Enjoy juicy and tender Air Fryer Country Style Ribs in less than 30 minutes! These boneless pork country style ribs are packed with BBQ flavor and they’re made with minimal effort.
Air Fryer Country Style Ribs
These country style ribs are incredibly tender, juicy, and tasty. They’re rubbed in a flavorful homemade dry rub that has the perfect balance of sweet and a slight amount of heat. There’s a little bit of warmth added to the dry rub from the cumin, and it’s all balanced perfectly when it’s coated in a smoky BBQ sauce.
Not only are these ribs incredibly delicious, they’re also super fast to make. You can have them cooked and plated within 30 minutes, and they require minimal clean up and effort to put together. This is definitely the best way to cook country style pork ribs fast.
My favorite part is that these even give you the BBQ feel because of the crispy edges and the caramelized sauce. These ribs are amazingly good!! Yum yum yum!Â
Ingredients
Country Style Ribs: I prefer using boneless country style ribs for this recipe. They’re easier to cook evenly when you’re trying to cook them quickly in an air fryer. The ones I used were 1 1/4 – 1 1/2 inches thick.
You can buy them cut to the shape of ribs, where the width is a bit smaller. I prefer the ones that aren’t cut so small for this recipe. That allows you to fit more meat in the air fryer in one batch without the pieces overlapping.
Spices and Herbs: Season ribs with a delicious homemade spice blend made from garlic powder, chili powder, brown sugar, crushed red pepper flakes, salt, paprika, cumin, onion powder, and pepper.
If you like them a bit sweeter, you can either use more brown sugar or use a sweet BBQ sauce. If you like them spicy, you can either use more crushed red pepper flakes or add a bit of cayenne pepper. Not a huge fan of the smoky flavor? Try swapping the smoked paprika for paprika.
BBQ Sauce: I like using a smoky barbecue sauce in this recipe, but feel free to use your favorite one!
How To Make Country Style Ribs In An Air Fryer
Start by mixing together the seasonings in a small bowl to make the homemade spice rub. (See the recipe card below for the full printable instructions.)
Sprinkle the spice blend on both sides of the boneless pork strips, then press the mixture into the meat (this helps make sure that the spices stick to the meat while it cooks).
Preheat the air fryer, then add the country style ribs to the air fryer basket and cook them (flipping them halfway through). Remove the ribs using tongs, and place them on a cutting board.
Use a basting brush to coat the ribs in BBQ sauce, then return them to the air fryer basket and cook them a bit more (until they reach an internal temperature of 145 F on an instant read meat thermometer).
Once the ribs are finished cooking, use tongs to remove them from the air fryer, and let them rest for a bit before serving. Use a clean basting brush to coat the ribs in the remaining BBQ sauce, and serve! See the recipe card below for the full written instructions, including ingredient amounts, cooking times, and helpful tips, etc.
How Long Do Country Style Ribs Take In An Air Fryer?
Boneless ribs take about 20 – 25 minutes to cook in an air fryer. I like air frying country style ribs at a temperature of 370 F and then finishing them off at a temperature of 400 F.
Do Ribs Get Tender In An Air Fryer?
Yes! I love this air fryer recipe because it’s so easy and it consistently makes tender juicy ribs every time. It saves so much time to cook them this way, so it’s perfect when you want to make country style ribs but don’t have the time to slow cook them low and slow for hours.
Are Country Style Ribs Actually Ribs?
Country-style ribs aren’t actually ribs! This cut of pork actually comes from the pork shoulder area of the pig. It’s a muscular part at the end of the loin that is fatty.
They got their name because the flavor and consistency of this cut of meat is similar to baby back ribs or spare ribs once they’re finished cooking. Depending on where you are, they can also be called Western ribs.
How Do I Preheat My Air Fryer?
Just turn the air fryer on to the temperature that you’re planning to use to cook your food. Allow the air fryer to heat at this temperature for 3 minutes before adding your food and continuing on with the cooking instructions.
If you’re using an extra large air fryer, you may want to let it preheat for a couple of extra minutes (a total of 5 minutes).
What Goes With Ribs?
My favorite side dishes to serve with these ribs are Crockpot Macaroni and Cheese, Baked Beans with Ground Beef, the Best Jiffy Cornbread, Roasted Baby Potatoes, Crockpot Green Beans, or Baked Potato Casserole.
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Pork Recipes
If you like this recipe, be sure to check out our entire section of pork recipes! Some reader favorites are:
BEST Air Fryer Country Style Ribs Recipe
Enjoy juicy and tender Air Fryer Country Style Ribs in less than 30 minutes! These boneless pork country style ribs are packed with BBQ flavor and they’re made with minimal effort.
Ingredients
- 2 Tablespoons brown sugar
- 1 1/2 teaspoons chili powder*
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 1 teaspoon cumin
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon fine sea salt
- 1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
- 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
- 2 pounds Country Style Ribs
- 1/2 cup smoky BBQ sauce (or your favorite, divided)
- Fresh diced parsley for garnish (optional)
Instructions
- Add the brown sugar, chili powder, onion powder, smoked paprika, cumin, garlic powder, fine sea salt, crushed red pepper flakes, and ground black pepper to a small mixing bowl. Stir together until well combined and there are no remaining clumps of brown sugar.
- Evenly coat each rib entirely in the rub (press/massage the seasoning into the meat so that it sticks to the meat during cooking).
- Preheat a 5 Quart air fryer at 370 F for 3 minutes.
- Place the ribs into the AF basket any way they fit with a small amount of space between them for air flow (you’ll probably have to place them upright on their sides).
- Cook the ribs at 370 F for 10 minutes. Use kitchen tongs to flip the ribs, then cook for another 10 minutes.
- Use tongs to remove the ribs from the air fryer basket. Brush the ribs with 1/4 cup of BBQ sauce. Place the ribs back into the air fryer and cook at 400 F for an additional 3-4 minutes (or until 145 F is reached on an instant read thermometer). Use tongs to remove from the air fryer and let rest for 5 minutes.
- Use a clean basting brush to coat with the remaining BBQ sauce, and serve!
Notes
*This is a spice blend that’s sold in the USA and Canada. It’s much milder than the pure chili powder that’s sold in the UK and other parts of the world.
Nutrition Information:
Serving Size:
1/5Amount Per Serving: Calories: 566Total Fat: 34.6gCarbohydrates: 18.3gFiber: 0.8gSugar: 14.7gProtein: 42.6g
Nutrition information isn’t always accurate.
If you’re looking for a quick and easy boneless country style rib recipe, these air fryer country style ribs are the perfect recipe for you! They’re tender, flavorful, and ready in only 30 minutes.
