Make A Better DIY 'McRib' Sandwich In One Step With A Simple Bread Hack

It took a while for the McDonald's McRib to win our hearts, but now it's a beloved classic with a following of customers who just can't get enough. Fans line up for it when it pops up on the McDonald's menu (it's not always available), and plenty of people have created copycat recipes for homemade versions. French bread is a popular choice for a DIY McRib sandwich since the original is built on a hoagie-style bun. 

Besides aesthetics, French bread brings a fluffy center and a satisfying crunchy outer crust that really adds to the overall sandwich. But there's one way you probably haven't thought of making a McRib dupe with French bread, a little hack that turns your regular McRib into a sandwich-wrap hybrid. Note that you'll want to pick up a specific style of French bread for this one: a baguette.

This genius DIY McRib hack involves hollowing out the inside of a baguette instead of slicing it sandwich-style. Fill the inside of the French bread with BBQ pork spare ribs or a couple of oven-baked BBQ baby back ribs and voila — you have a new take on both a sandwich and a McRib. This homemade version is handheld and saucy with fluffy bread and a crunchy outer crust.

The original McDonald's McRib comes on a toasted bun that looks more like a hoagie than a hamburger. French bread is a perfect sub for a hoagie, with a sturdy structure that holds up under a good slathering of BBQ sauce. Leave a bit of bread on the inside when you tunnel out the center of the loaf for this hack and it'll soak up even more flavor. If you don't have a baguette, you can also use those mini loaves of French bread for more manageable sandwiches and serve your favorite BBQ sauce on the side for dipping.

As far as the filling goes, the sandwich isn't made from rib meat at all — one of many facts about the McDonald's McRib. Instead, it's made with a piece of BBQ boneless pork, topped with silvered onions and pickles. To get as close to the original as possible, you might want to use a pork chop or some kind of smoked boneless pork as the meat for the sandwich. But, if you're already experimenting with French bread and actual rib meat, and feel creative, you might as well try a few other twists as well. Add other toppings like avocado, grilled corn, jalapeños, coleslaw, or pineapple. Complete the sandwich with spreads like horseradish sauce and even cheese like pepper jack, cheddar, or smoked Gouda.