It's that time of the year... BBQ party season! And when you want to impress everyone invited (without firing up the smoker) these juicy air fryer ribs will be your best pals!
They are tender and flavorful, but the best part is they are ready to get devoured in less than an hour!
Serve them with your favorite side dishes like a fresh peach prosciutto salad, potato salad, air fryer sweet potato wedges or BBQ smashed potatoes, and you've got yourself a perfect summer meal!
Trust me, they'll become your new favorite way of keeping everyone full and happy. & they'd be the perfect addition to any 4th of July BBQ!
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🥂Make it a Rosy Moment!
You don't really need a special reason to whip up a rack of ribs, but why not make it special! Here's how you can spread the love with family or friends and enjoy your new favorite recipe...
Weeknight Dinner - This is the best occasion to make these ribs. Kids and parents alike love them, they are done in less than one hour with minimal hands-on cook time. So serve them up with these easy sides for a wholesome weeknight dinner:
BBQ Party- Invite the neighbors, the in-laws, whoever will come! Make a BBQ feast with some other easy BBQ recipes...
Game Day - Nothing says game day food like some bbq. It reminds me of fall and turning on the game to watch with family and friends! These easy ribs are PERFECT game day food. Pair with these other game day favorites...
🥩Why You'll Love This Recipe!
Quicker Than Other Methods! Juicy and tender ribs in less than an hour - I'm not even kidding! The air fryer is like a BBQ time machine. It works its magic faster than making ribs in the oven or smoked ribs.
Short List of Ingredients! These delicious air fryer BBQ ribs use the most simple ingredients ever, and they're still full of flavor! happy dance
Easy Recipe with Minimal Effort! Limited prep work and no stove heat? I'm sold. Simply season the ribs and your air fryer will take care of the rest.
🍴Important Ingredients
Baby Back Pork Ribs: If you're ready to do some chopping, you can go with St. Louis-style ribs. I prefer a rack of baby back ribs because they're easier to fit in the air fryer. Plus, they are more tender and lean.
Favorite Dry Rub Seasoning: It's the most basic BBQ seasoning ever - you only need salt, black pepper, paprika, and garlic powder. If you want to use a store-bought seasoning, go for it!
Yellow Mustard: This one's here as a binder for the spice rub. You might not even taste any mustard when your ribs are ready!
BBQ Sauce: I love Sweet Baby Rays, but you can use your favorite BBQ sauce. Homemade BBQ sauce works, too!
If you don't want to lose this yummy and easy air fryer ribs recipe, save the printable recipe card that I've attached at the bottom!
⏲Step By Step Instructions
Prepping these ribs is SO easy. The trickiest part is removing the membrane, but check out my Oven Baked Ribs recipe for an extensive how-to!
Step 1: Preheat the air fryer to 375. Begin prepping the ribs by removing the membrane.
Step 2: Depending on the size of your air fryer, cut the rack of ribs in half or thirds.
Step 3: Season the ribs on each side with the mustard and the spice mixture.
Step 4: Add 2 tablespoon of water to the bottom of the air fryer basket. Place ½ the rack of ribs in the air fryer basket, bone side down. Cook for 20 minutes at 375.
Step 5: Flip the ribs over then cook an additional 7-10 minutes until they reach an internal temperature of 185.
Step 6: Baste both sides of the ribs with the bbq sauce and increase the air fryer to 400 degrees.
Step 7: Increase the air fryer temperature to 400 and cook for 5 more minutes. Repeat with the other half of ribs, serve and enjoy!
💡Tips & Tricks For Air Frying Ribs
Is it your first time cooking ribs? Don't worry; I have some tips here for you that'll give you the best results regardless!
- Don't forget to preheat your air fryer. It should be hot before you put the ribs inside.
- You want to place the ribs in a single layer to let the hot air circulate perfectly, so when you're cutting the ribs, keep the size of your air fryer in mind.
- Don't baste the ribs with BBQ sauce too soon. The sugar in the barbecue sauce can burn easily in the air fryer and give your ribs a bitter taste.
