Pork, Bacon & Sausage
Air Fryer Ribs (Baby Back and Spare Ribs)
Tender air fryer ribs with a sticky BBQ glaze: baby back ribs at 360°F for 30–40 minutes, spare ribs 35–45. Plus fall-off-the-bone and country-style ribs.
Quick answer
Cook pork ribs in the air fryer at 360°F180°C, cut into sections of 3–4 ribs. Baby back ribs take 30–40 minutes and St. Louis or spare ribs take 35–45 minutes, flipped halfway. Brush with barbecue sauce for the last 5 minutes. They're tender when the meat has pulled back from the bones and reaches about 190–200°F88–93°C. For fall-off-the-bone ribs, wrap them in foil for the first 20 minutes.
- Time
- 30–40 min (baby back)
- Flip
- Yes, halfway
- Done when
- Tender at 190–200°F88–93°C
BBQ Air Fryer Baby Back Ribs air fryer times
| What you're cooking | Temp | Time | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Baby back ribs, half rack in 3–4 rib sections | 360°F180°C | 30–40 min | Sauce in the last 5 min |
| St. Louis or spare ribs, in 3–4 rib sections | 360°F180°C | 35–45 min | Meatier, needs longer |
| Fall-off-the-bone ribs (foil first) | 360°F180°C | 20 min wrapped + 15–20 unwrapped | Sauce after unwrapping |
| Country-style ribs | 380°F195°C | 18–24 min | 145°F minimum, more tender at 180–190°F |
| Boneless pork ribs | 380°F195°C | 16–22 min | Flip halfway |
| Pork riblets | 380°F195°C | 18–22 min | Shake or flip halfway |
| Precooked ribs (store-bought) | 380°F195°C | 10–15 min | Until hot, sauce sticky |
| Reheating leftover ribs | 350°F175°C | 8–12 min | Foil-wrap with sauce, unwrap to finish |
Times are for a preheated 5–6 quart basket air fryer with food in a single layer. Oven-style and very large air fryers can run 1–3 minutes slower. Always check doneness with an instant-read thermometer.
You don’t need a smoker or a whole afternoon for good ribs. In the air fryer, baby back ribs are tender in about 40 minutes, with a caramelized barbecue glaze and crispy edges. The trick is a moderate 360°F180°C, so the meat has time to soften before the outside gets too dark, and saving the sauce for the end.
How to cook ribs in the air fryer
- Remove the membrane from the bone side.
- Cut the rack into sections of 3–4 ribs, and rub with seasoning.
- Air fry at 360°F180°C, meat side down, for 15 minutes.
- Flip and cook until tender: another 12–20 minutes for baby backs.
- Brush with sauce and cook 4–5 minutes more, until sticky.
How long to cook ribs in the air fryer
- Baby back ribs: 30–40 minutes at 360°F180°C
- St. Louis or spare ribs: 35–45 minutes at 360°F180°C
- Country-style ribs: 18–24 minutes at 380°F195°C
- Riblets: 18–22 minutes at 380°F195°C
Ribs vary a lot in size and meatiness, so check them a few minutes early. They’re ready when the meat has shrunk back from the ends of the bones, and a toothpick slides between the bones with little resistance.
Baby back vs spare ribs
Baby back ribs come from the top of the rib cage, near the loin. They’re shorter, leaner and more tender, and they cook faster. Spare ribs, and the trimmed St. Louis-style cut, come from lower down. They’re flatter, meatier and fattier, with more flavor, and they need a little longer.
Fall-off-the-bone ribs
If you like ribs that slide off the bone rather than having a little chew, wrap them in foil first. Wrap the seasoned sections in foil, cook at 360°F180°C for 20 minutes, then unwrap and cook another 15–20 minutes. Finish with the sauce. The foil traps steam, which softens the meat faster. See our guide to using foil in the air fryer.
Country-style ribs
Country-style ribs aren’t true ribs. They’re thick strips cut from the pork shoulder, sold bone-in or boneless. They cook more like pork steaks: 18–24 minutes at 380°F195°C, flipped halfway. They’re safe at 145°F63°C, but more tender at 180–190°F82–88°C.
Tips for the best air fryer ribs
- Don’t skip the membrane. It’s the difference between tender and chewy.
- Sauce at the end. Barbecue sauce burns if it goes on at the start.
