If you’ve had dry-aged ribs at the pub and want to make them at home, these ribs are for you.
If you’re a pub-lover just for pub food, you’re my kind of person. I always, always happily agree to go to a bar or pub because bar food! Bite, usually fried and always delicious – I’m desperate.
What are dry ribs?
Dry ribs are deep fried, seasoned pork ribs. They are crunchy, juicy and totally addictive. I’m pretty sure dry-aged ribs aren’t a popular menu item, but every time I see them I get excited because they’re so good. Usually, I see ribs served as prime rib, but trust me when I say, dry-aged ribs are superior. Firstly, they are quicker and easier to make and secondly, they are not too sticky and gooey, which makes them a better finger food.
These ribs are perfect for game day, a snack, or even a meal if you make a side dish with veggies and some rice. I love them because they are pretty much out of your hands thanks to the air blower. Dry ribs are traditionally deep fried, but I’m on the air fryer train and I’m not getting off anytime soon.
How to make dry ribs
- Cut off – cut the ribs into individual rib pieces. Super simple, just cut between the rib bones to create single rib bites.
- The season – place the riblets in a bowl and add 1 tablespoon oil, a little soy sauce or oyster sauce, Shaoxing wine, garlic powder and sugar, mixing until coated.
- dust – Take the ribs, shake off any excess marinade and toss with cornstarch.
- Fry in the air – Lightly oil the air fryer basket and preheat the air fryer to 350°F. You don’t need to preheat, but I think the food gets crispier when you do. When hot, carefully arrange the ribs in a single layer in the basket and drizzle with a little oil. Air fry for 10 minutes, then shake or turn and fry for another 10 minutes or until crispy, golden and cooked through.
- Enjoy – Let it cool a little and enjoy!
Dry Ribs Ingredients
ribs – this is the essential ingredient. Look for ribs, pork spare ribs, rib tips or even a rack of baby back or spare ribs that you ask the butcher to cut in half lengthwise for you.
oil – a little oil will help with frying and heat transfer. These dry ribs will be air fried, so a layer of oil around each rib will help it cook evenly and keep the ribs juicy.
SPICES – how you fix your dry ribs is up to you. This recipe goes for a more Asian style (more on that below), but you can flavor them any way you like, from aged brisket to your favorite chili rub, or even just salt, pepper and garlic powder is amazing.
clothing – A simple coating of cornstarch will give these dry ribs a very light crispy crust. It’s barely there and that’s how we want it. These guys aren’t even remotely battered, just dusted off a bit so you get some crust that gives way to a bite of juicy, meaty ribs.
Dry Rib Seasoning
I went with a simple mixture of oyster sauce, Shaoxing wine, garlic powder and just a little sugar. The result is nice and a touch sweet with lots of garlic notes. The main thing is to enjoy a delicious mixture with a little sweetness. Shaoxing wine adds a slightly complex note. It’s a little hard to describe, but a really fun and delicious ingredient in Chinese cooking, which you can read more about here. If you don’t have Shaoxing wine on hand and want to substitute something similar, you can go for sherry vinegar. Or, if you have rice vinegar, you can use that and increase the sugar a bit. That being said, I have seasoned these ribs in so many different combinations.
Are the dry ribs pork or beef?
In this case, dry ribs are pork, specifically pork ribs, which are basically short ribs. They are cut from the same part of a pig, the ribs. Instead of leaving the ribs long, they are cut crosswise so the rib bones are short making them a perfect size.
What kind of ribs for dry ribs?
Pork spare ribs, ribs, pork rib chops, pork bone-in rib tips and the names go on and on. Basically, these pork ribs are just pork ribs that have been cut crosswise, so the rib bones are only 1 to 1.5 inches in length (see below). Asians love this cut of ribs, so you’ll usually find the cut at the butcher’s counter in Asian grocery stores. You’ll also see them in national grocery store chains, depending on how well stocked the meat department is. If you don’t see them, you can always ask the friendly butcher in the meat department if you can cut a pack of pork back ribs or pork spare ribs. The best part about riblets is that they cook quickly.
Our favorite air winner
I love fried foods and I love our air fryer because it gives us about 75% of the deep frying sensation with about 10% of the effort. We recently got this air blower and both Mike and I are in love. It replaces our old air fryer which was over 5 years old and wow, what a difference. Everything is much crispier and browner and has a bunch more space.
How to make oven dry ribs
If you don’t have an air fryer, you can dry roast ribs in the oven. Follow the recipe and then place the coated ribs on a lightly oiled rack on a rimmed baking sheet. Bake the ribs in a preheated oven at 400°F for 15 minutes, then turn and continue to bake for another 5-10 minutes or until crispy and cooked through.
How to fry dry ribs
If you don’t have an air fryer, you can fry these guys too. Heat 2 inches of neutral oil in a heavy bottomed pot over medium-high heat until it reaches 350°F. Fry carefully in batches, 7-9 minutes per batch, until golden, crispy and cooked through. Drain on a wire rack.
What to serve with dry ribs
I love sauce and these guys would be great dipped in:
You can also serve them with:
How to reheat dry ribs
To reheat leftovers, simply air fry for 5-8 minutes at 350°F or reheat in a 350°F oven for 10-15 minutes.
Enjoy! I hope you will have an appetizer/food bar day. These guys are great for game day or happy hour at home. I hope they make you as happy as I am.
xoxo steph
Air fryer Dry ribs
Crispy, juicy, fully seasoned ribs made in a blender in minutes.
It serves 4
- 1 £ pork spare ribs cut crosswise and cut into individual ribs
- 2 tablespoon neutral oil separated
- 1 tablespoon I am willow or oyster sauce
- 1 tablespoon Shaoxing wine optionally
- 1/2 SPOON garlic powder
- 1/2 SPOON sugar
- 2 tablespoon corn starch
Serves 4 as an appetizer or 2 as a main
Nutrition facts
Air fryer Dry ribs
Amount per service
Calories 241
Calories from fat 133
% Daily Value*
Fat 14.8 g23%
Saturated fat 3.7 g23%
cholesterol 60 mg20%
Sodium 580 mg25%
potassium 4 mg0%
Carbohydrates 4.3 g1%
Fiber 0.01 g0%
Sugar 0.6 g1%
Protein 21.6 g43%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.
