McDonald's fans 're-create' McRib for fraction of the price – with just five ingredients

The McRib is back. The iconic sandwich will return to UK menus today (Wednesday, October 16) for the first time in almost a decade, much to the delight of fans.

The classic '80s dish will only be available for a limited time, so those eager to get a taste will have to act fast. The sandwich will set hungry buyers back £4.49 on its own, or £6.19 as part of a medium extra value .

Thomas O’Neill, Head of Menu at McDonald's UK said: “It is more than just a sandwich; it’s a phenomenon. We have heard our fans loud and clear – the fan petitions and pleas on social – and after almost a decade of anticipation, we are thrilled to bring back this iconic menu item."

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However, home cooks reckon they've worked out a way to 're-create' the McRib at home, and for much less than you would spend instore. Nick Drewe, trend expert at , shared his 'copycat' which costs just £1.08 per portion – meaning you could save 76% on your sarnie.

Not only that, but vegetarians and can even adapt the recipe and get a slice of the action for themselves. With just five ingredients, the mouth-watering meal is also very straightforward to make.

Taking to , other McDonald's fans also shared clips of themselves making the meal in their own kitchens. Home cook Tracy Le took her version a step further by blending boneless pork ribs with salt, sugar and water before forming the patty by hand, rather than using store-bought sausages.

However, the rest of the method is similarly simple – just fry off the patties, coat them in your favourite barbecue sauce, toast your buns and assemble, topping with gherkins and white onions. Nick recommends brushing the patties with extra barbecue sauce as they fry, but warns the high sugar content of some sauces could cause the glaze to burn.

Nick's 'copycat' McRib recipe can be found below.

Ingredients (serves one):

• Two pork sausages
• 60g good-quality barbecue Sauce, warmed
• One white sub or deli-style roll
• Four gherkins
• 10g slithered white onions

Method:

• Heat a little oil in a pan over medium heat, while that is happening, remove two sausages from their casing and shape them into one rectangular patty that is roughly the size of your bun.
  
  
• Once formed, cook the patty for 3-4 minutes per side or, until fully cooked. Adjust the cooking time to the size of your patty, since it is flattened it will not take as long as a regular sausage. If you want a thicker patty, use an additional sausage.

• While the sausage cooks, lightly toast your roll using a toaster, grill, or the same pan after cooking the patty so it can absorb the flavour of the sausage.
  
  
• Once the patty is done, dip it in the warm barbecue sauce, place it on the bottom bun, and top with gherkins and onions. Finish with the top bun and serve immediately.
  

To make the recipe vegetarian or vegan, simply swap the pork sausages for a meat-free alternative and be sure to select a barbecue sauce with no animal products. Nick recommends opting for a soy or pea-based sausage rather than a vegetable-based one, as they will better mimic the taste and texture of the real deal.