Sprig Originals's kitchen / Air Fryer Dry-Rubbed Baby Back Ribs with Sticky BBQ Glaze
Air Fryer Dry-Rubbed Baby Back Ribs with Sticky BBQ Glaze
By Sprig Originals · cooked up in Sprig
Worked out from this recipe's ingredients. If you're cooking for an allergy, always read the full ingredient list.
A whole rack of baby backs cut into short sections, rubbed with brown sugar and smoked paprika, and cooked entirely in the air fryer basket until the meat pulls back from the bone. A quick vinegar-cut barbecue glaze goes on for the last few minutes so it caramelizes instead of burning. No oven, no smoker, no foil-wrapped juggling — just one basket and about 40 minutes.
Ingredients
Ribs and Rub
- 1 rack pork baby back ribs (about 2 1/2 lb)
- 2 tbsp light brown sugar
- 1 tbsp smoked paprika
- 2 tsp garlic powder
- 2 tsp kosher salt
- 1 tsp coarsely ground black pepper
Glaze
- 1/2 cup barbecue sauce
- 1 tbsp apple cider vinegar
Instructions
- Pat the rack completely dry with paper towels. If the thin papery membrane is still on the bone side, grab a corner with a paper towel and peel it off. Cut the rack between the bones into 3- and 4-bone sections so the pieces fit your basket.
- Stir the brown sugar, smoked paprika, garlic powder, salt, and pepper together in a small bowl, then rub it all over every surface of the rib sections, pressing it in. Let them sit 10 minutes while the air fryer preheats to 350°F (175°C).
- Arrange the sections in the basket in a single layer, meat side up, standing them on edge or leaning them against the sides if space is tight — leave a little gap between pieces. Cook at 350°F for 25 minutes, then turn each section over with tongs and cook 10 minutes more. The meat should have shrunk back from the bone ends and a knife tip should slide into the meat with no resistance.
- Meanwhile, whisk the barbecue sauce and cider vinegar together. Brush the ribs generously on the meat side, raise the temperature to 400°F (205°C), and cook 4 to 6 minutes, until the glaze is bubbling and tacky with a few dark spots. Watch closely after 4 minutes — the sugar goes from glossy to burnt fast.
- Move the ribs to a board or platter and rest 5 minutes so the juices settle, then brush with any remaining glaze and serve straight from the board.
Chef's tips
- Work in two batches if your basket is small rather than crowding it — stacked ribs steam instead of crisping, and the second batch only needs about 5 minutes less since the fryer is already hot.
- Bone-side down for the first stretch and meat-side up for the glaze gives you the crispest crust; that final flip matters more than the timing.
- No baby backs? Cut 2 1/2 lb of country-style pork ribs into 2-inch chunks and cook the same way, checking for tenderness at 30 minutes.
- For a hotter rub, add 1/2 teaspoon cayenne to the sugar mixture; for a Memphis-style dry rib, skip the glaze and dust with an extra spoonful of rub right out of the basket.
Nutrition (per serving, estimated)
620calories
39gprotein
29gcarbs
38gfat
Estimates only — values vary with brands and portions.
Made with Sprig
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