These bbq air fryer ribs are incredibly good! Crisp on the outside and tender on the inside they have the best bbq flavour. Made with pork baby back ribs and barbecue sauce you will love how easy they are to make in just 30 minutes. You can also make them paleo and Whole30!
Ribs are one of my favourite foods, so once I got an air fryer I was determined to create the perfect bbq air fryer ribs for you guys! And I did it! These pork baby back ribs are so so good! Slightly crisp on the outside yet tender on the inside with the best bbq flavour. They’re also incredibly easy to make, are ready in just 30 minutes, and only require 3 ingredients to make! I hope you love them as much as I do!
What you need to make these air fryer ribs:
- An air fryer – I use and love the Chefman 6.3 Quart Airfryer
- Baby back pork ribs – I always recommend using pasture raised pork, for both your own health and the health of the animals – click here to have pasture raised meat delivered to your door!
- Bbq sauce – this is my favourite homemade bbq sauce!
- sea salt and ground black pepper
How to make air fryer ribs:
You are going to love how easy these ribs are to make!
- First, remove the membrane from the ribs (you can skip this step if you like) and then coat both sides with sea salt and pepper, to your liking
- Place the ribs in your air fryer, meat side down and cook for 15 minutes at 400F
- Coat both sides of the ribs in bbq sauce, flip them over, and cook for another 15 minutes at 390F
How to make these ribs paleo: Just use a paleo compliant bbq sauce. This homemade paleo bbq sauce is perfect but you can also buy pre-made bbq sauce from the store.
How to make these ribs Whole30 compliant: Be sure to use a bbq sauce that is Whole30 safe. My Whole30 BBQ Sauce is perfect for these ribs! Or if you would like to buy pre-made barbecue sauce I recommend both Good Food for Good sauce or Primal Kitchen BBQ Sauce.
Tips for these air fryer pork ribs:
- This recipe has only been tested for baby back pork ribs. If you try using other cuts of meat you will likely need to adjust both the cooking time and temperature and I cannot guarantee they will work out.
- Feel free to add other spices to the ribs such as onion powder, garlic powder etc. to give them a different taste.
- Depending on the size of your rack of ribs you may need to adjust the cooking times slightly.
- The amount of bbq sauce, salt, and pepper that you will need for this recipe will depend on the size of the ribs you use, which is why I haven’t included the amounts in the recipe card ingredients.
What to serve with these ribs:
- Caesar salad or a mixed green salad
- French fries, sweet potato fries or onion rings
- My Potato Salad or Broccoli Salad would be perfect!
- My paleo cornbread muffins would also be great!
Frequently asked questions:
No you don’t! I have made this recipe both with the membrane removed and the membrane on, and both ways turn out equally as good!
Ribs need to be at least 145°F to be safe to consume, but they turn out better when they are between 180°F and 195°F. The collagen and fat will not melt into the meat at the lower temperatures so the connective tissues will still be tough and the ribs not very tender at 145°F.
I recommend starting with the meat side down, and then flipping to the other side after the first 15 minutes. This ensures both sides get cooked evenly.
Other recipes you will love:
- Slow Cooker Pineapple Ribs
- Crispy Air Fryer Pork Belly
- Air fryer chicken wings from frozen
- Air Fryer Carrots
- Air Fryer Salmon Cakes with Lemon Dill Aioli
- Air Fryer Spaghetti Squash
- Air Fryer Salt and Pepper Chicken Wings
- Paleo Teriyaki Chicken and Broccoli
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BBQ Air Fryer Ribs
These BBQ Air Fryer Ribs are just the best! Slightly crisp on the outside, yet melt in your mouth tender on the inside they are also really easy to make and ready in under 30 minutes.
Ingredients
- 1 rack of baby back pork ribs
- bbq sauce (the amount you need will depend on the size of your ribs)
- sea salt (to taste)
- ground black pepper (to taste)
Instructions
-
Remove the membrane from the back of the ribs
-
Sprinkle both sides of the ribs salt and pepper (you can also add other spices if you like)
-
Place the ribs in the air fryer, meat side down and cook for 15 minutes at 400F
-
Take the ribs out and coat both sides in bbq sauce
-
Place the ribs back in the air fryer and cook for another 15 minutes at 390F
-
Let the ribs cool for a few minutes and then serve and enjoy! Feel free to add a little extra bbq sauce if you like as well.
Recipe Notes
- This recipe has only been tested for baby back pork ribs. If you try using other cuts of meat you will likely need to adjust both the cooking time and temperature
- Feel free to add other spices to the ribs such as onion powder, garlic powder etc.Â
- Depending on the size of your rack of ribs you may need to adjust the cooking times slightlyÂ
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My mouth is watering!