- I always serve these melt-in-the-mouth ribs with some extra BBQ sauce in case there's a crazy BBQ sauce lover at the table like me.
- Use a meat thermometer to check the internal temperature of the ribs. If you like 'em well done, let them cook till they reach
- Add some brown sugar to your dry rub for a delicious bark.
💡Variations for Ribs
Make Air Fryer Lamb Ribs: Replace pork ribs with lamb ribs and adjust the cooking time accordingly.
Go Spicy: Add some cayenne pepper or hot sauce to the seasoning mix for a kick of heat. Chipotle peppers in adobo sauce also work great for a smoky and spicy flavor.
Honey Glazed Ribs: Use honey instead of BBQ sauce for a sweet and sticky glaze on your ribs. You'll need soy sauce, honey, and a bit of ginger and garlic for this sauce. It's a breeze to make at home!
Recipe FAQ
I like piping hot and juicy ribs. But if you end up with any leftovers, you can transfer them to an airtight container and keep them in the fridge for 2-4 days. They'll do just fine!
Yep, it is! Cook the ribs according to the recipe, let them cool to room temperature, and then tightly wrap them in plastic wrap (aluminum foil works, too). It will keep them from drying out. Now, put them in freezer-safe, sealed bags and freeze them for about 3 months.
These take approximately 40 minutes to cook. However, when it comes to perfectly cooked protein you want to cook to temperature not time. So using a meat thermometer to check the temperature is a better bet!
For these ribs we want them to reach 185 degrees!
Related Recipes
If you tried these Air Fried Ribs or any other recipe on my website, please leave a 🌟 star rating and let me know how it went in the 📝 comments below. Thanks for visiting!
📖 Recipe
EASY BBQ Air Fryer Ribs - Tender & Juicy!
Equipment
- 1 knife
- 1 cutting board
- 1 basting brush
- 1 air fryer
Ingredients
- 1 Rack Baby Back Pork Ribs about 3 lbs
- ¼ cup yellow mustard
- 1 tablespoon salt
- ½ tablespoon black pepper
- 1 teaspoon paprika
- 1 tablespoon garlic powder
- ¾ cup favorite bbq sauce I prefer Sweet Baby Rays
- water
Instructions
- Preheat the air fryer to 375 degrees then prepare the ribs.
- Remove the membrane of the ribs by carefully sliding a sharp knife under it on one end of the ribs. Cut enough of it away so you can grab onto the membrane.
- Take a paper towel and fold it up and use that to grip the end of the membrane. Pull across the ribs to remove the membrane.
- Cut the rack of ribs in half, thirds, or fourths, so it will fit in your air fryer basket.
- Cover the ribs in yellow mustard on both sides.
- In a small bowl combine all of the spices for the dry rub.
- Cover the ribs in the dry rub on both sides.
- Add a couple of tablespoons of water to the bottom of your air fryer then air fry the ribs, bone side down, for 20 minutes.
- Flip the ribs over, increase the air fryer to 400 degrees, and continue cooking for 7-10 more minutes.
- When the internal temperature reaches 185 degrees, remove and place on a cutting board or sheet tray.
- Brush the bbq sauce on the ribs and place them back into the air fryer for 5 more minutes.
- Remove and serve!
Notes
- Don't forget to preheat your air fryer. It should be hot before you put the ribs inside.
- You want to place the ribs in a single layer to let the hot air circulate perfectly, so when you're cutting the ribs, keep the size of your air fryer in mind.
- Don't baste the ribs with BBQ sauce too soon. The sugar in the barbecue sauce can burn easily in the air fryer and give your ribs a bitter taste.
- I always serve these melt-in-the-mouth ribs with some extra BBQ sauce in case there's a crazy BBQ sauce lover at the table like me.
- Use a meat thermometer to check the internal temperature of the ribs. If you like 'em well done, let them cook till they reach
- Add some brown sugar to your dry rub for a delicious bark.
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