How To Reheat Ribs In Air Fryer?

If you like ribs as much as me, you might often find yourself with leftovers.

Ever since, I discovered the air fryer method of reheating ribs, deliberately making some extra has become a habit.

After numerous reheating attempts using different ways, I have concluded that air frying is the best way to reheat country-style ribs. It makes them taste moist, flavorful, and nothing like leftovers.

To reheat ribs in an air fryer, preheat it to 380 F. Add the leftover to the air fryer basket or rack. Cook the ribs for 5-12 minutes depending on the cut of the ribs, checking their doneness at regular intervals. Within less than 15 minutes, you will have a hearty meal to relish.

Steps To Reheat Ribs In An Air Fryer

How To Reheat Prime Ribs In An Air Fryer

STEP 1: Take out ribs from the refrigerator approximately 30 minutes before you intend to reheat them.

This allows them to reach room temperature, ensuring that even the meat around the bones warms up completely.

STEP 2: Preheat your air fryer to 380 F.
STEP 3: Place the ribs in the air fryer basket or tray in a single layer.

Depending on the size of the spare ribs, you can reheat as many as you want. If you have a tray-style air fryer, you can easily fit about 6-8 baby back ribs or beef short ribs. If using a small basket-style air fryer, you may only accommodate 4-6 country-style or spareribs.

If you are reheating already sauced ribs, use Parchment paper, silicone liner, or silicone basket to help with easy cleanup.

STEP 4: Cook the ribs for about 5-12 minutes, adjusting time depending on quantity, size, and thickness.
STEP 5: Lamb riblets may be warmed through in 5 minutes or even less, whereas thicker spare ribs may need longer.
STEP 6: To ensure your ribs are fully warmed, check the neat closer to the bone, and not the bone itself.
STEP 7: When they are done, remove them from the air fryer basket carefully using tongs or spatula.
STEP 8: Sauce them up with your favorite sauce when it is time to serve.

Cooking Time For Reheating Various Types Of Ribs

Refer to the guide below for adjusting time according to the rib’s cut. This approximate cooking time is applicable when you are reheating at 380F.

Baby Back Ribs: 8-10 minutes
Beef Short Ribs: 8-10 minutes
St. Louis Style / Spareribs: 10-12 minutes
Flanken Thin Short Ribs: 5-7 minutes
Lamb Riblets: 5-7 minutes
Country-Style Ribs: 8-10 minutes
Large “Dinosaur” Beef Back Ribs: 10-12 minutes.

Note: When setting the timer to reheat any type of ribs without drying out, start with a lower duration. You can gradually increase the time depending on the rib’s doneness level.

Reheating Ribs In An Air Fryer Vs Microwave

The main difference between reheating ribs in a microwave vs an air fryer lies in the quality of results and the total rewarming time.

While a microwave can reheat ribs in less than 5 minutes, this quick and hot cooking method tends to dry out the delicate meat around the bones.

That’s why microwaving is not recommended for reheating leftover food.

On the contrary, air frying is considered the best method for reheating ribs.

Air frying preserves the taste, and texture of the ribs, offering you juicy ribs with a deliciously crispy exterior and a moist, piping-hot interior.

How To Reheat Prime Ribs In An Air Fryer?

Similar to St. Louis-style spare ribs, prime ribs are also a bigger cut, however, it is taken from a cow.

Since prime ribs are large in size, they take longer to reheat. Additionally, because of their thickness, they are best reheated at lower temperatures.

Follow the below guide for reheating prime ribs.

Remover the ribs from the fridge, approximately half an hour before reheating.
Preheat the air fryer to 225 F.
Wrap the slices or the roast in aluminum foil to ensure the meat doesn’t lose excess moisture.
Add ¼th cup of broth inside the aluminum foil packet before sealing it shut.
Cook until the internal temperature comes to 165F on an instant-read meat thermometer. Start with a timer at 15 minutes initially.
Check the temperature every 10 minutes to ensure the ribs don’t overcook.
If reheating a large roast, you can check the internal temperature every 15 minutes.

Quick Reheating Recipe

Preheat time: 4-5 minutes
Reheat time: 5-12 minutes, depending on the thickness of the cut
Reheat temperature: 380 F

Ingredients

Leftover ribs: Beef, lamb, or any other ribs you have.
Barbecue sauce: to add in the end.

Equipment

Air fryer: Make sure you have a high-quality air fryer, such as the Ninja or Cosori, to achieve the best results.
Tongs or spatula
Parchment paper, silicone liner, silicone basket: Though optional, using these items can make cleanup easier.

Other leftover meals you can reheat in the air fryer:

Conclusion

Once you taste the convenience and efficiency of reheating ribs in an air fryer, you will never turn to using a skillet or microwave. The ability to enjoy fresh-tasting ribs even when they are a few days old is a good enough reason for preferring an air fryer over a microwave which tends to dry out the meat. The step-by-step guide for reheating ribs in an air fryer has been mentioned above; refer to it whenever you need to salvage your surplus ribs.