It can be a little bit of a squeeze to Air Fry Baby Back Pork Ribs in a smallish air fryer but I’ve mastered the best way to do it, even in my 3.8l/4qt basket fryer! First cooked with a seasoning rub, the rack of ribs is then glazed with sauce for a sweet and sticky tasty treat.
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I try to test and create as many of my air fryer recipes in what I’d consider to be the smaller side of air fryers. You can certainly get smaller than the Cosori basket model that I’ve used here but they really are getting into “only useful for a portion of chips” territory. So I was pleased when I was able to squeeze in a full rack of baby ribs, even if they do realistically need cutting in half(ish).
I more often than not keep my air fryer meat and fish recipes very simple. Just a little oil or butter and seasoning but otherwise keeping them as a blank canvas for you to add your own flavourings and use the meat in any dishes you choose.
But a rack of ribs is never really going to be an ingredient as such and the vast majority of the time, you’re going to want to use some kind of sauce to glaze them. So I have included this step in the recipe. You can of course skip this step if you have other plans for the ribs or just want to keep them dry.
How to Serve
Like most things, I prefer my ribs served hot and fresh but cut into individual ribs, they can actually be quite delightful served at room temperature on a butter or at a picnic. I’d caution against intending to serve them fridge cold as the flavour will be dulled, the fat will harden and the texture just becomes vaguely unpleasant.
Pork ribs can really be as versatile as any other protein source but I do more often than not tend to serve them in one of two quite obvious ways – as part of an American style barbeque feast or as part of an Asian influenced meal.
Try serving like I have with a spicy seasoned rice, creamy coleslaw, corn on the cob and fresh salad.
Or use a sticky sauce like teriyaki and serve with a platter of sticky rice, salt and chili edamame beans and a light miso soup.
Ingredients
Pork Ribs
Pork ribs and the various ever-so-slightly different cuts available can be a little confusing. Especially here in the UK where any rack is quite often simply labelled “pork ribs”. So technically what I’ve used and cooked here are baby back ribs. But you are going to be able to largely apply to most rack of ribs you come across, even spare ribs. Spare ribs can be a little meatier so may need an additional couple of minutes cooking time.
The rack I’ve used was cut so that the riblets were no longer attached. The riblets are the short stubby ribs with pieces of cartilage rather than bone. Some of the racks from the same section of the supermarket came with the riblets attached but I chose one without so I could ensure it fitted in my air fryer basket. What cut of rack you choose is up to you, you just need to bear in mind the fit.
Oil
I’ve used a neutral vegetable oil but you can use any oil you choose. Try to make sure that if you use something flavoured that it complements the other flavours of your seasoning and sauce. Despite Jamie Oliver’s absolute obsession with the stuff, olive oil has no place in Asian food for example.
Seasoning
This is where you can either go to town or continue to keep things simple. I used a simple mixture of garlic salt and paprika. You could use a barbecue blend, something like a cajun spice mix or simply add some spice to what I used. Or go in any other seasoning direction you prefer.
You might wish to focus on this element of dry-rub seasoning more if you aren’t planning to add a sauce/glaze later.
Sauce/Glaze
I like to glaze a contain an element of sugar. This allows it to caramelise quickly and give a good glaze. Any shop bought bbq sauce with have a good sugar content and this is what I used.
I tend to choose sauces with are on the sweet and smoky side but as always, you can choose whatever sauce you wish. Teriyaki sauce is another classic in my repertoire.
Allergen Information
This recipe is free from egg, dairy, gluten and nuts. Although it is very important to note that any shop bought sauce you use would need to be checked thoroughly for allergens if needed.
Please note that this recipe may contain other allergens not referred to above and any variations suggested have not been tested unless otherwise stated. For more information regarding any dietary information provided on this website, please refer to my Nutritional Disclaimer.
How Long to Air Fry Baby Back Pork Ribs
There are a couple of stages to cooking the ribs in the air fryer. The first stage is to actually cook them. This takes around 13 minutes with the ribs being turned over after 9 minutes.
The second stage is to glaze the first side for 2 minutes then the second side for a further 2 minutes. This brings the total cooking time to 17 minutes. It is never a bad idea to let the ribs sit and rest for a couple of minutes before serving, not least because any sauce will be extremely hot.
How to Air Fry Baby Back Ribs From Frozen
This is quite easy to do but you need to add an extra step to the preparation process. It is essential to make sure that there are no ice crystals on the surface of the ribs which will boil the ribs rather than allow them to roast. Do this by running the rack of ribs under the tap and then drying it thoroughly.
If you need to cut the rack and this hasn’t been done before hand, the slight defrosting effect of the water will likely mean that you’re able to make the cut that you need. Use a big sharp knife, be confident and aim for one slice.
You can then proceed to oil and season the rack as normal. You only need to add around 1 minute to the initial cooking time.
Leftovers – Storage & Reheating
Leftovers keep in the fridge for several days if well wrapped or kept in an air-tight container. I prefer to keep them in their rack rather than cut into single ribs if possible. This will help keep them moist as they reheat.
