Air Fryer Ribs

You can never go wrong with a good homemade rack of ribs like this Air Fryer Ribs recipe.

While I won’t lie to you that this isn’t a super fast recipe, but for delectable pork ribs, you honestly don’t want it fast, you want the flavor of the rub and bbq sauce to make its way into the ribs.

But, I will say, making your own homemade rub for these baby back ribs has never been more simple and of course amazingly tasty.

Ingredients and Supplies You’ll Need to Make this Air Fryer Ribs:

Ingredients:

• Baby back pork ribs about 5 to 6 pounds
• Favorite BBQ Sauce (here’s our favorite homemade recipe)

Sweet & Spicy Rub

• Kosher salt
• Chili powder
• Packed dark brown sugar
• Paprika
• Garlic powder
• Ground mustard
• Freshly ground black pepper

Supplies

• Paper towel
• Paring knife
• Sheet pan
• Aluminum foil
• Small bowl
• Air fryer (Cosori Pro II)
• Pastry brush
• Instant read thermometer

About the spices

When you’re making the rub for these ribs, you want to try and make sure to use the fresh ground black pepper if you have it. It won’t make a huge difference, but the flavor from freshly ground black pepper is stronger and has a slightly different texture than ground pepper from a shaker or can.

Do I remove the membranes?

If the membranes are still on the rack of ribs, remove the thin membrane attached to the underside of the ribs by doing the following: 

Flip the ribs over so they’re bone-side up. Starting at the end of 1 rack, slide the tip of a paring knife between the membrane and the bone, then lift and cut through the membrane. Grasping the membrane with a paper towel, pull it toward the other end of the rack and completely remove it.

Light brown sugar vs. dark brown sugar

This air fryer baby back ribs recipe calls for dark brown sugar. However, you can use light brown sugar in its place. Since dark brown sugar has a higher amount of molasses, it tends to be a little more bitter and provides a bit more flavor than light brown sugar.

But, either way, these air fryer pork ribs will turn out great.

How to make this Air Fryer Ribs:

Step 1: Make the rub and prep ribs

Start by stirring together the sweet and spicy rub ingredients together.

Pat the ribs dry with paper towels.

If needed, remove the thin membrane attached to the underside of the ribs by doing the following: Flip the ribs over so they’re bone-side up. Starting at the end of 1 rack, slide the tip of a paring knife between the membrane and the bone, then lift and cut through the membrane. Grasping the membrane with a paper towel, pull it toward the other end of the rack, and completely remove it.

Cut the rack into thirds or fourths.

Step 2: Season ribs

Once the ribs have been prepped, evenly coat both sides of the ribs with the spice rub. Then, let the ribs rest for 1 hour in the refrigerator.

Step 3: Prepare for cooking ribs

Now, remove the ribs from the fridge and let ribs come to room temperature (about another hour or so).

While waiting to grill or air fryer the ribs, wrap each set of ribs in tin foil. You may need to do two sheets of foil to cover it securely. Make sure the tin foil is tight around the ribs.

Step 4: Preheat air fryer

While the rib’s internal temperature is coming up to room temperature, preheat the air fryer for 5 minutes at 400 degrees F or 200 degrees C.

You can add a ½ tsp of water to each wrapped rib package to help keep the meat moistened if necessary.

Step 5: Cook pork ribs

After the air fryer is preheated, place the ribs into the air fryer basket still in the foil and air fry them at 380 degrees F or 193 degrees C for 25-30 minutes, or until the temperature is near 180 degrees F or 82 degrees C.

Then, carefully remove the foil and brush the barbecue sauce onto the ribs.

Step 6: Second cook

After adding the bbq sauce to the ribs, place the ribs back in the air fryer.

Air fry pork or beef ribs for 10 more minutes at 380 degrees F or 193 degrees C, or until the ribs are charred and the internal temp is 190 degrees F-203 degrees F or 88 degrees C – 95 degrees C.

You can use a meat thermometer or instant-read thermometer to check the temperature.

What to serve with Air Fryer Pork Ribs

Ribs have so many great things that you can pair with them. You can lean into the BBQ type meal, or keep it a little more lean. Here are a few suggestions!

