Untold Stories about the McRib Sandwich

Chances are you've either had a McRib Sandwich or you at least know what it is. This sandwich has gained a cult following all to itself over the last thirty years. McDonald's, the marketing and food powerhouse that it is, introduced the sandwich back in 1981 to a rave audience. However, the sandwich disappeared in 1985. It wasn't until the mid-90's that this beloved sandwich made a return to McDonald's restaurants, but this time there was a catch: it was only available for a limited time. So, what's the deal with this sandwich? Well, here's more of the story about the McDonald's sandwich that caused a unique following, and also info that may make you think twice about having it.

The McRib Sandwich was created as an alternate food item to help the overburdened poultry industry. Yes, that's correct. In 1979, the Chicken McNugget was introduced, and demand was more than anticipated. In fact, demand for the McNugget was so intense that the American poultry market had too much strain, so McDonald's came up with a different food item other than beef and chicken. What naturally would that be? Pork!

After a trip to South Carolina, McDonald's executive chef was inspired by the southern bbq of the area. He chose to model the new sandwich to look like pork ribs. But of course, there can't be bones in a sandwich, much less a fast food sandwich. So, McDonald's created the shape of the McRib using what is called "restructured meat technology". This technology takes heart, tripe, and scalded stomach and mixes it with salt and water to extract proteins from the muscles. These proteins allow the meat to be molded into any shape that is desired. In the case of this sandwich, the desired shape was a fake slab of ribs. Interestingly enough, the process from pork to frozen McRib sandwich (yes, they are flash-frozen at the plant and transported to the restaurant) takes about 45 minutes.

If that isn't enough to make you think twice about the sandwich, think about what's in it. Did you know that there are 70 ingredients in the sandwich, 35 of which are in the bun alone? Two of the most interesting/alarming ingredients are azodicarbonamide and ammonium sulfate.If you're not familiar with these, don't be surprised. But I bet you know what else they're used in. Ammonium sulfate's most common use is in soil fertilizer. Azodicarbonamide is a flour-bleaching agent that's also used in yoga mats. And if that doesn't change your mind, just think of the nutritional information: 500 calories, 26 grams of fat, 44 grams of carbs, and 980 milligrams of sodium.

So, what's the big deal with the sandwich? It's a piece of marketing genius. Ever since the McRib came back in a limited supply in the mid-90's, random McDonald's across the US have periodically offered the sandwich for a limited time. This caused an uproar from people who wanted it. It has spawned a website to track where you can find the sandwich at any given time. By not having the sandwich available at all times, demand for the sandwich is always high, which keeps the cult of the McRib going.

If you are still a fan of the McRib, then have fun! Maybe it's coming to a McDonald's near you soon.Keep in mind that the franchise owner can order the McRib almost anytime, so keep checking to see when they will offer the sandwich again.