Smoked Prime Rib

Prime rib is the ultimate centerpiece. It's big, bold and you definitely want it to come out perfect. It can feel like a big undertaking. After all, it's an expensive premium piece of beef, and you're usually making it for a special occasion. Keep reading for amazing results, with no stress.

When we take things slow with the right technique in the smoker, your prime rib will easily be the best you ever had.

Smoking might not be the first method that comes to mind when thinking of a prime rib roast. It's similar to the reverse-sear method for steak that restaurants use: cooking it at a low temperature in the oven and then finishing it under the broiler for that flavorful crust. Once you try it in the smoker, there's no going back. The extra flavor is mouth-watering.

The goal is to infuse amazing smoke flavor while perfecting medium-rare beef from edge-to-edge, with an amazing crusty exterior.

9 Keys to the Perfect Smoked Prime Rib

1. Buy quality beef. Minimum USDA Choice grade.
2. Start early. Prep the roast and season heavily and early (24 to 48 hours ahead of time). This allows the salt to fully penetrate all the way through, rather than just seasoning the surface. It will produce deeper flavor and juicier more tender bites.
3. Remove the rib bones to season, and tie them back on for cooking, if desired.
4. Keep the flavors simple. This is the ultimate premium piece of beef when it comes to flavor, and you pay for that, so you don't want to cover it up with a marinade or strong flavors. You can add a garlic and herb paste to the outside, but we're keeping it simple with salt, pepper and the amazing flavor of the smoke. You won't be disappointed.
5. Temper the meat prior to cooking by letting it sit out on the counter for 2 to 3 hours.
6. Use a remote-probe meat thermometer so you know exactly when it is ready to remove from the smoker and always cook to temperature rather than by time.
7. Cook it to medium-rare, which is the optimal doneness for prime rib. Avoid overcooking by removing at the designated "pull temp," which is about 10 degrees lower than the desired finished temperature.
8. Don't skip the 30-minute rest! This gives the roast time to re-absorbed the juices so they don't run out upon slicing.
9. Slice as needed. Keep it juicy by only slicing what will be served immediately.

Useful Tools & Equipment

• Butcher twine - Use it to tie the roast into a uniform shape, or to tie the bones back onto the roast.
• Remote probe thermometer - Remotely monitors the internal temperature of the roast and your smoker so you don't have to keep checking on it.
• Thermapen instant-read meat thermometer - Use it to spot-check and verify the internal temperature.
• Sheet pan + rack - For seasoning the roast.
• Wood chunks or pellets - Oak is
• Slicing knife

Buying a Rib Roast

A rib roast is a bit of an investment, so here are some tips for picking out the best one.

Most "Prime Rib" Probably Isn't Prime Grade

The "prime" in the name actually stands for "primal" rather than having to do with the beef's grade. A USDA Prime grade rib roast is next-level flavorful and tender, but USDA Choice will work just fine for this and will save you a boatload of money. I've done both and of course, Prime is superior, but I've been super happy with the results using USDA Choice grade.

Prime rib has many names, which can confuse things even more: standing rib roast, rib roast or prime rib roast. And when it's sliced and used as steaks, it's actually a ribeye steak that could be boneless, bone-in or a Tomahawk steak with the long rib bone attached. And there's even a "ribeye filet" cut that has the fat cap removed.

Bone on Bone Off; does it matter?

There's usually a debate on whether the rib roast should include the bones or not. They are sold both ways and my preference is to buy boneless.

Why I prefer boneless:

• The bones are not going to add extra flavor to the roast as it cooks.
• The roast will cook less evenly with the bones on.
• The bones get in the way of seasoning all the way around the roast.
• You can’t sear the meat where the bones are, which means less crusty delicious flavor all the way around.
• The bones aren’t free. Even if a bone-on roast costs less per pound, you are still paying for the bones.
• They make it a little more difficult when it comes to carving the roast and will need to be removed at the end anyway. 

If you can’t find boneless, that's totally fine. You can easily remove the bones yourself, or you can just have your butcher do it for you. Smoke the bones separately and enjoy as beef rib bones or make beef stock. Either way, it’s going to be great. 

