⏱️ Time
- Prep: 10 minutes
- Cook: 45–55 minutes
- Rest: 5 minutes
🍽️ Serves
2–3 people
🧺 Ingredients
- 1 rack baby back ribs (cut to fit air fryer)
- Salt & pepper
Dry Rub (optional but recommended)
- 1 tsp paprika
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- 1 tsp onion powder
- 1 tsp brown sugar
- ½ tsp black pepper
- ½ tsp salt
Sauce (optional)
- ½ cup BBQ sauce
- 1–2 tbsp honey (for sticky ribs)
🔪 Preparation
- Remove membrane
Flip ribs bone-side up and peel off the thin membrane (helps tenderness). - Season
- Pat ribs dry
- Rub with salt, pepper, and dry rub on both sides
- Cut to fit
- Cut rack into 2–3 sections so they fit comfortably in the basket.
🍳 Air Fryer Instructions
STEP 1: Slow & Tender
- Preheat air fryer
- 160°C / 320°F for 3–5 minutes
- Wrap
- Wrap ribs tightly in foil (this steams them tender)
- Cook
- Air fry at 160°C / 320°F for 35–40 minutes
- Flip halfway if possible
STEP 2: Sauce & Crisp
- Unwrap carefully
- Ribs should be very tender
- Sauce
- Brush generously with BBQ sauce
- Mix BBQ sauce + honey if you like sticky ribs
- Finish
- Air fry uncovered at 200°C / 400°F for 8–12 minutes
- Turn once and brush with extra sauce
✅ How to Know They’re Done
- Meat pulls back from the bones
- Very tender when pierced
- Sticky, caramelized outside
❄️ Rest
- Let ribs rest 5 minutes before serving
✨ Serving Ideas
- Corn on the cob
- Coleslaw
- Air fryer chips or wedges
- Extra BBQ sauce on the side
