Indulge in crispy, flavorful air fryer country-style ribs in less than 30 minutes. An easy-to-follow recipe for a scrumptious meal that will impress everyone at the table!
Get ready to savor the incredible tenderness, juiciness, and amazing flavor of these air fryer country-style ribs. They're coated in a homemade dry rub for ribs and then glazed with a bit of sweet and smokey BBQ sauce.
Not only are these ribs incredibly delicious, but they're also super quick to make. You can have them cooked and ready to serve in just 30 minutes, with minimal cleanup and effort required. It's hands down the best way to cook country-style pork ribs in a hurry.
Check out our Air Fryer Pork Ribs; we use spare or baby back ribs to make them. Or make some Country-Style Pork Ribs in the Oven or Slow Cooker Country-Style Pork Ribs.
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Recipe ingredients
- Spices for the dry rub: Brown sugar, garlic powder, cumin, smoked paprika, sweet paprika, fine sea salt, onion powder, black pepper, oregano, a pinch of cayenne pepper, and a pinch of allspice.
- I always use sweet smoked paprika; if you opt for the hot variety, you will need less unless you aim for a hot rub. Do use it to taste.
- Cayenne pepper is also to be used to taste; make the rub as mild or as hot as you like. You can replace cayenne pepper with red chili or red pepper flakes.
- Country-style pork ribs are a type of pork cut from the shoulder or blade end of the pork loin.
- Despite the name "ribs," they are not actually ribs in the traditional sense; they are meatier and contain more fat compared to other rib cuts. They are typically boneless or have a small section of the shoulder blade bone attached.
- I had 2 lbs/ ca 1 kg pork ribs with a bit of bone in them. Each one weighed about 7 oz/ 200 g.
- BBQ sauce: Use homemade or your favorite brand. I like the less smokey sorts, but that’s just my taste.
- About three tablespoons of sauce should be enough to generously glaze the ribs, but use a bit more if required.
How to air fry country-style pork ribs?
Make the dry rub: Mix all the spices in a small bowl.
Country-style pork ribs:
- Preheat the air fryer to 380°F/190°C as required by its instructions.
- Season ribs: Dry them with a paper towel and rub them with the seasoning mixture (1).
- Air fry: Place them in the air fryer basket in a single layer. Cook for 15 minutes, flipping after 10 minutes. Depending on the thickness of the ribs, they might need 3-5 minutes longer (2,3).
- Check the temperature at this time; they should be almost done.
- Brush with BBQ sauce (4) and air fry them for another 3 to 5 minutes at 400°F/200°C. They should be sticky, shiny, and cooked through (5).
Expert Tips
Cooking time: It depends on your machine, the thickness of the ribs, and whether they are bone-in or boneless. Check the internal temperature with a meat thermometer; it should be 145°F/63°C; slightly over that is ok.
Resting time: Once the ribs are cooked, allow them to rest for a few minutes before serving. This allows the juices to redistribute, resulting in more tender and juicy ribs.
Recipe FAQ
I cook them at 380°F/190°C first. After brushing them with sauce, I increase the temperature to 400°F/200°C to give the glaze a chance to get sticky and the edges of the meat to get a bit crispy.
They are deliciously tender, yet not as tender as when you would cook them in the slow cooker or instant pot. These other two kitchen gadgets help the meat actually fall off the bone, while air frying keeps the meat on the bone.
The best way to determine if the ribs are done is by using a meat thermometer. The internal temperature of the ribs should reach around 145-160°F/63-71°C for medium doneness. You can cook them a bit longer if you prefer them more well-done.
How to store and reheat?
- Refrigerate the air-fried country-style ribs in an airtight container for 3-4 days.
- Freeze in an airtight container for up to 3 months. Defrost in the fridge.
- Reheat them in the preheated air fryer (350°F/175°C) for 5-10 minutes or until they are heated through. If desired, you can brush the ribs with a bit of BBQ sauce or marinade during the last few minutes of reheating to add extra flavor.
- Reheat them in the preheated oven (325°F/160°C) in a baking dish covered loosely with foil to prevent them from drying out for about 15-20 minutes or until they are warmed through. If you prefer a crispy exterior, you can remove the foil during the last few minutes of reheating.
- Microwave: Covered, on medium power in 30-second intervals, checking and flipping them each time until they are heated through.
What to serve with air-fried ribs?
More recipes with ribs
Air Fryer Country-Style Ribs
Equipment
Ingredients
Dry rub:
- ½ tablespoon brown sugar
- ½ tablespoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon cumin
- 1 teaspoon smoked paprika Note 1
- 1 teaspoon sweet paprika
- 1 teaspoon fine sea salt or kosher salt
- ¾ teaspoon onion powder
- ¾ teaspoon black pepper
- ½ teaspoon oregano
- pinch of cayenne pepper to taste
- pinch of teaspoon allspice
Pork ribs:
- 2 lbs country-style pork ribs 1 kg, Note 2
- 3 tablespoons BBQ sauce more if required, Note 3
Instructions
Dry rub:
- Gather and measure all the spices into a medium bowl. ½ tablespoon brown sugar + ½ tablespoon garlic powder + 1tsp cumin + 1 teaspoon smoked paprika + 1 teaspoon sweet paprika + 1 teaspoon fine sea salt + ¾ teaspoon onion powder + ¾ teaspoon black pepper + ½ teaspoon oregano + pinch of cayenne pepper (to taste) + pinch of allspice
- Mix all the spices with a spoon or whisk until they are well combined, and ensure no clumps.
Country-style pork ribs:
- Preheat the air fryer to 380°F/190°C as instructed by the manufacturer. Mine needs 3 minutes of preheating.
- Season ribs: In the meantime, dry the ribs with a paper towel. Place them on a large cutting board or plate and sprinkle them with dry rub on both sides. Massage the seasoning into the meat.2 lbs/ 1 kg ribs
- Air fry: Place the country-style ribs in the air fryer basket in a single layer. Cook for 10 minutes, flip, and cook for another 5 minutes.
- Glaze: Increase the air fryer’s temperature to 400°F/200°C. Brush the ribs with the BBQ sauce and air fry them for another 5 minutes or until sticky, shiny, and cooked through.
- The cooking time depends on your machine and the thickness of the ribs. Check the internal temperature; it should be 145°F/63°C (Note 2).
Notes
- Heat: I use sweet smoked paprika powder. If you choose hot, adjust the amount to suit you. Cayenne pepper should also be used to taste.
- Pork ribs: I use bone-in ribs, each one weighing about 7 oz/ 200 g; if your pieces are thinner or thicker, you might need to adjust the cooking time accordingly. Boneless ribs are excellent, but you might want to adjust the cooking time; check if they are done sooner.
- Sauce: Use your favorite brand of BBQ sauce.
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