I think it's time to wake it up and start posting again. I've missed posting two years of bike seasons, two years of beer tastings, and two years of barbecue. I did not miss two years of eating BBQ and drinking beer.
So we'll start with a post on something that is not barbecue but is now in season. I make sure to go and eat one every year just because it's......
The McRib.
I will first state that the McRib is not barbecue. Some people will claim that it's not even meat, but according to the definition by the U.S. Department of Agriculture, it is indeed meat.
From the USDA website:
MECHANICALLY SEPARATED MEAT
is a paste-like and batter-like meat product produced by forcing bones with attached edible meat under high pressure through a sieve or similar device to separate the bone from the edible meat tissue. In 1982, a final rule published by FSIS on mechanically separated meat said it was safe and established a standard of identity for the food product. Some restrictions were made on how much can be used and the type of products in which it can be used. These restrictions were based on concerns for limited intake of certain components in MSM, like calcium. Due to FSIS regulations enacted in 2004 to protect consumers against Bovine Spongiform Encephalopathy, mechanically separated beef is considered inedible and is prohibited for use as human food. However, mechanically separated pork is permitted and must be labeled as "mechanically separated pork" in the ingredients statement.
If it makes you feel any better, the Chicken McNuggets are mechanically separated chicken. Even though the description of the process is unappetizing, the McRib is somewhat tasty. It seems that adding a tangy barbecue sauce, onions, and pickles will make a lot of things tasty. Sometimes very tasty.
People who claim the McRib is not meat may just be vegetarians claiming that it's not meat so they can enjoy their once-a-year binge. Or maybe not.