Talking of reheating, I like to do this in the microwave in a covered dish. This effectively allows the meat to steam and keep soft and moist. You can also do this in the air fryer by wrapping the ribs in foil. You can unwrap them for the last minute or two and add some more sauce if you wish.
Common Air Fryer Questions – A Brief Guide to Air Frying
- What exactly is an air fryer?
- What are the benefits of using an air fryer?
- Are all air fryers the same?
- Is an air fryer always better to use than an oven?
- Do air fryers need to be pre-heated?
- What is the best temperature to air fry at?
- What setting is best to use? Air fry, bake, dehydrate, etc…
- Can food be cooked from frozen in an air fryer?
- Can I reheat food in an air fryer?
- Are air fryer liners a good idea?
The Air Fried Feast Community
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What Exactly is an Air Fryer?
Very simply, an air fryer is a small convection (fan) oven. The benefit is that the hot air is circulated all around the food being cooked which speeds up the cooking time and cooks the food more evenly.
What are the Benefits of Using an Air Fryer?
Size, time and energy usage. Air fryers are ideal for cooking smaller quantities. Heating up a space that the food just fits into requires less energy and means that the heat source is much closer to the food. Combining these two things can speed up the cooking time.
Are all air fryers the same?
Nope! The term air fryer is now used very broadly. I consider there to be 4 main types:
Basket Air Fryers
These are what I would consider to be the most common, especially in the UK. A boxy type unit has a pull out drawer/basket. Food isn’t usually visible whilst cooking.
Some larger models have two drawers so different items can be cooked at different temperatures or for different times.
This is the type that you’ll see in the images in this recipe. I mostly use a Cosori Lite 3.8L (CAF-LI401S) with a 3.8 litre capacity. The square(ish) shaped basket is 21cm x 21cm and 24cm on the diagonal. It isn’t an overly expensive or fancy model.
I’ve also recommended to several friends and family the model with a slightly larger basket. This is the Cosori 4.7L (CAF-L501) with a 4.7 litre basket. The unit is no larger than the 3.8 litre model on the outside but does have a larger internal basket capacity. I’ve since bought this version to use for some recipes where my smaller model was just too small. I’ll always note this in the recipe.
Rotary Air Fryers
Round air fryers with a paddle in the centre that rotates to move the food. This is the type I used for years – the most common is a Tefal Actifry.
Rotary types are not usually good for recipes where the food is breaded, glazed, likely to break up or in a tray/container. They do however make the best chips and roasted veg.
My 2 in 1 version like the one I’ve linked also has a rotating tray for things that could be broken up by a paddle, but the height clearance with the lid isn’t deep enough to use it to cook some items like sausage rolls. I’ve now actually retired by Actifry in favour of having my two basket type fryers.
Mini Oven Air Fryers
These usually have a glass door, shelves and overall are really quite large. You can cook quite a decent quantity of food in them so are best if regularly cooking for multiple people. They often come with extra features like a rotisserie spit or kebab skewers.
Multicookers with Air Fryer Functions
Some like Ninja 11 in 1 and some of the earlier versions with a few less functions, have an air fryer option. They mostly operate the same as a basket fryer but the basket drops in the top rather than sliding in like a drawer.
Some electric pressure cookers like Instant Pots can also air fry when used with a specific lid.
Is an air fryer always better to use than an oven?
As much as I do love air frying, the honest answer to this is no. And the more detailed answer is that it will always depend on what you’re cooking, how much of it you’re cooking and what type and size of air fryer you have.
Once you need to cook in more than 2 batches, it often makes more sense to use an oven. If you already have the oven on to cook other items, it may make more sense to throw one more item in rather than using an additional appliance.
I don’t think either method is often necessarily better than the other. The important point to note is that there is absolutely no difference in the finished product.
Do Air Fryers Need to Be Pre-Heated?
The answer to this is rather annoying – it depends. It depends entirely on your model and type of air fryer. The best advice I can offer is to check your manual and follow their guidance. My Cosori models have a preheat function. I press a button and it heats at 205c/400f for 4 minutes.
It’s also worth noting that regardless of whether you are supposed to pre-heat or not, if you are cooking in batches, it is quite likely that anything after the first batch will cook a little quicker because of the retained heat. It is best to check on them before the cooking time is completed.
What is the best temperature to Air Fry at?
It will always depend on what you are cooking and from what state. All of my air fryer recipes don’t use temperatures above 200c/390f because many of the most common fryers in the UK don’t go above this. Mine goes to 230c/450f and I use this temperature a lot but it is no help for me to share recipes which many people can’t use.
What setting is best to use? Air fry, bake, dehydrate, etc…
Not all air fryers have different settings like this. When they do it usually relates to the fan speed. The default setting to use will always be “air fry” so unless something else is specifically stated in the recipe, always use the air fry option.
There are other air fryers that have an additional heating element which cooks from underneath rather than just the top. Just as with the other settings, unless you are using a recipe which states to use a second heating element, stick with just using the top down air fry option.
Of course if and when you become more confident with air frying, using recipes and the settings of your air fryer, you can start adapting them to suit.
Can Food Be Cooked From Frozen In An Air Fryer?
