Air Fryer Beef Short Ribs
Whether you’re looking for a satisfying weeknight dinner or a delicious weekend indulgence, these air fryer beef short ribs fit the bill.
They need just a few ingredients to make and come together in under 30 minutes in your Air Fryer.
Beef short ribs are cooked to tender, juicy perfection and are teamed up with an insanely delicious, savory barbecue sauce.
I love making these and pairing them up with my favorite cauliflower mashed potatoes.
Air Fryer Beef Short Ribs Recipe
Ingredients Needed
Beef short ribs: You’ll need beef short ribs, which come from the lower portion of the rib cage, which is towards the front of the animal.
Olive oil: Olive oil helps make the meat moist and tender when you’re air frying it.
Barbecue sauce: You can use any brand of barbecue sauce. Choose your favorite!
Salt and pepper: And of course, don’t forget to season the short ribs with salt and pepper.
****SALTYPOT NOTE: At the bottom of this post you’ll find a fully printable recipe with all the exact amounts and directions to make this recipe perfect every single time.
How to Make Beef Short Ribs in the Air Fryer
Step #1: Trim and clean the beef short ribs
Step #2: Season with salt and pepper and coat with olive oil.
Step #3: Place in preheated Air Fryer basket and cook
Step #4: Coat them with barbecue sauce in the last 5 minutes of air frying.
Tips & Variations
- Remember not to overcrowd the Air Fryer basket with too many short ribs. Leave a little space between each of them to allow that nice caramelization.
- Also, make sure you flip the ribs midway through the cooking time.
- You can experiment with different seasonings- not just salt and pepper. Try using garlic and onion powder, smoked paprika, and even some curry powder would be delicious!
- To prep the dish in advance, you could also marinate the ribs and refrigerate them for a few hours. Marinating them in extra barbeque sauce would be tasty, or even try mixing your seasonings with a bit of olive oil and rubbing the ribs with it, then letting it marinate in the fridge for a few hours.
- Remember to let the air-fried beef short ribs rest for a few minutes before you serve them. This will help all the juices distribute evenly through the meat.
- If you don’t want to use your Air Fryer, you can cook them in the oven too. Look in the recipe card below in the notes section for detailed directions to cook these in the oven.
Choosing Sides to Serve
My favorite way to serve these Air Fryer beef ribs is to team them up with potatoes in any form. I like them with my crispy air fryer smashed potatoes, boursin mashed potatoes or my crock pot baked potatoes, but I think they would work pretty well with veggies like carrots (like my hot honey roasted carrots) too!
Second Act
If you have some more short ribs left over, you can trim the meat off the bones, and utilize it in other recipes.
Try turning the meat into a delicious filling for yummy beef sliders, tacos and quesadillas (teamed up with some pickled red onions of course).
You could also use the meat to make some hearty slow-cooker beef barley soup during the chilly winter months.
Storage Ideas & Suggestions
If you have any leftovers, you can refrigerate them for up to 4 days. Use an airtight container for best results.
You can then reheat this in the microwave or the Air Fryer- depending on your personal preference and what you’re using them in.
Did you try making these air fryer beef short ribs? Do you have any questions about the recipe? Please leave your thoughts and questions in the comments below and I’ll do my best to answer them ASAP. Thank you again for stopping by The Salty Pot and I hope you have a fantastic day!
~Joanne
Air Fryer Beef Short Ribs Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 pound of beef short ribs
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- Salt and pepper to taste
- 1/4 cup of your favorite barbecue sauce
Instructions
- Clean and remove any large amount of fat on the ribs. Pat dry with kitchen towels to remove any excess moisture that may get in the way of getting the ribs crispy on the outside.
Drizzle with the olive oil evenly and season the ribs with salt and pepper. If you want to add extra seasoning, now is the time to do so. - While you're preparing the ribs to air fry, preheat the fryer to 350F (180C). This step really helps the ribs cook evenly, as well as shortening the cooking time.
- Place the ribs into the air fryer basket. Be sure to leave room around each rib in order to not crown the basket.
- Air fry the ribs for approximately 25 - 30 minutes, depending on the thickness of the ribs. Flip the ribs halfway through the cooking time to ensure even crispiness and cooking of the ribs.
- In the last 5 minutes of cooking, liberally coat the ribs with your favorite BBQ sauce. If you prefer more of a 'char' on the ribs, add the sauce with about 8 minutes remaining. Again, remember to flip them on all sides while cooking to gain the crispiness on all the ribs.
- It's a good idea to let the ribs rest for a few minutes to redistribute the internal juices.
Notes
- Remember not to overcrowd the Air Fryer basket with too many short ribs. Leave a little space between each of them to allow that nice caramelization. Packing the ribs in too tightly will only make them steam and prevent them from developing caramelization.
- Also, make sure you flip the ribs midway through the cooking time. You want the heat to reach all the surface areas.
- To prep the dish in advance, you could also marinate the ribs and refrigerate them for a few hours. Check the body of the post for marinade ideas.
- Remember to let the air-fried beef short ribs rest for a few minutes before you serve them. This will help all the juices distribute evenly through the meat.
OVEN DIRECTIONS: Start with your oven preheated to 275F, cover the ribs in aluminum foil, and cook them for about 3 hours. Then, take off the foil and broil the ribs on low for a couple of minutes before serving.
Nutrition Information:
Yield: 4 Serving Size: 1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 497Total Fat: 29gSaturated Fat: 12gTrans Fat: 2gUnsaturated Fat: 17gCholesterol: 113mgSodium: 879mgCarbohydrates: 29gFiber: 1gSugar: 23gProtein: 29g
All nutritional information is based on third-party calculations and is only an estimate. Each recipe and nutritional value will vary depending on the brands you use, measuring methods, and portion sizes per household.
