You won’t believe how easy it is to make tender and juicy country-style ribs in the air fryer! You’ll never want to use the tedious low-and-slow method again.
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Certain cuts of meat can feel more intimidating to tackle. Country-style pork ribs, for example, get a reputation for turning out tough unless you cook them low and slow. That’s great if you have all day, but sometimes, you just want to get a meal on the table fast.
That’s why I will only cook country-style ribs in the air fryer! Instead of taking hours, this recipe only needs about 35 minutes total. And the meat turns out fall-off-the-bone tender every time!
The beauty of this cut is that you get way more meat compared to traditional ribs. And when that meat turns out juicy, tender, and delicious, what could be better than that? If you’ve been nervous to try country-style ribs or had them turn out too tough in the past, you have to give this air fryer recipe a try!
Why You’ll Love These Air Fryer Boneless Pork Ribs
- Quick prep
- Cooks in 35 minutes
- Juicy and fall-off-the-bone tender
- Super flavorful
- Easy clean-up
How To Make Country-Style Ribs In The Air Fryer
A full printable version of this recipe with ingredient measurements is available at the bottom of this post.
STEP ONE: Preheat your air fryer to 370 degrees F.
STEP TWO: In a small bowl, combine the paprika, salt, pepper, garlic powder, onion powder, and cayenne. Set aside.
STEP THREE: Trim the ribs, if necessary, then spray or rub them with cooking oil. Sprinkle the ribs with the seasoning, making sure to massage it in on all sides.
STEP FOUR: Place the ribs in a single layer inside. This will allow them to cook more evenly.
STEP FIVE: Cook for 20 minutes, flipping once halfway through.
STEP SIX: When the timer goes off, remove the ribs from the fryer.
STEP SEVEN: Brush the ribs with a thin layer of BBQ sauce, then place them back in the basket and cook for 8-10 more minutes. Serve with additional BBQ sauce.
You can use a store-bought BBQ sauce or use our homemade BBQ sauce recipe found here.
Ideal temperature for Boneless Pork Ribs in Air Fryer
The F.D.A. recommends cooking pork to at least 145 degrees F. While they will be safe to eat at this point, most people agree that you want the temperature to be higher to help tenderize the meat. Ideally, we want the internal temperature to reach around 185 degrees.
For cooking any kind of meat, I always recommend using an Instant Read thermometer. You want to stick it into the thickest part of the cut to ensure you get an accurate reading.
How To Cook Frozen Country-Style Ribs In The Air Fryer
- In a small bowl combine the paprika, salt, pepper, garlic powder, onion powder, and cayenne.
- Trim the ribs, if necessary, then spray or rub them with cooking oil. Sprinkle the ribs with the seasoning, making sure to massage it in on all sides, then freeze in a plastic zipper bag.
- When you’re ready to cook the ribs, preheat the air fryer to 380 degrees F.
- Place the frozen ribs inside in a single layer.
- Cook the frozen country-style ribs for about 20 minutes, flipping once halfway through at the 10-minute mark.
- Open the air fryer and brush the ribs with a thin layer of BBQ sauce, then place them back in the basket and cook for 10 minutes at 400 degrees F.
- Serve with additional BBQ sauce and enjoy!
Air Fryer Boneless Pork Ribs Variations
- Add a kick of heat by incorporating a spicy BBQ sauce or a pinch of chili powder into the rub.
- Mix honey and minced garlic into your BBQ sauce for a sweet and savory variation.
- For an aromatic twist, add dried rosemary, thyme, and oregano to the seasoning mix.
- Add Asian-inspired flavor by brushing ribs with a mix of soy sauce, hoisin sauce, and sesame oil for the last 10 minutes of cooking.
- Use a Cajun seasoning blend on your country style ribs for a southern flair.
Country Style Ribs Air Fryer Tips For Success
- Slice ribs into even pieces to promote even cooking.
- Always start with a preheated air fryer for the best cooking results.
- Cook in batches if necessary to avoid overcrowding and ensure all ribs cook evenly.
- Use an Instant Read Thermometer to guarantee perfect doneness.
- Allow ribs to rest for a few minutes after cooking to keep them as juicy as possible.
What to serve with Air Fryer Country Style Ribs
- Air Fryer Baked Sweet Potato
- Air Fryer Broccoli Parmesan
- Cheesy White Bean Tomato Bake
- Easy Air Fryer Ranch Potatoes
- Roasted Acorn Squash with Brown Sugar and Cinnamon
You can also check out this great list of Air Fryer Vegetables for more ideas!
How To Store Air Fryer Country Style Ribs
Let the air fryer boneless pork ribs cool down completely before storing. Once cooled, wrap tightly in foil or place the leftovers in an airtight container.
Refrigerate and enjoy within 3-4 days.
How to reheat Boneless Pork Ribs in Air Fryer
- Preheat your air fryer to 300 degrees.
- Plavce the leftover country-style ribs in the air fryer and cook for about 5 minutes, until warmed through.