My favorite and easy side dish to pair with ribs:

• Mac and cheese
• Coleslaw
• Air Fryer Broccoli from Frozen
• How to Roast Any Vegetable in the Air Fryer
• Potato salad
• Air Fryer Cornbread Muffins
• Easy Air Fryer Corn on the Cob

Final Thoughts

Obviously, ribs in general are always a crowd pleaser, but making them in the air fryer, aka cutting down on the cooking tip while still producing delicious ribs, makes this pork ribs recipe an all-star recipe.

With less cooking time you can get the ribs out and ready to devour in less time, and have dinner ready to go with less effort too!

Try more dinner recipes to make in the air fryer:

• Spicy Honey Garlic Chicken Dinner Recipe
• The Easiest 5 Ingredient Teriyaki Chicken Dinner
• How to Make Air Fryer Chicken Breasts
• Easy and Crispy Air Fryer Fried Chicken
• One Pan Honey Garlic Chicken and Veggies for the Air Fryer or Oven
• Air Fryer Chicken Thighs Make Perfect Chicken Street Tacos! (Easy Dinner Idea + VIDEO)

Air fryer tips and tricks

• Air Fryer 101
• Learn these common Air Fryer Mistakes!
• All about the Best and Worst Air Fryer Accessories
• How to Clean Your Air Fryer
• How to Cook Any Recipe in the Air Fryer
• FREE Download → Air Fryer Tips & Temps
• Air Fryer Buying Guide
• Watch Fabulessly Frugal YouTube Channel for Air Fryer Recipes

Air Fryer Ribs

Perfectly fall-of-the-bone, tender Air Fryer Ribs made with a delicious homemade sweet and spicy rub that is finger-licking good!

5 / 5 ( 2 Reviews )

Print Pin Rate

Prep Time: 2 hours hours 10 minutes minutes

Cook Time: 45 minutes minutes

Total Time: 2 hours hours 55 minutes minutes

Serves: 8

Adjust Servings: 8

Equipment

• Paper towel
• Paring knife
• Sheet pan
• Aluminum foil
• Small mixing bowl
• Air Fryer
• Pastry brush
• Instant read thermometer

Ingredients

• 5-6 lbs full Racks baby back pork ribs about
• Favorite BBQ Sauce

Sweet & Spicy Rub

• 1 ½ tablespoons Kosher salt
• 1 tablespoons Chili powder
• 1 tablespoons Dark brown sugar packed
• 1 tablespoons Paprika
• ½ tablespoon Garlic powder
• 1 teaspoons Ground mustard
• ½ teaspoon Freshly ground black pepper

Instructions

• Stir together the rub ingredients together.
• Pat the ribs dry with paper towels.
• If needed, remove the thin membrane attached to the underside of the ribs by doing the following: Flip the ribs over so they’re bone-side up. Starting at the end of 1 rack, slide the tip of a paring knife between the membrane and the bone, then lift and cut through the membrane. Grasping the membrane with a paper towel, pull it toward the other end of the rack and completely remove it.
• Cut the rack into thirds or fourths.
• Evenly coat both sides of the ribs with the spice rub. Let the ribs rest for 1 hour in the fridge.
• Remove the ribs from the fridge and let ribs come to room temp (about another hour or so)
• Cover each set of ribs in tin foil. You may need to do two sheets of foil to cover it securely. Make sure the tin foil is tight around the ribs.
• Preheat the air fryer for 5 minutes at 400 °F.
• Can add a ½ tsp of water to each wrapped rib package to help keep the meat moistened.
• Air fry at 380 °F for 25-30 minutes, or until the temperature is near 180F
• Carefully remove the foil. Brush on BBQ sauce to ribs.
• Place the ribs back in the air fryer. Air fry for 10 more minutes at 380 °F, or until the ribs are charred and the internal temp is 190 °F-203 °F.

Nutrition

Calories: 564kcal | Carbohydrates: 3g | Protein: 31g | Fat: 47g | Sodium: 1487mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 2g

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