These Tender and Saucy BBQ Air Fryer Ribs are the perfect quick and easy recipe for pork ribs. These ribs can be ready for your dinner table in less than 40 minutes and are full of amazing flavor.
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The full recipe with ingredients/instructions is available on the recipe card at the bottom of the post. Important tips/tricks are also included in the blog post.
Every once in a while, someone in my family gets a hankering for ribs. Before, we would drive to a BBQ restaurant. However, now I believe it would be better to prepare ribs at home.
My initial rib recipe would have me cook ribs low and slow in the oven. But one day, I said…let’s try these ribs in the air fryer. We all agreed that air fryer ribs are pretty darn good.
The benefit of ribs in the air fryer is that they cook quickly and easily. They are tender and juicy ribs, with a bit of tug but do not fall off the bone. If fall-off-the-bone ribs are more your speed, I suggest another cooking method.
Ingredients for BBQ Ribs
- Pork Baby Back Ribs - Baby back ribs are tender and lean, coming from the upper ribcage of the pig.
- BBQ Seasoning - I love my homemade BBQ seasoning for these ribs but feel free to use your favorite store-bought brand.
- BBQ Sauce - Another shout-out to my homemade sticky BBQ sauce. You can use your favorite BBQ Sauce. I'll occasionally use Sweet Baby Ray's.
How to make Ribs in an Air Fryer
First, cut a full rack of pork baby back ribs in half to fit into the air fryer basket. Then, remove the membrane from the back of the ribs.
Then season the ribs with your favorite BBQ spice rub, covering both sides of the ribs.
Preheat the air fryer to 380 degrees Fahrenheit for a few minutes, then place the ribs in the basket, meat side down, and cook for 20 minutes.
Once the 20 minutes is up, grab a pair of tongs, flip the ribs over, and cook for an additional 10 minutes at 380 degrees Fahrenheit.
Once the timer is up, open the basket and cover the ribs with your favorite BBQ sauce.
Close the Air Fryer basket and cook for 5 minutes at 400 degrees Fahrenheit.
Remove and allow the ribs to rest for a few minutes. Feel free to cover it with additional BBQ sauce if you like saucy ribs.
Tanya's Tips
- For a deeper flavor infusion, marinate the ribs with the BBQ rub for at least 2 hours or overnight in the refrigerator before air frying. This extra time allows the spices to penetrate the meat, providing a more flavorful result.
- Using a meat thermometer ensures the ribs reach a safe and juicy internal temperature. I prefer to cook ribs to a higher internal temperature of around 190°F to 203°F (88°C to 95°C).
- Baste the ribs with some BBQ sauce during the last 5-10 minutes of cooking. Avoid basting too soon, as the sugar in the BBQ sauce may burn if exposed to heat for too long.
Flavor Variations
- Honey Garlic Ribs: Swap out the BBQ rub and sauce for a honey garlic glaze. Combine honey, minced garlic, soy sauce, and a touch of ginger to create a sweet and savory coating for your ribs. Brush the glaze on the ribs during the last few minutes of cooking to avoid burning.
- Spicy Chipotle Ribs: For a spicy kick, create a chipotle rub using ground chipotle powder, smoked paprika, brown sugar, onion powder, garlic powder, salt, and black pepper. You could also blend a couple of canned chipotle peppers in adobo sauce with your BBQ sauce for extra heat and smokiness.
- Carolina Gold BBQ Ribs: For a unique twist, consider creating a Carolina Gold BBQ sauce variation for your ribs. After preparing and air frying your ribs as usual, during the last 5-10 minutes of cooking, generously brush them with Carolina Gold BBQ Sauce, allowing it to caramelize slightly, imparting a tangy and sweet flavor with a hint of mustard tang. The Carolina Gold BBQ Sauce can also be offered on the side for extra dipping.
How to store
To refrigerate: These ribs are best consumed immediately but can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3-4 days.
To freeze: After cooking, allow the ribs to cool to room temperature before wrapping them tightly with plastic wrap or aluminum foil to preserve their moisture and flavor. After wrapping, put them in a sealed bag, mark them with the date, and keep them in the freezer for 3 months.
To reheat: When you're ready to eat the ribs, it's best to thaw them in the refrigerator overnight, then reheat them in the oven at 350°F until they're warmed through or in the air fryer at 350°F for about 7-8 minutes.
And there you have it, amazing tender BBQ ribs.
Looking for more air fryer recipes? Try these out:
- Air Fryer Chicken Legs (Also BBQ)
- Air Fryer Steak with Garlic Herb Butter
- Air Fryer Pork Chops
- Air Fried Jamaican Jerk Pork
These ribs are great served with these recipes:
- Air Fryer Baked Sweet Potato with Hot Honey Butter
- French Fries
- Cheddar and Sour Cream Corn on the Cob
- Coleslaw
Ribs in an air fryer typically take about 30 minutes at 380°F, depending on the thickness and your preferred level of doneness.