- Serve with additional BBQ sauce.
See how to reheat other kinds of ribs in the air fryer here.
Country Style Ribs Air Fryer FAQs
Despite the name, country-style ribs don’t actually come from the rib area at all. In fact, this cut of meat comes from the shoulder end of the loin, also known as the blade steaks.
Baby back ribs, on the other hand, refer to a cut of meat that comes from the rib cage. They’re smaller than spare ribs and come from the back of the pig, hence why we call them “baby backs.” The name has nothing to do with the age of the pig.
Yes! Roasting this cut on the grill or in the oven makes it easy to cook them too fast, which is why the meat turns out tough.
When you cook country-style ribs in the air fryer, on the other hand, they turn out juicy, tender, and perfect!
Absolutely! Just keep in mind that the time and temperature can vary compared to cooking boneless ribs.
Most recipes for bone in pork ribs in the air fryer recommend cooking your ribs between 380 and 400 degrees.
Other Air Fryer Pork Recipes You’ll Love:
- Air Fryer Pork Belly
- Air Fryer Spare Ribs
- Air Fryer Pork Loin
- Stuffed Pork Chops in the Air Fryer
- Air Fryer Bone in Pork Chops
- Air Fryer Pork Steaks
- Marinated Air Fryer Pork Tenderloin
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Air Fryer Country-Style Ribs
Ingredients
- 2 pounds country-style boneless pork ribs
- 1 ½ teaspoons smoked paprika
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- ¼ teaspoon onion powder
- ¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper
- 1 cup BBQ sauce
Instructions
- Preheat an air fryer to 370 degrees F. Combine the paprika, salt, pepper, garlic powder, onion powder, and cayenne in a small bowl and set aside.
- Trim the ribs, if necessary, and spray or rub them with cooking oil, then sprinkle the ribs with the seasoning, massaging in it on all sides.
- Place the country-style ribs in the air fryer in an even layer. Cook for 20 minutes, flipping once halfway through at the 10-minute mark.
- When the timer goes off, brush them with a thin layer of BBQ sauce, then place them back in the basket and cook for 5-8 more minutes.
- Serve with additional BBQ sauce.
Video
Notes
How to Cook Frozen Country-Style Ribs in the Air Fryer:
- Prepare the ribs through step 2, then freeze in a plastic zipper bag.
- When ready to cook, spray the inside of the air fryer basket with non-stick spray. Place the frozen ribs inside in a single layer. Cook at 380 degrees F for 20 minutes, flipping once more halfway through the cooking time at the 10-minute mark.
- When the timer goes off, remove the ribs from the fryer. Brush the ribs with a thin layer of BBQ sauce, then place them back in the basket and cook for 8-10 more minutes at 400 degrees F.
- Serve with additional BBQ sauce.
How to Reheat Country-Style Ribs in the Air Fryer:
- Spray the inside of the air fryer basket, then place the ribs inside. Air fry at 380 for 5 minutes, until warmed through.
- Serve with additional BBQ sauce.
You’re Awesome! Thank you so much for all the ideas,help,and recipes..i’m getting my air fryer by Christmas.
You are going to LOVE your air fryer, Steve! We rarely use our oven anymore!
I had some baby back ribs I wanted to try in my Ninja SP101 Digital Air Fry Countertop Oven, but I couldn’t find a recipe. I saw this and decided to give it a try even though they are different cuts of meat. Worked perfectly! I was so afraid they would turn out tough but they did not. I used the same rub recipe and the same timing. Thank you!
I did not know you could cook ribs in the air fryer. I love how these turned out.
My family loved these ribs! They were so delicious, we didn’t have any leftover.
Would love to try this!
Thank you so much for sharing this amazing recipe! Will surely have this again! It’s really easy to make and it tasted so delicious! Highly recommended!
so flavorful and easy!
I bought country style ribs for Memorial Day cookout. It got rained out so I had to find a faster way to get them done without heating up the kitchen. Didn’t have to try very hard. I knew I was going to use my air fryer but wasn’t sure of the oven temp or how long to cook them. Once again you’ve come to my rescue. I followed your directions and they came out perfect. Probably even better then if I had done them on the grill. No leftovers and in one instance I saw someone licking there plate clean. Wish I had gotten a picture of that.
Do we do the air fryer temp on bake or air fry
You will use the air fry or air crisp option on any recipe that has air fryer in the title!
I followed the recipe exactly and mine turned out horrible – but I think it’s because I had cheap, low-quality ribs that didn’t have much meat on them.
Hi Zach, that could definitely be why. I also recommend checking on the ribs while they cook. If they’re small with less meat on them, they’ll require much less cooking time or they will get tough.
Made this for dinner easiest ribs ever still moist juicy and tender. and so flavorful. Most definitely the go for just the 2 of us for Dinner. I used country style boneless pork ribs. I most definitely would recommend this air Fryer rib recipe!Thumbs up👍