Baby Back Ribs Recipe- Air Fryer edition!
With Memorial Day Celebrations coming up, I wanted to share with you my famous baby back ribs recipe that is sure to leave you and your family wanting to add this to your regular menu.
It’s so quick and easy, it can even be a weeknight meal. Be sure to make extra as these ribs make great lunch leftovers too!
Step 1:
First, start with a fresh rack of ribs, a clean kitchen cutting surface to work with, a sharp chef’s knife, Avocado oil spray, and your favorite dry rub seasoning. My current favorite is by Pit Boss, it’s the Sweet Heat Rub and Grill Seasoning. However, pick your favorite based on your preferences, I personally like my BBQ ribs like my man, hot and sweet!
Step 2:
Next, flip the ribs over, and peel off the thin membrane along the bottom side of the ribs. (Check out my video if you would like to see how this is done.) This can be a little messy and difficult but trust me, it’s worth it to remove it. This will allow the ribs to really soak in the flavors of your dry rub resulting in a tender, easy to eat rib.
Step 3:
Since you will be using the air fryer for this recipe, Cut the rack of ribs into smaller 3 rib sections. This will make it so you should be able to fit the entire rack in your air fryer at one time, which helps save time if you end up cooking for a crowd.
Of course, every air fryer is different, I currently use the Instant Pot Vortex 6 Quart air fryer. It has a fairly large basket, it’s easy to use, and easy clean up. If you have a different air fryer that has more room or a tray that you can fit your rack on without cutting that is fine too. You may need to adjust cooking times based on what air fryer you have and whether or not you cut the rack down to smaller portions or not.
Step 4:
Next, coat each rib portion generously with dry rub seasoning on the front and back of each section. Then lightly spray with Avocado Oil Spray to help hold the dry rub in place. The Air fryer can sometimes blow the seasonings off once you start cooking so this will prevent that from happening.
Step 5:
Place your ribs side by side in the air fryer, keeping some space around them to allow for easy air flow. I have packed them in there kind of tight before, just so I can cook a whole rack at one time, and it seems to do fine, but if you allow a little more room for better airflow they will cook a little faster and crisper.
It’s really up to you. If you are not rushing to feed a large family like I usually am, cooking smaller batches at a time may work better for you.
Step 6:
Set your air fryer to 400 degrees, and 20 minutes. After 10 minutes, using a pair of cooking tongs, flip each rib portion over for even cooking. After the total 20 minutes, your ribs should be plump and juicy, brown, but not quite fully done.
Step 7:
At this point, brush on your favorite BBQ sauce on one side, and air fry for 3-5 minutes, then flip, brush with more sauce, and cook for another 3-5 minutes. (Depending on how done your ribs look before you coat them.) I really like to have my ribs fall off the bone, so I cook them on the longer side. Test your recipe and air fryer by checking at the shorter time first and then add time as needed to avoid over cooking. Cooking times can vary depending on how meaty your ribs are also. Of course, meatier ribs take longer to cook compared to thin ones. Longer cooking times also allow the fat to break down more as well, which makes the meat tender and flavorful.
Ultimately, the final product will be a little bit of trial and error as you get used to your preferences and how your air fryer works. I would say my first batch with this recipe, turned out great, but knowing how everything works, I definitely discovered I like them cooked a little longer to get the rib texture my family prefers.
Tell me how you like it!
I would love to hear how yours turns out, and if you had to make any adjustments to your recipe to make it work for your liking. Please click the “heart” below if you liked this blog and make sure to comment if you have any questions or feedback.
Printable recipe here:
Air Fryer Baby Back Ribs
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