) but the increased detection ability.

    –did you know that at this moment you are covered in thousands and thousands of bugs?
    It’s true. I almost guarantee it. They’re called skin mites. It’s been that way your whole life. And so has everyone else.

    –Did you know your poop is alive?
    It’s true poop is 80% bacteria by weight. Beneficial bacteria and without them you’d be very ill.

    –Statistically the air you are breathing right now came from an animal’s ass. Probably at least several times.
    Most of them were some sort of sea creature or dinosaur. We live in a closed loop environment called a “planet”. It’s been running for a long time now.

    posted by bombastinator on 11-2-2011 at 10:32 am

  51. The McRib Kangeroo connection came from the 80′s rumor that hamburgers were made from kangeroo spacificly Jack in the Box burgers. As time went on it filtered to the McRib because of it’s mystery meat status.

    posted by NaNa on 11-2-2011 at 10:51 am

  52. Never had one, never will. I just don’t get why anyone would buy one of these when you can make a perfectly decent pulled pork sandwich at home yourself.

    posted by Sarah on 11-4-2011 at 7:46 pm

  53. I’ve only had it 4 times since they first introduced it… I vomited every single time.

    posted by Ed on 11-5-2011 at 11:44 pm

  54. If you’re going to write a magazine for smart people, you should know better than to promote myths like “anything in food with a chemical name is bad for you” (the same stupid conspiracy theory that led to the “organic”/”natural”/”health” food movement, a scam which still rakes in 9 or 10 figures off gullible Americans every year without doing a thing to improve their health).

    posted by John David Galt on 11-6-2011 at 3:30 pm

  55. Just coffee for me, thanks. Or a caramel frappe. Mango-pineapple smoothie… Love the oatmeal with diced apple too. There are some yummy things at McD’s. ;0)

    posted by Mouse on 11-7-2011 at 5:16 pm

  56. If it had roo meat in it, it might actually be good for you. Kangaroo meat is one of the lowest fat meats you can get, and it is bursting with iron. I eat it when I can and it’s beautiful with cranberry sauce. I think it should be the main meat of consumption here in Australia, considering how damaging for the environment ungulates can be. /roofacts.

    posted by Napalmnacey on 11-8-2011 at 7:12 am

  57. @David K- Everytime I hear or see the word ‘McRib’ that Simpsons episode is all I can think about! Thanks for the mention of it!

    posted by JRW on 11-8-2011 at 12:40 pm

  58. forget McRib- bring back the Cheddar Melt!

    posted by wendy on 11-8-2011 at 8:36 pm

  59. I tried the McRib for the very first time about a year ago. Meh. McRib lovers, you don’t have to worry about me depriving you, have at it.

    Interestingly, I have a friend who LOVES the Mc Rib, but finds Krystal burgers repulsive. I don’t understand that.

    posted by Carole on 11-9-2011 at 4:51 pm

  60. I haven’t had a McRib in a long time. I used to love them but now I just can’t. First fact above is a good reason, but also my husband makes really good –I mean REALLY GOOD–smoked, bbq pork so I’ve gotten spoiled.

    Fried pies, though.. Yes. Thanks to Taco Bell for their apple empanada, a fair substitute.

    posted by Amy on 11-13-2011 at 4:18 pm

  61. never touching one agian that is so nasty no more Micky D’s for me!!!

    posted by courtney pratt on 11-21-2011 at 8:32 am

  62. My high school made better rib sandwiches than the McRib.

    posted by Christa on 11-23-2011 at 8:21 am

  63. …now, if Taco Bell would only bring back the BellBurger!!! Please, oh, please!!

    posted by Sara on 12-1-2011 at 7:40 pm

  64. Wouldn’t anything cut with a knife or fork be “mechanically separated?”

    posted by Newtonium on 1-9-2012 at 9:52 pm

  65. If nothing else, pickles and barbeque of any sort do not mesh. (May even be illegal.)

    posted by Laura Salovitch on 1-19-2012 at 12:24 pm

  66. I love the McRib – I have ever since they first came out with it, and make a point of getting one at least once whenever they reappear. I hope they never stop bringing them back.

    Never mind all those ingredients. I bet they’re in the McNuggets and other fast food too… [as others have pointed out]

    posted by Elisabeth on 1-28-2012 at 3:12 pm

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