After cooking my delicious barbecue ribs for many years the bar was high. At least some of the 2000 saves on my original recipe came, I’m sure, from friends for whom I cooked them. However, when I heard about air fryer ribs that take much less time, I knew I had to try them.
Why You’ll Love My Sticky Air Fryer Pork Ribs Recipe
My goal was to capture that classic, smoky BBQ flavor for these air fryer ribs. This was achieved by scouring the supermarket aisles for the perfect blend of pre-made barbecue spices, giving them a real punch of flavor. A quick frosting – combining tomato sauce, hoisin, sugar and sriracha – is then brushed right at the end, creating that sticky barbecue rib experience that will have you licking your fingers…and probably your arms!
Want more frosting to serve? Simply prepare more and serve your sticky ribs with the extra sauce to pour over them (see recipe notes for details).
💡Tip: Get ahead in no time
To ensure the ribs fit in your air fryer, you will need to cut them into portions. This means cooking in multiple batches. If you are serving a crowd, the initial baking phase before applying the glaze can be done in advance. Simply store precooked ribs in the refrigerator, then glaze and air fry them just before serving.
Key Ingredients for My Air Fryer Stick Pork Ribs Recipe
- Ribs: I use American-style pork ribs for this recipe, although lamb ribs are a suitable alternative. Pork is naturally sweet, which pairs wonderfully with brown sugar and barbecue sauce. The right balance of meat and fat in the ribs ensures that everything stays juicy, as the fat is released during cooking. Glazing the ribs near the end caramelizes the sugars on the surface, keeping the pork soft inside.
- BBQ Seasoning Blend: This spice blend is used to infuse the flavor of the ribs, rather than just seasoning the surface, bringing that outdoor barbecue taste into your air fryer.
- Tomato sauce: the acidity of it balances the sweetness and helps thicken the sauce so it sticks to the ribs.
- Hoisin sauce: The flavor of these ribs rounds out, becoming richer and more complex thanks to the sweetness, saltiness and fermentation of the hoisin. This sauce also helps create a glossy finish when cooked.
- Brown sugar: Crucial for a sticky, finger-licking finish, it also balances heat and acidity. I love how it sweetens the sauce and caramelizes the ribs when they are air fried.
- Sriracha: ribs aren’t the same unless they add some heat. Sriracha is perfect for adding a little chili heat without overpowering the other flavors.
Do you like ribs? Check our collection of delicious rib recipes.
This recipe was tested in a 7.3L basket air fryer.
Recipe and notes by Culinary Director Michelle Southan, photography by Nigel Lough, styling by Lucy Busuttil and food preparation by Lara Reynolds.