- Give them space. Stand the sections on their sides if they don’t fit flat.
- Use a thermometer. Tender ribs reach about 190–200°F88–93°C between the bones.
What to serve with ribs
Classic barbecue sides work best: crispy baby potatoes, sweet potatoes, garlic parmesan green beans or roasted cauliflower.
Storing and reheating
Refrigerate leftover ribs for up to 4 days. Brush them with a little sauce, wrap loosely in foil and reheat at 350°F175°C for 8–12 minutes, unwrapping for the last 2–3 minutes. See our reheating guide.
BBQ Air Fryer Baby Back Ribs
- Prep
- 10 min
- Cook
- 40 min
- Total
- 50 min
- Air fryer
- 360°F180°C
- Makes
- 3 servings
- Calories
- 560 per serving (one-third of a rack) with sauce
Ingredients
- 1 rack baby back pork ribs (about 2–2½ lb)
- 1 tablespoon brown sugar
- 2 teaspoons smoked paprika
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- 1½ teaspoons kosher salt
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- ¼ teaspoon cayenne (optional)
- ½ cup barbecue sauce
Instructions
Tap a step to check it off.
- Remove the membrane. Turn the rack bone side up. Slide a butter knife under the thin, shiny membrane on one end, grip it with a paper towel and peel it off. This makes the ribs more tender.
- Cut and season. Cut the rack into sections of 3–4 ribs so they fit in your basket. Mix the brown sugar, paprika, garlic powder, onion powder, salt, pepper and cayenne, and rub it all over the ribs.
- Air fry. Arrange the ribs meat side down in a single layer, or standing on their sides if needed. Air fry at 360°F180°C for 15 minutes.
- Flip. Turn the ribs meat side up and cook another 12–20 minutes, until the meat has pulled back from the ends of the bones and a thermometer between the bones reads about 190–200°F88–93°C.
- Glaze. Brush the ribs generously with barbecue sauce and cook 4–5 minutes more, until the sauce is sticky and lightly caramelized.
- Rest and serve. Rest the ribs for 5 minutes, then slice between the bones and serve with extra sauce.
Notes
- A 5–6 qt basket fits about half a rack in one layer. Cook a full rack in two batches, or stand the sections on their sides against the basket wall.
- Pork ribs are safe at 145°F63°C, but they're only tender once the connective tissue softens, at about 190–200°F88–93°C.
- For fall-off-the-bone ribs, wrap the seasoned sections in foil and cook for 20 minutes, then unwrap and cook 15–20 minutes more before saucing.
Nutrition is an estimate calculated from typical ingredient values and will vary by brand and portion.
Frequently asked questions
How long do you cook ribs in the air fryer?
At 360°F180°C, baby back ribs take 30–40 minutes and St. Louis or spare ribs take 35–45 minutes, cut into sections and flipped halfway. Add barbecue sauce for the last 4–5 minutes.
Can you cook ribs in an air fryer?
Yes. Cut the rack into sections of 3–4 ribs so they fit, and cook at 360°F180°C. The ribs get a crispy, caramelized outside and tender meat in under an hour, much faster than the oven or a smoker.
How do you make fall-off-the-bone ribs in the air fryer?
Wrap the seasoned rib sections in foil and cook at 360°F180°C for 20 minutes, which steams them tender. Then unwrap, cook another 15–20 minutes, and brush with sauce for the last 4–5 minutes.
What temperature should ribs be when done?
Pork ribs are safe to eat at 145°F63°C, but they're chewy at that point. They become tender at about 190–200°F88–93°C, when the connective tissue has softened and the meat pulls back from the bones.
How long do you cook spare ribs in the air fryer?
St. Louis-style or spare ribs take 35–45 minutes at 360°F180°C, flipped halfway. They're meatier than baby back ribs, so they need about 5–10 minutes longer.
Should you remove the membrane from ribs?
Yes, if it's still on. The thin membrane on the bone side turns tough and chewy when cooked. Slide a butter knife under one end, grip it with a paper towel and peel it off.
How do you reheat ribs in the air fryer?
Brush the ribs with a little sauce, wrap them loosely in foil, and reheat at 350°F175°C for 8–12 minutes. Unwrap for the last 2–3 minutes so the sauce gets sticky again.
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