Learning How to Reheat Ribs in the Air Fryer is so EASY. Leftovers come out hot, juicy, and tasty with this method of warming them up. We love ribs & over the years I've perfected the quickest way to warm up leftovers in these simple steps that I am sharing here.
Why this the Air Fryer to BEST Way to Reheat Ribs? Warming up pork, lamb, or beef ribs by slowly bringing them up in temperature versus a full recook, the meat will remain moist and flavorful. This is the #1 recipe for reheating leftover or pre-cooked ribs.
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Ingredients
The main ingredient is obviously the leftover beef, pork, or lamb ribs. You can reheat them easily within 3 days of storing them in your refrigerator. This works for bone-in baby back ribs or even when reheating my my beef short ribs recipe.
Prepping Instructions
Remove the leftover ribs from the refrigerator. They are not ready to go into the air fryer immediately.
Why do this? This ensures the meat around the bone gets warm too. Otherwise, it may be cold, and/or the surface meat with dry out or burn.
How Long to Reheat in the Air Fryer
It doesn't take long to reheat ribs by air frying them. It only takes between 8-12 minutes - so they do not dry out (don't over cook!)
It only takes a few minutes in any brand or model; such as your Consori, Ninja, or Breville. See the chart a few sections down for the estimated cooking times for reheating different types & sizes of ribs in the air fryer.
- Set the air fryer to 350° and set the timer for 8 minutes.
- Preheat & then add ribs in a single layer with space between each rib so hot air can circulate.
- The ribs will be done when an internal thermometer reads 165°. You want to check the meat close to the bone, not the bone itself.
Hint: For saucy bbq ribs, do not add more sauce to the ribs before warming them up. This is the same tip I suggest when Reheating Chicken Wings in the Air Fryer.
Once the ribs come out of the air fryer, sauce them at that time. If you add sauce before reheating, it will not only make a mess but the sauce will burn and be unappetizing.
Cooking Times for Reheat Ribs
Based on the size and type of ribs you are reheating the cooking times will vary. Once you set the air fryer to 350° you may need to alter the cooking times to one of the below.
Here are estimated cooking times by rib types for reheating in the air fryer.
- Baby Back Ribs - 8 minutes
- St. Louis Style / Spareribs - 12 minutes
- Country-Style Ribs - 10 minutes
- Large "Dinosaur" Beef Back Ribs - 12 minutes
- Beef Short Ribs - 8 minutes
- Flanken Thin Short Ribs - 5 minutes
- Lamb Riblets - 5 minutes
Top Tip
Do not walk away when reheating the ribs, stay near the air fryer. This way you can watch to make sure you do not overcook them. Every machine will reheat differently.
The size and thickness of the ribs may mean that you will need to cook the ribs a bit more or a bit less. Use the recipe below as a guide.
Storage
Can you refreeze ribs that have been cooked? Yes, you can safely freeze cooked leftover ribs. Place them in an air-tight container or Ziploc bag. Store for up to 30 days in the freezer.
FAQ
Once the ribs are frozen, you can thaw them out in the refrigerator for 2 days. Once defrosted, you can reheat them easily. You cannot reheat them from frozen, so thaw them safely before warming them up. Reheat the ribs in the air fryer.
Too high of a heat or cooking for too long in the air fryer is the likely reason. Or you cooked them straight from the fridge while cold which can cause the meat to seize up.
I refer a lower temperature so not to burn/char and overcook the ribs. If you like a crusty meat edge, air fry at 400°F for 5 minutes.
How to Reheat Ribs in the Air Fryer
Equipment
- air fryer
Ingredients
- leftover ribs
Instructions
- Preheat the air fryer to 350°. Set the timer for 8 minutes. This is the recommended time for baby back ribs. ** See the table in notes for a list of times based on types of rib & size.
- Optional - spritz them with a bit of water or apple juice from a spray bottle. This will help add a bit of moisture and create a bit of steam in the air fryer once they begin to reheat.
- Place them in a single layer on the air fryer tray or basket. Keep a bit of space between them so they can get hot on all sides.
- The ribs will be done when an internal thermometer reads 165°. You want to check the meat close to the bone, not the bone itself.
- When they are done, carefully remove them from the air fryer with tongs and place them on a platter. Optional - Add barbecue sauce to your liking. Enjoy immediately!
Notes
- DO NOT over cook them or they will dry out, check the temperature for doneness (internal temp of 165°F at the most)
- Remember to bring them to room temperature a bit vs cooking straight from the cold fridge.
- Only add more sauce after reheating or the sugars/BBQ sauce will likely burn.
- Baby Back Ribs - 8 minutes
- St. Louis Style / Spareribs - 12 minutes
- Country-Style Ribs - 10 minutes
- Large "Dinosaur" Beef Back Ribs - 12 minutes
- Beef Short Ribs - 8 minutes
- Flanken Thin Short Ribs - 5 minutes
- Lamb Riblets - 5 minutes
Other Reheating Tips
Here are some similar recipes for how to make the most of reheating leftovers:
Bob says
This was easy and turned out great.
Angela says
So happy to hear that. Thank you for the review.
Anthony says
Reheated in just minutes and they were not dry. Best way to make leftover ribs to enjoy on the bone. I used to cut the meat off and microwave but never again.
Angela says
I am glad this is much better. Ribs are meant to be on the bone so this reheating method sounds like it is just right for you.