Barbecue sauce and air fryers are both popular culinary tools for home cooks. But can these two be combined successfully? The short answer is yes, you can absolutely put barbecue sauce in an air fryer.
With some simple precautions, barbecue sauce can help add delicious flavor to all kinds of air-fried foods.
How Does Air Frying Work?
Before exploring how to use barbecue sauce in an air fryer, it helps to understand what air frying is and how it works.
Air fryers are small countertop convection ovens that use rapid air circulation to cook food.
The high-speed air flow quickly browns and crisps the exterior of foods while heating the interior. This allows foods to get crunchy and golden brown without being submerged in oil, like in traditional frying.
Air fryers work best for cooking smaller pieces of food like chicken wings, french fries, and veggies. Their compact size and convection heating make them ideal for getting foods crispy quickly.
Benefits of Using Barbecue Sauce in an Air Fryer
Adding barbecue sauce to foods before air-frying provides several advantages:
- Extra Flavor – Barbecue sauce gives a sweet, smoky, and tangy flavor boost to all kinds of foods. A touch of sauce really enhances the overall taste.
- Browning and Caramelization – The natural sugars in barbecue sauce help promote more browning and caramelization on the exterior of foods during air frying. This adds both flavor and visual appeal.
- Moisture – Barbecue sauce contains a good amount of moisture. Coating foods in sauce before air frying helps keep the interior moist and juicy.
- Easy to Apply – Brushing or tossing food in sauce takes just a minute before air-frying. It’s a fast and convenient way to add lots of flavor.
Best Practices for Air Frying with Barbecue Sauce
Air frying with barbecue sauce is simple. But there are a few best practices to follow:
- Use Thicker Sauces – Thin barbecue sauces can drip through the air fryer basket. Opt for thick, sticky sauces that will adhere nicely to foods.
- Toss or Brush On Lightly – Don’t drench foods in sauce before air frying. Use a light hand when tossing or brushing to prevent excess dripping.
- Add Some Sauce After – For stronger flavor, coat food with a bit of sauce before air-frying. Then toss the cooked food in additional sauce after air-frying.
- Watch Cook Times – The sugars in sauce can cause quicker browning and burning. Check the food often and decrease cooking times if needed.
- Use Nonstick Sprays – Lightly coat the air fryer basket with nonstick spray first to help prevent sauce from sticking if it drips through.
The Best Foods to Air Fry with Barbecue Sauce
Many foods pair deliciously with barbecue sauce in the air fryer, including:
- Chicken wings and drumettes
- Chicken tenders and nuggets
- Boneless chicken pieces like breasts and thighs
- Pork chops and tenderloin
- Ribs (parcook first, then air fry with sauce to finish)
- Meatballs
- Sausages like hot dogs and kielbasa
- Veggie burgers and veggie dogs
- French fries and potato wedges
- Fried okra or other veggies
- Potato patties like latkes or rösti
- Fried mac and cheese bites or balls
Recipe Ideas with Barbecue Sauce
To get you started, here are a few recipe ideas that use barbecue sauce with air frying:
BBQ Chicken Wings
Toss chicken wings in thick, sticky barbecue sauce before air-frying for finger-licking wings. The sauce helps the skin get perfectly crispy. Toss in more sauce after cooking if desired.
BBQ Sliders
Brush mini burger patties with barbecue sauce before air frying. Melt cheese on top for the last 2 minutes. Serve on mini buns for flavorful, saucy sliders.
BBQ Tofu Bowls
Marinate extra firm tofu in barbecue sauce, then air fry. Serve over rice with veggies for a fast and easy tofu bowl with tons of barbecue flavor.
Sweet and Spicy Fried Okra
Toss fresh okra in a mixture of barbecue sauce and hot sauce, then air fry. The okra gets caramelized with both sweetness and heat. It’s a delicious low-carb snack or side dish.
BBQ Chicken Flatbreads
Brush flatbread or naan with olive oil and barbecue sauce. Top with mozzarella and sliced air-fried chicken. Air fry open faced until cheese melts for easy BBQ chicken flatbreads.
FAQ About Air Frying with Barbecue Sauce
Can you put any barbecue sauce in an air fryer?
Yes, most barbecue sauces will work fine in an air fryer. Just avoid ultra-thin, vinegary sauces that could drip excessively through the basket. Thick, tomato-based sauces with some sticky sweetness work best.
What about sugar burning in the air fryer?
Some burning may occur due to the sugars. Brush sauce on lightly, check food often, and decrease cook times if needed. Nonstick spray on the basket also helps prevent sticking and burning.
Should sauce be added before or after air-frying?
For maximum flavor, do both! Lightly coat food in sauce before air-frying. Then toss in a bit more after cooking for the freshest, boldest barbecue flavor.
Is sauce needed if using barbecue-flavored rubs?
No, sauce is optional with dry rubs. The rubs contain barbecue seasoning that will flavor the food. Sauce can enhance the flavor but is not necessary.
Can you toss wet foods like raw meat in barbecue sauce?
It’s best to avoid this to prevent dripping and sticking. Dry foods work best. For raw meats, season or marinate first, then brush on sauce at the end for the last few minutes of cooking only.
Get Saucy with Your Air fryer.
Home cooks no longer have to choose between crispy air-fried foods and saucy barbecue flavors. With a few simple tips, barbecue sauce can easily be used to add delicious sweet, smoky, and tangy flavors to all kinds of air-fried meals and snacks.
So get creative with sauces ranging from classic Kansas City to Asian sesame ginger to spicy chipotle. Your air fryer makes it quick and easy to get saucy results full of flavor!
Hi, I’m Julie, the passionate foodie and founder of Juliesfamilykitchen.com. I created this blog out of a drive to prove someone wrong, and then I realized how much I truly enjoy cooking and trying new recipes. In my free time, when I’m not running around after my kids or spending quality time with my partner, you can usually find me in the kitchen experimenting with new dishes.