BBQ Air Fryer Beef Ribs

I made these BBQ air fryer beef ribs in my Ninja Foodi Grill but you can make tender beef ribs in the Phillips Air fryer, or the Cosori air fryer, really any air fryer you have at home.

You will need to make a few adjustments for the size of your cooking basket with other air fryers. Beef short ribs are so succulent and juicy! Let me show you how to make them in your AIR FRYER.

I received this Ninja Foodi Grill/air fryer from Ninja Kitchens as part of an Instagram ad campaign I did last year and I’ve been using it weekly since I got it.

Watch the step by step BBQ air fryer beef ribs video.

What kind of beef ribs should I buy?

I use chuck short ribs for this recipe. Beef chuck short ribs have a nice chunk on meat on one side of the bone. These ribs are close to the shoulder of the cow and contain quite a bit of fat. You can also use plate short ribs for this recipe. Plate short ribs are evenly meaty all the way around the bone. Beef back ribs are delicious but not the best choice for this recipe. They are not quite as meaty because most of the meat near these bones is included in a prime rib roast.

The number of beef ribs you will be able to fit in your air fryer will vary by brand. I can fit nearly 5 pounds of bone-in beef ribs in my Ninja Foodi Grill with the air fryer basket removed. Use chuck short ribs that are between 2 and 1/2 and 3 inches long.

How do I season beef ribs for barbecue?

I use Montreal steak seasoning for this beef rib recipe. Recipes for Montreal seasoning vary but it usually contains coarse salt, pepper, and dehydrated garlic as well as red pepper flakes, coriander, and fennel seeds.

Before cooking generously season the beef ribs with 2 tablespoons of Montreal seasoning or you can simply use 2 tablespoons of coarse kosher salt, 1 teaspoon of fresh cracked black pepper, and 1 teaspoon of dehydrated garlic.

What’s the best way to tenderize beef ribs?

To get tender beef ribs it’s best to cook them for a long time wrapped in foil. Wrap the seasoned beef ribs in a double layer of aluminum foil to seal in all of the juices and steam. Be sure to wrap the ribs well so no juices or fat escapes during cooking. Watch the video above to see how I do it. Cook the beef ribs in your air fryer at 350 degrees for about 2 hours or until the meat is tender. Put oven gloves on then carefully remove the foil packet of meaty goodness from the air fryer.

Should I put sauce on my beef ribs?

If you like barbecue sauce on your beef ribs this is the time to add it. Turn the heat up in your air fryer to 375 degrees. Carefully open the foil packet (the steam can burn you), remove the ribs from the foil and place them into the air fryer basket. Brush the ribs with your favorite barbecue sauce and air fry 2 minutes per side to get the sauce glazed and baked on to the ribs. Sometimes I air fry my ribs without sauce just to crisp up the outside of the meat.

Can you cook pork ribs in the air fryer?

ABSOLUTELY! I like to cook baby back ribs in my air fryer as well as country-style pork ribs in the air fryer. Both styles of pork ribs com our tender and delicious in the air fryer.