I don't use foil for this method. The ribs remain tender and juicy without the foil.
This Recipe has a full Length Video Tutorial. You can watch the full video on YouTube by clicking HERE.
Easy BBQ Air Fryer Ribs
Ingredients
Instructions
- Season the ribs with bbq spice rub, covering both sides of the ribs.
- Preheat the air fryer to 380 degrees Fahrenheit for a few minutes, then place the ribs in the air fryer basket, meat side down and cook for 20 minutes.
- Once the 20 minutes is up, grab a pair of tongs and flip the ribs over, and cook for an additional 10 minutes on 380 degrees.
- Once the timer is up, open the basket and cover with the bbq sauce. Return to Air fryer and cook for 5 minutes on 400 degrees Fahrenheit.
- Remove and allow the ribs to rest for a few minutes. Feel free to cover with additional bbq sauce if you like saucy ribs.
Suggested Tools
Video
Notes
- The cook times in this recipe are for pork baby back ribs. Beef ribs will likely take longer to cook.
- I used my large air fryer (5.3qt) to ensure all my ribs would fit into the basket.
Nutrition
This recipe post was originally posted on January 14, 2020. It has been updated with additional helpful information and suggestions.
Jill Zinner says
Thank you for your recipes. I have a small air fryer and the basket is not deep. I will try this recipe with a half rack of ribs cut in half (3 ribs per person) it's just the 2 of us...Thank you again...so many great recipes. I have a Ninja that flips up off the counter. It does everything even toast bread and bagels!
Tamela Loos says
Appreciated this recipe as it's the first time I've cooked an entree in my air fryer—loved how much time it took off making ribs. They did come out a bit dry, though, even with a lot of BBQ sauce. Should I lower the temp on my air fryer next time, or reduce the cooking time?
Tanya says
Hi Tamela, I would lower the temperature next time.
Nancy Hicks says
Great easy rib recipe. Brought my air fryer camping, too windy for the grill, air fryer to the rescue. Thank you!
Sheli says
Wow! My first time and they came out perfect!! Great instructions and tips. My husband said they were better than Montanas!! Thank you!!
Kim Baker says
Great recipe! I modified the recipe to make it sugar-free since I live a keto lifestyle. They came out perfectly. Perfect time and temp. Thanks for the recipe, my husband said it was the best ribs he had ever had.
Tanya says
Thanks Kim! So glad you liked the recipe 🙂
Scott says
Tanya, KUDOS! We have been cooking ribs so many different ways (sous vide, slow oven-cooked, pressure cooked, etc) and this was by far the best. The best taste, texture, and bite. We use our own rub, but we are weird. Thanks for the guidance!
Tanya says
Lol, you’re not weird at all. I bet your rub is amazing. And I agree, ribs in the air fryer is my go to method.
John L Hart says
Made these ribs today. They're very tasty! Only thing I did different was cooked 20 minutes per side and then sauced and 5 minutes longer @ 400 degrees Fahrenheit. After tasting one I decided to put in crockpot on low for 2 hours because I do like mine fall off the bone. I like this method, it cut 3 hrs or more off my usual cooking time
Nicole Saint-Aubin says
@John L Hart, did you add any liquid to the slow cooker or just put them in there straight from the air fryer?
Kristen says
AMAZING! Easy to follow. Cooking time was spot on!! Will definitely be making these again!
Sherri says
Thank you for this easy to follow recipe! The ribs were absolutely delicious!
Michele M Eaton says
OMGosh, easy and good,good,good! Thank You Tanya
Jane Ruby says
I think membrane removal is overrated. My mom never did it and her ribs were heavenly. I guess it all depends on how you cook your ribs. Her slow, low temp roasting method took care of any membrane issues. But maybe the quicker, hotter air fry method needs membrane removal-so I did. Thankfully the membrane on my ribs was easy to peel off--albeit at refrigerated temperature. After that I let my rib slab rest at room temp for 1/2 hour while I seasoned with raspberry chipotle rub (Spiceology). Then I followed your directions. I omitted the sauce and served dry. Tasty and tender!
Tanya says
Thanks so much for the feedback. You're right, I think the cooking method has a lot to do with it.
Jonille says
These are the best ribs I have ever made. It is easy and fast and delicious
Gayla Schapker says
This is the best way to make BBQ ribs!! I've tried IP recipes and the results were just OK. The AF recipe is a keeper. When I prepared the ribs I made extra for planned overs (leftovers), However these ribs were so good I did not have any left over!
Thank you for sharing how easy cooking can be and making me look like a great cook!
Alyssa Padgett says
Made these as the last meal of 2020 per my father in laws request. So fast and so easy!
Tanya says
Yay! So glad you all liked it. Happy 2021 🙂
Mary Thomas says
I’m going to try this recipe for the first time but I have boneless . How long and at what temp should I cook them?
Tanya says
Hi Mary, boneless ribs will take 20 minutes to cook.