BBQ Corn Ribs Air Fryer Recipe

The ultimate side dish for the Summer! Here’s my take on the viral Tik Tok BBQ Corn Ribs and let me tell you they are fantastic.

Made with whole cobs of sweet corn and a delicious spice rub, this simple recipe tastes anything but simple

Get ready to fall in love with a killer side dish; the hardest part of this recipe will be to stop eating them.

Corn Riblets Recipe

I saw it on Tiktok and I knew I had to make BBQ Corn Ribs and even though they look and taste nothing like ribs they do taste like fantastic corn on the cob.

Seasoned with my favorite bbq dry rub seasoning and roasted in the air fryer until tender sweet delicious.

Zigzag with spicy smokehouse mayo and sprinkled with queso fresco cheese.

This corn rib recipe is gonna be stiff competition for my other corn-tastic recipes Like Bacon Gouda Corn Casserole, Corn & Avocado Summer Salad, and Peach & Corn Salsa

My own way take on the Viral Tik Tok Corn Ribs

I’d be lying if I didn’t roll my eyes the first time I saw this viral Tiktok recipe but I kept an open mind and figured I’d give it a try. Boy am I glad I did.

These corn ribs are fun to eat and kids go crazy for them.

Not only are they kid-friendly but you don’t have to watch your kids take three bites of an ear of corn and leave the rest untouched.

Corn Ribs are perfectly portioned for even the little ones and fun to eat for adults.

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Why are they called Corn Ribs?

I’m sure this is vegan propaganda trying to convince a carnivore that they can make corn taste just like ribs. It’s a common move straight from the vegan playbook.

While I admit that when you cook the corn ribs they slightly curl resembling a rib and the seasoning is reminiscent of commonly use bbq flavors. I assure you this will not take the place of a slow-smoked Rack of Pork Ribs.

That said it’s a clever name and I’ll play along as long as we know that I’m serving these right alongside a rack of baby backs and no one will get confused as to which is which.

Ingredients needed to Make BBQ Corn Cobs

Corn: 6 ears of corn on the cob. I recommend using fresh corn; frozen cobs just aren’t the same.

For cooking and flavor: 2 tbsp Avocado Oil and 1 tbsp BBQ Dry Rub

Toppings: Cilantro and ⅓ cup queso fresco cheese

Smokehouse Mayo Ingredients

This delicious mayo comes together with just 2 ingredients – ¾ cup Dukes Mayonaise and ¼ cup BBQ Sauce.

How to Make BBQ Corn Ribs

Cut corn. Cut both ends off of the shucked ears of corn then CAREFULLY cut the corn on the cob into 4 “ribs” lengthwise.

Season corn. Toss the corn ribs with avocado oil then season with bbq dry rub

Cook corn. Cook the ribs at 375 Degrees F for 10-14 minutes until the corn slightly curls and the kernels begin to look roasted. If using an oven-style air fryer rotate the racks halfway through the cooking process.

Make smokehouse mayo. Prepare the smokehouse mayo by combining dukes mayonnaise and bbq sauce. If the mixture seems too thick add a tbsp of water as needed. Transfer to a squeeze bottle and refrigerate

Top off the corn, plate, and enjoy! Once the corn ribs are fully cooked plate them up and drizzle the smokehouse mayo over the ribs then top with queso fresco and fresh cilantro.

Air Fryer Cooking Tip: When you place the corn ribs in the air fryer – if using a basket style be sure to not overcrowd the basket. If you have an oven style air fryer just space out the corn ribs evenly between the two racks

BBQ Corn Rib Variations

Cheese: A great cheese substitution or swap would be cotija cheese or parmesan cheese.

Seasoning: Spice it up with different seasonings or spice mix like chili powder, garlic powder, brown sugar, lemon pepper, ground cumin, or onion powder.

Sauces: You can never have too many options to dip your corn ribs in. Other popular sauce options include hot sauce, chipotle mayo, and chili mayo.

Toppings: Top off your corn ribs with optional toppings like sour cream and lime juice.

What to Serve with BBQ Corn Ribs

Serve up these BBQ corn ribs with your favorite BBQ sauce, or my favorite Homemade Imperial Stout BBQ Sauce and some Pellet Grill Smoked Beef Short Ribs (meat ribs) full of delicious smoky flavor.

How to Cut Corn Ribs

WARNING – Be careful; this recipe does require some knife skills! I have over 20 years of professional cooking experience in restaurants and I almost chopped off my finger.

I used a cleaver, then a chef knife but I found that my sharp wood-handled paring knife was the safest and easiest way to cut these “ribs”.

Start by cutting off both ends of the ear of corn then use the paring knife starting in the center and cutting towards the end all the way through the corn.

Next, rotate and cut through the other side cutting the corn into 2 pieces. then repeat the process with the 2 halves giving you 4 corn ribs while still having all 10 of your fingers…hopefully.

How to Make Smokehouse Mayo

There’s nothing complicated about this sauce but it sure is tasty. You can use smokehouse mayo as a dipping sauce with chicken and shrimp or serve it with veggies.

It’s a sauce that everyone loves so I make it often. All you need is 2 ingredients: Duke’s Mayonnaise and BBQ Sauce.

The Duke’s Mayo is non-negotiable! I’ll allow you to use any bbq sauce you like but I won’t budge on the mayo.

Simply whisk together ¾ cup Duke’s Mayonnaise and ¼ cup of BBQ sauce. If the sauce seems a bit thick add a tbsp of water to thin it out.

I store the smokehouse mayo in a squeeze bottle but it never lasts long before I’m making another batch.

Air Fryer Corn Ribs

This recipe is most commonly made in the air fryer. It’s easy and you don’t have to heat up the kitchen by running your conventional oven.

Simply toss the corn ribs in oil (avocado oil or olive oil), season with dry rub, and roast in the air fryer at 375 degrees Fahrenheit for about 10-14 minutes until the corn starts to turn slightly golden.

If you have an air fryer oven with racks be sure to rotate the racks halfway through the cooking process.

Corn Ribs in the Oven, Grill, and More

If you don’t have an air fryer don’t worry. You can make corn ribs in the oven on a sheet pan just the same as you would the air fryer.

If you have a cooling rack to elevate the corn ribs to let the air flow cook the ribs evenly. You can also place the corn ribs on the grill and cook them quickly.

Lightly char them on both sides then move them to indirect heat for a few additional minutes and they will be delicious

Helpful Kitchen Equipment

Cutting Board: Because this recipe requires cutting through the ears of corn, I recommend using a chopping board.

Knife: I recommend CAREFULLY using a large sharp knife as well to cut through the cob of corn.

Bowls: I find prep bowls to be helpful when booking, but also for preparing these corn ribs. Grab a large bowl and dump the ingredients you are going to toss the corn in.

Baking Sheet: This is helpful if you don’t have an air fryer and intend to bake the corn ribs in the oven.

Serving Platter: Serve up your corn ribs on a big plate for all to enjoy.

Airtight container: Perfect for storing leftovers in.

More Summertime Side Dishes you Need to Make!

• Corn & Avocado Summer Salad
• Bacon and Smoked Gouda Corn Casserole
• Skillet Pumpkin Cornbread w/ Bourbon Maple Butter
• Hawaiian Potato Salad w/ Fried Spam
• Keto Baked Feta w/ Roasted Cauliflower
• Low Carb Cauliflower “Potato” Salad
• Easy Cheesy Smoked Mac & Cheese

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