If you are looking for a new twist on ribs, these Air Fryer Ribs With Spicy Blackberry Sauce will fill the bill. (Oven instructions also provided.) I was intrigued but a bit skeptical at the same time.
What Makes This Recipe Special?
- I love my Bar B Barn Copycat Ribs so much that it was hard for me to warm up to the idea of a different recipe. But the flavours here are quite unique, so I am glad I did.
- The blackberry flavour is subtle. If you didn't know what was in it, I am not sure you could guess. But they definitely add a depth and subtle fruitiness to the sauce.
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Ingredients
- This recipe is designed to be made with meaty back ribs. Spare ribs or short ribs will not cook up the same way in the air fryer.
- Some reviewers suggested substituting blueberries for the blackberries. I have not tried that, but the fruit flavour is quite subtle in the end, so it should work.
- Hot sauce - use your favourite and adjust the amount to suit your tolerance level.
How To Make It
- It is essential to remove the silver skin from the back of the ribs, otherwise they will be tough.
- Coat ribs with the dry rub.
- Cut the ribs to fit in your air fryer but try to keep at least 2 ribs together so they don't get too dried out.
- Air fry according to the instructions, moving them around at the halfway point.
- Baste with the sauce during the last 10 minutes of cooking so the sauce doesn't burn.
Suggested Menu
Spicy Blackberry Ribs
Blueberry Broccoli Salad
Air Fryer Asparagus with Prosciutto
Best Potato Salad
Graham Cracker Pie
Wine Pair for Air Fryer Ribs with Spicy Blackberry Sauce
These ribs are fun to pair! The blackberry glaze is savoury with subtle fruit and not overpowering heat. I would choose a full-bodied Malbec with its dark fruit profile.
Cabernet Sauvignon, Mourvedre, Shiraz or Bonarda would also work. A Portuguese blend with Touriga Nacional is another good candidate. Look for a full-bodied red wine with smooth or low tannins - spicy heat and tannins are not a good combination.
Air Fryer Ribs With Spicy Blackberry Sauce
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Save Print Pin FacebookEquipment
- Air fryer or oven
Ingredients
Ribs
- 2 slabs baby back pork ribs about 3 lbs
- 4 tsps chili powder
- 4 cloves garlic minced
- 1 teaspoon salt (if you are conscious of sodium intake reduce salt to ½ teaspoon see Note 2.)
Blackberry Sauce
- 2 ½ cups blackberries about 12 ounces
- ½ cup ketchup
- ½ cup honey
- 2 Tbsps minced fresh garlic
- 2 Tbps balsamic vinegar
- 1 teaspoon hot pepper sauce up to 2 if you like really spicy
Instructions
Ribs
- Preheat air fryer to 380°. For regular oven see Note 1 below.
- Remove any silver skin from back of rib slabs.
- Mix chili powder, garlic and salt together and rub mixture onto the ribs-mostly on the meaty side and ends.
- Separate ribs as needed to fit on your air fryer tray(s). Try to keep at least 2 ribs together. Position ribs meaty side up to start.
- Air fry 40 minutes, flipping ribs and trays at mid point.
- Brush sauce on ribs and air fry at 350° for about 7 minutes, switching trays mid way.
Blackberry Sauce
- While ribs are air frying purée all sauce ingredients in a blender. Strain over a sieve into a medium saucepan. You will need to press the mixture in order to make it pass through the sieve. Discard solids from sieve. Heat sauce over medium high heat until reduced to 1 cup. This may take 5-10 minutes depending on the size of your saucepan. Stir frequently during cooking.
Notes
Nutrition
Note: My Air fryer is a Pampered Chef one and I absolutely love it! I have not tried others but based on my research the Pampered Chef with its 2 tray and cube configuration is more versatile than others. You can actually do a 2-3 lb rotisserie chicken in it! it toasts, roasts, bakes, reheats, dehydrates besides air frying. No folks... this is not a sponsored post - I am just sharing my enthusiasm! If you are in Kitchener -Waterloo Ontario, Canada region you can check out Pampered Chef products here https://www.pamperedchef.ca/pws/karenlair or contact a local Pampered Chef rep at cookingwithkarenlair@gmail.com.
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