Absolutely! To cook from frozen you usually will need to reduce the cooking temperature and increase the time to make sure your food is cooked right through to the middle.
It is best to check my individual recipes for cooking from frozen advice as some items are a little different. And there are occasionally exceptions to the rule.
Can I Reheat Food In An Air Fryer?
Yes. As a general rule I reheat food for roughly 1/3 of the original cooking time at the same temperature. Or at 10 degrees lower for half the time for larger items.
Are Air Fryer Liners a Good Idea?
Unless otherwise stated, I do not use liners when air frying. Basket and rotary type air fryers are designed to be used without liners. Mini oven types will generally require some kind of tray like with a regular large oven although most come with crisper racks to use.
There are many air fryer liners available including quite thick silicone ones. These will affect the cooking times and possibly temperatures of your cooking/baking. I also don’t like how cooking juices are prevented from dripping through the basket rack. This can stop food from crisping all the way around.
When I do want to collect the juices, I mostly use some foil, or occasionally a foil tray which can be washed and reused.
If you do prefer to use them, once you have got a feel for how they affect your cooking and baking, you may need to make adjustments to the recipe accordingly.
More Air Fryer Recipes
All my recipes with instructions for how to cook or bake them in the air fryer can be found in my Air Fryer Recipe Index.
Don’t forget to let me know in the comments if you try making this recipe – I want to know what you think and if you made any substitutions, how did it turn out?
Still Have Questions?
Simple! Just contact me and I will do my best to help as quickly as I am able. Head over to my Contact Me page, any of my social media channels or post a comment at the bottom of this page and I’ll see what I can do.
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The Recipe
How to Air Fry Baby Back Pork Ribs
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1 rack Baby Back Ribs - around 450g/1lb
- 2 tsp Oil - see notes
- 1 tsp Seasoning - see notes
- 2 tbsp Sauce - see notes
Instructions
- If your air fryer requires pre-heating, Start this setting now.
- Thoroughly dry 1 Rack Baby Back Pork Ribs.
- Use a sharp knife and cut midway between 2 bones. Use the size of your air fryer basket as a guide to how you think the rack will fit and cut the rack in a way that it will best fit. For me this is just less than half.
- Drizzle over 2 tsp Oil and 1 tsp Seasoning and toss to thoroughly coat the ribs.
- Place the rack into the air fryer basket.
- Position them so there is as little overlap as possible.
- Cook for 9 minutes at 200c/390f.
- Turn the racks over and cook for a further 4 minutes at 200c/390f.
- Use a brush to glaze the underside of the racks with 1 tbsp Sauce.
- Cook for a further 2 minutes at 200c/390f.
- Turn the ribs and brush over the remaining 1 tbsp Sauce.
- Cook for another 2 minutes at 200c/390f to finish glazing.
- Check the pork is cooked through, you can see this by making a cut and checking that the meat is nearly white in the centre of the thickest part. Unlike chicken, pork can be eaten with a slight pink blush but if you prefer it more cooked, put it back in for 2 minutes at a time.
- Allow to rest for at least 3 to 4 minutes before tucking in. Spoon over any juices that have collected in the bottom of the air fryer for extra flavour.
To Cook From Frozen
- Cook for 10 minutes at 200c/390f. Turn and cook for another 4 minutes then glaze as before.
- Check that the pork is sufficiently cooked in exactly the same way as if cooking from fresh!
Notes
- Oil – Choose your oil to match your flavouring. For example use garlic, salt and rosemary with olive oil or for a more neutral flavour, sea salt and black pepper with vegetable oil.
- Seasoning – Choose any seasoning mix, spices or dried/fresh herbs. Make sure that salt is included in the mix. You can also add a little citrus juice.
- I used vegetable oil with a 50/50 mix of garlic salt and paprika.
- Sauce – Sweet and thick sauces work best like BBQ sauce or sweet chili.
- The air fryer version of this recipe is tested in a Cosori Lite (CAF-LI401S) with a 3.8 litre capacity. The square(ish) shaped basket is 21cm x 21cm and 24cm on the diagonal.
- Not all models advise preheating is required. Please follow the recommended instructions for your model. Mine has a specific preheat setting which is 4 minutes at 205c.
- For this recipe, I can just fit 1 rack of baby back ribs in the basket at a time but only if it is cut in half first This gives enough room to allow air to circulate even though the halves need to overlap slightly.
- As all air fryer models are a little different, you may find that you can fit more or less in at a time. Some models include stacking shelves which will increase capacity.
- Required cooking times and temperatures can also vary between models and brands. If you know that your air fryer runs a little hotter than most recipes suggest, use a lower temperature. And vice versa. Equally if you find that food cooks more quickly in your machine than instructions usually state, reduce the cooking time (or check it earlier) and vice versa.
Cat says
These were finger licking good! The perfect way to cook ribs and the only way I’ll be cooking them from now on.
Janice says
I tried this recipe at the weekend and everyone went mad for them! So easyto make in the airfryer too.
Lesley says
My kids love ribs and this recipe is so simple they managed to follow it themselves. They opted for sticky bbq ribs and they were delicious and perfectly cooked.