Tender air fryer country style pork ribs are a snap to make and so scrumptious. These melt-in-your-mouth air fryer pork ribs are ready in 30 minutes. We season the ribs with an easy homemade dry rub perfect for country-style ribs. Then we brush them with your favorite BBQ and caramelize them in the air fryer.
Air fryer ribs are certain to become one of your new favorite ways to make BBQ ribs. This air frying method results in moist and tender ribs in no time. They are great served with roasted baby potatoes, corn in a cup, or charro beans. If you haven't tried charro beans, you will love this twist on traditional baked beans.
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⭐Why You Will Love Them
Juicy and tender. If you have ever had country style ribs that turn out dry and tough, you will love this easy way to get the best results. The air fryer method for cooking ribs keeps them moist and turns them into succulent pieces of rib meat.
Less expensive. Country style ribs are often less expensive than baby back ribs, spareribs, or St. Louis Style ribs. They are also meatier than more well known ribs. Boneless country ribs have more meat per pound since you are not discarding large bones.
Quick. In under 30 minutes you will have pork ribs cooked to mouth-watering perfection . Forget low and slow cooking which you may be familiar with when cooking country style ribs.
Easy. All that you need to do is to pat the ribs dry, season with a ready-made dry rub, and then air fry for 20 to 25 minutes. Finish them with BBQ sauce and dinner is ready. For a hearty, tasty meal this is the ideal easy recipe.
Minimal cleanup. These air fryer ribs get patted dry, seasoned on a work surface and then cooked in the air fryer. Clean the air fryer basket and the work surface and you are all done.
🥘 Ingredients
- Country-style boneless ribs. These lean, meaty neighbors of back ribs and spare ribs come from the area where the shoulder and loin meet. Because of that, you may find these called pork shoulder country style ribs. If you want to eat ribs with a knife and fork, these are a perfect choice. (Source: Pork.org)
- Dry rub. Perfect for these air fryer ribs is this recipe for the Best Dry Rub for Country Style Pork Ribs. The rub has dark brown sugar which adds a little sweetness and molasses flavor. Add in the select combination of spices for depth and flavor.
- BBQ sauce. Use your favorite BBQ sauce to finish off your ribs. Check out this list of the Best Store Bought BBQ Sauces. You could also use one of my fan favorite sauces such as this Easy Homemade BBQ Sauce. You will also want more BBQ sauce to serve alongside your ribs.
The exact quantities of these ingredients is in the recipe card below.
📖 Substitutions
Dry rub. Use any of your favorite dry rubs on these country-style pork ribs. You can also increase or decrease any of the ingredients in small increments to suit your tastes.
Homemade BBQ Sauce. Try homemade BBQ sauce or this sweet and tangy BBQ Sauce both of which work well for boneless country pork ribs.
Other types of ribs. For more tasty and quick ribs, ribs in the oven. Other great choices include these rack of ribs in this Instant Pot recipe or these air fryer baby back ribs.
🔪 How To Make Air Fryer Country Style Ribs
- Start with a preheated 375 degrees F air fryer. I always preheat my air fryer for accuracy of temperature and cooking time.
- Pat the ribs dry with a paper towel so the rub has full contact with the ribs. Measure the seasoning into a small bowl. Then using your fingers, sprinkle the seasoning all over the ribs including the sides of the ribs. You can pat the seasoning onto the ribs but there is no need to rub the dry rub into the ribs.
- Arrange the country-style ribs in the air fryer in a single layer. Air fry for 10 minutes, turn the ribs over and then cook another 10 minutes. Use an instant-read meat thermometer to test the internal temperature of the ribs. The ideal temperature at this stage is 175 degrees. Return the ribs to the air fryer if the need more cooking time.
- Brush the ribs with a thin layer of BBQ sauce. Cook 5 to 7 more minutes or until the sauce caramelizes and the ribs are fork tender. At this point, the ribs will reach about 205°F when tested with an instant-read thermometer.
- Using tongs, transfer the ribs to a serving plate. Serve hot with extra barbecue sauce on the side.
💭 Tips For Tender Juicy Ribs
- The USDA recommends 145°F as a safe temperature for pork. However, for truly tender ribs, the ribs should reach between 190°F and 205°F when tested with an instant-read thermometer.
🥡 Storage
The best way to store cooked leftover ribs is in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 3 to 4 days.
Uncooked country-style ribs should be used within 3 to 5 days from the sale date. Freeze uncooked ribs up to 4 to 12 months from the sale date.
📋 Recipe
Air Fryer Country Style Ribs (Boneless)
Equipment
- Air Fryer
Ingredients
- 2 pounds country-style boneless pork ribs
- 2 tablespoons best dry rub for country style ribs
- 1 cup BBQ sauce
Instructions
- Preheat the air fryer to 375° F.
- Using paper towels, pat the ribs dry. Season the ribs all over with the dry rub.
- Arrange the country-style ribs in the air fryer in an even layer. Air fry for 20 minutes, turning once halfway through cooking, The ribs should reach 175°F when tested with an instant-read thermometer.
- Brush the ribs with a thin layer of BBQ sauce. Cook 5 to 7 more minutes or until the sauce is caramelized and the ribs are fork tender. At this point, the ribs will reach about 205°F when tested with an instant-read thermometer.
- Using tongs, transfer the ribs to a serving plate. Serve hot with additional BBQ on the side.
Pat Dinhoble says
This is my go to Country Style Rib recipe, since my husband quit smoking them. Saucy, juicy and crispy, they hit all the right notes!
Marilyn says
I'm happy to hear this recipe was a hit! Thanks for letting me know.