A variation on the Cooking Method

Cooking rib roast sous vide first (usually for 24 hours) and then finishing it in the smoker is another great option for perfect results. Get the recipe for Smoked Sous Vide Prime Rib. 

What Wood to Use

The subtle flavors of oak go so well with beef. Post oak wood chunks are available online, and some brands also have oak pellets. Another great option is hickory, which is a great choice by itself, or it can be used in combination with oak and/or fruit wood. Anything that isn't overpowering will work great. We're just trying to add a subtle smoke flavor that complements the beef.

Amount: Use 2 to 3 wood chunks for a charcoal smoker. Adding more will increase the smoke flavor, which you can do if desired, but I like to keep it subtle with prime rib.

Learn more about choosing the best woods for smoking meat.

Key Temperatures and Times

Medium-rare is the desired doneness (130 to 134° F finished internal temperature). It's that iconic perfect reddish-pink throughout. Please be extremely careful not to overcook it. If someone wants their slice cooked more, you can serve them the end piece (also super delicious) or just cook their slice more in the oven or quickly sear it in a skillet. 🙂

A note about carry-over and pull temps: When you cook a large piece of meat, the temperature will continue to rise after you remove it from the heat source (the smoker), which is called carry-over cooking. If you don't pull the meat earlier than the desired finished internal temperature, then it will be cooked more than you were going for (aka, overcooked). That's why we have a specified "pull temp" that is different from the target finished temp.

For a prime rib roast, the carryover will be around 10 degrees for this large piece of meat, so that needs to be factored in so you don't overcook it. The amount it rises will vary depending on the size of the roast and the cooking temperature.

Doneness	Pull Temp (10 to 15 degrees before target temp)	Target Finished Temp (after resting and searing)
Rare	110-110° F	120-129° F
Medium-Rare	118-124° F	130-134° F
Medium	125-133° F	135-144° F

The approximate cook time for a 7-pound roast: 3 to 4 hours (about 30 minutes per pound)

Cook to temperature and not by time. Because of all the variables that determine how long something takes to cook, you should always be cooking by internal temperature and not by how long it should take. Use a remote probe thermometer so there's no guessing and you know exactly when it's done.

Variables that change cook time: Starting temperature, size and thickness of the roast, if the bones are on or off, the smoker temperature and variability, the humidity, outdoor temp and about 10 other things. So again, use a meat thermometer and worry less about the time.

Pro Tips

• Start early. There is trimming and other prep work, plus the meat needs to be seasoned at least a day in advance. The roast will take up to three hours to temper (come down to room temp) after removing from the fridge before you even begin the roughly five-hour cooking and serving process.
• Season with about a teaspoon of Diamond Crystal kosher salt per pound. This is a big piece of meat; it can handle it. Have a look at my Salt 101 article about the differences between types of salt.
• Using a remote meat thermometer is a must.
• Rib roasts are expensive, but buy the best grade you can afford, and look for sustainable ranching practices, which signal high-quality meat.
• Use your butcher. There's enough to worry about when getting this big expensive piece of meat ready. Have them remove the bones, trim the fat and tie the rib bones back on if desired.
• Indirect heat is a must for even cooking.
• Always slice against the grain.

Perfect Sides

• Scalloped Potatoes
• Green Beans
• Yorkshire Pudding
• Creamy Mashed Potatoes

A Sauce to Bring It Together

Creamy horseradish is a wonderful cool contrast with a slight kick, au jus is classic with prime rib and can be made while your roast is in the smoker. It often includes the drippings, but I personally would omit them to give a non-smoke contrast to the meat. If you removed the rib bones, you could roast them and make homemade beef stock with them to use for the au jus or a red wine sauce. A rich bearnaise sauce is also wonderful with beef.

FAQs

Wine and Beer Pairings

Go big and bold with a wine pairing for this one. A hearty "big red" wine (like a Cabernet Sauvignon or Malbec) or a flavorful beer (like a Belgian brown or Flemish red) will complement the roast wonderfully.

More Beef Recipes

• Smoked Tri-Tip
• Smoked Brisket
• Smoked Sous Vide Prime Rib
• The Ultimate Grilled Ribeye Steaks
• Grilled Marinated Flank Steak
• Filet Mignon
• Skillet Ribeye Steaks