Smoky Air Fryer Ribs

Name: Smoky Air Fryer Ribs
Prep time: 35 min
Cook time: 12 min
Total time: 47 min
Ingredients: 1 ½ pounds (700g) 1 slab of baby back pork ribs (cut into individual pieces); ½ teaspoon smoked paprika; salt (to taste); ½ cup (118ml) barbecue sauce (your favorite brand)

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These Smoky Air Fryer Ribs are super tender, so flavorful, and ready to serve in less than 30 minutes! The air fryer makes it easy to enjoy the classic taste of summer barbecue all year round.

Suitable for low carb and gluten free diets. Post includes Weight Watchers points.

air fryer ribs served on butcher paper with a side dish of bbq sauce

Craving that classic smoky bbq sauce slathered ribs flavor, but don’t have all day to spend cooking? Then you’re in luck. Because these best Air Fryer Ribs are tender, super flavorful, and ready to serve in less than 30 minutes.

Yeap, thanks to the air fryer, you can dig into a plate of delicious bbq ribs whenever the mood strikes. And if you’re anything like me, once you started cooking ribs you found that mood happens to strike aaaallllll the time. No more blah cooked pork when you can whip up the most tender ribs in the air fryer!

Love ribs and other delicious recipes as much as I do? Then you’ll want to check out these Air Fryer Pork Chops, best ever Smothered Pork Chops, and this easy Air Fryer Pork Tenderloin.

air fryer ribs on a wooden cutting board with a white ramekin filled with bbq sauce

Why Make This recipe

Fast – air fry and you’ll get juicy ribs in a fraction of the time as traditional slow cooked methods.
Easy – cooking ribs in air fryer is so simple. No need to switch on the outdoor grill or oven.
Failproof – whether you prefer pork or beef ribs cooked in an air fryer, you’ll get moist and tender ribs every time.

Ingredient Notes

Ribs – this recipe calls for one slab of pork baby back ribs cut into individual pieces.
Seasoning – use smoked paprika and salt to taste.
Barbecue sauce – select your favorite barbecue sauce brand and a lot of it, because everyone like to have extra bbq sauce.

Ready to learn just how quick and easy cooking up baby back ribs in the air fryer is? Then gather up those ingredients and I will show you….

How To Cook Ribs In Air Fryer

Get the complete ingredients list and instructions from the recipe card below.

Place the baby back pork ribs in a bowl, and add paprika and the best sea salt flakes ever, mixing to coat well.
Then add bbq sauce and allow ribs to marinate for 30 minutes or so. However, don’t worry if you don’t have the extra time, you can just move straight to cooking.
Preheat the air fryer to 350 degrees F / 180 degrees C.
Remove the ribs from the marinade, discarding the excess.
Place ribs, meat side down first, inside the air fryer basket, making sure to allow space in between each rib.
Cook air fryer ribs for 10-12 minutes for thin separated ribs or 20-25 minutes for thicker ribs. Turn ribs once halfway through the cook time.
Take them out of the basket or air fryer tray, let them rest for a few minutes, then serve as is or with an additional bbq sauce dip or salad.

air fryer fibs inside the air fryer basket

Tips for Success

Feel free to slather on additional bbq sauce over ribs liberally and cook for a few more minutes just before removing them if you prefer these Air Fryer baby back ribs saucier.
I prefer to have ribs separate when air frying, but if you prefer to cook as a whole slab (assuming your air fryer style basket is big enough), you may need to cook pork ribs for a few minutes longer.
Please note these ribs are not going to fall off the bone. For that, you would need to do some slow cooking, oven bake long and slow, or pressure cook them.
For the best results, cook baby ribs in a single layer in the air fyer basket with space around all sides so the hot air rapidly circulates to cook them evenly. You might need to cook them in two batches if you don’t have a large air fryer.
Keep an eye on the cooked pork ribs in the last few minutes, as it can go from tender meat to burnt very quickly.
For the best results, preheat the air fryer while preparing ribs for cooking.
Temperatures of air fryers can vary depending on the make and model. I recommend starting with less cook time, checking for doneness, then adding more time as needed.

Delicious Variations

Swap the Seasoning – use another spice rub like Italian seasoning, garlic powder, Worcestershire sauce, or any of your favorite seasoning blends.
Add Heat – red pepper flakes, chipotle, cayenne pepper, ground black pepper, or just the right amount of hot sauce to give your ribs intense flavor.
Use a Rub – use a dry rub instead of barbeque sauce. Check out this easy recipe for Creole seasoning that makes a perfectly balanced dry rub.

Prep Ahead and Storage

Prep Ahead – You can divide and season ribs in advance, just be sure to cover ribs well and keep in the fridge until ready to cook.
Store – Leftover air fryer ribs can be stored in an airtight container inside the refrigerator for up to 3 days.

air fryer ribs on white parchment paper next to a small dish of bbq sauce

FAQS

How Long to Cook Ribs In Air Fryer?

If you are cooking thin, separated pork ribs (which is what I prefer), the cooking time will be around 10-12 minutes. But for very thick ribs, you will need to allow up to 20-25 minutes. I recommend checking for doneness halfway through and then adjusting your cook time as needed.

What is the Temp to Air Fry Ribs?

I have found that these air fryer ribs turn out best when cooked at a temperature of 350 degrees F / 180 degrees C. However, it is important to note that air fryer temperatures can vary depending on the make and model, so please be sure to always check your food for doneness using a meat thermometer.

When cooking meats, it is crucial to check the internal temperature using a meat thermometer to ensure it has reached a safe temperature. Pork ribs are considered safe to eat when the internal temperature reaches 145 degrees F / 63 degrees C, but the rib meat will not be tender and juicy until it gets to 195 degrees F / 90 degrees C.

What Type of Ribs Are Best For Air Frying?

When air frying bbq pork ribs I prefer to use baby back ribs, which tend to be smaller, less fatty and more tender than other pork ribs cuts. You can also use beef short ribs. And spare ribs, which come in either pork or beef, also work well when air frying.

Do You Need To Remove The Rib Membrane?

When preparing ribs, some people recommend removing the thin membrane from the ribs before cooking. Sometimes I do, and sometimes I don’t, and I enjoy the meat just as much either way. So try it both ways and see what you think.

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Serving Suggestions

Weight Watchers Points

There are 5 Blue Plan SmartPoints Points in a serving of these air fryer pork ribs.

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5 from 6 votes