Smoked Prime Rib Recipe

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This smoked prime rib roast is the the best way to elevate your next holiday meal, no matter the season! Made on a Traeger or Pit Boss pellet grill (or other electric smoker), this cut of beef is slow cooking at a low temperature until it's a perfect medium rare, juicy, flavorful and pink from edge to edge. It's the ultimate, showstopping holiday dinner dish!

Y'all, the year is flying by and all the food holidays are approaching quickly! Turkey may be for Thanksgiving, but prime rib is definitely for the others! So I knew I had to share this amazing smoked prime rib recipe, perfect for Christmas in July.

The smoke flavor gets to penetrate the rib roast during its 3 hour stint in the pellet smoker, so you get a subtle smoke ring and perfectly juicy medium rare ribeye steaks with NO GRAY RING.

No fussing, no mess, no crazy compound butters (unless you wanna serve it with one!). She's a total winner.

Now I know, it seems like the smoking process is only for those big BBQ guys who have been pit smoking meat since they were three and are a fifth-generation master pit boss, but this recipe is simple enough that any home cook will have no problem impressing anyone they present this magnificent 'roast beast' to!

Pro Tips for Buying A Rib Roast

A rib roast is a cut from the primal rib section of the cow and a whole seven-bone rib roast weighs about 20 pounds. It's a huge roast of unbutchered ribeye steaks with a trimmed fat cap.

But unless you go online or to your local butcher and order a whole rib roast, it's unlikely you'll find one at your local grocery store.

During the holidays you'll find the whole rib roasts cryovac-sealed at bulk stores Costco or Sam's Club, and your local grocery store will have the smaller roasts (3-8 pounds on average) available around big 'eating' holidays like Easter, Thanksgiving, and Christmas.

Rib roasts are found three different ways at the store and this is where you'll choose how you want it: as a boneless prime rib roast with the ribs removed, a standing rib roast with the ribs removed but tied back on with butcher's twine, or a bone-in rib roast with the rib bones still completely intact with the beef.

We bought ours bone-in, and I have tips on how to cut the bones off. It's surprisingly simple!

When purchasing a smaller rib roast, ask for the cut closest to the chuck. It's larger and more well-marbled compared to the ribs that are near the loin.

Before buying, ask your butcher to cut off any excess fat from the top fat cap. Tell them to leave about ¼ inch of fat, because you want that fat to absorb all that smoky flavor and those lovely spices, so when you buy the roast don't scalp it naked!

Prime Rib versus Rib Roast

What's the difference between prime rib and a rib roast? They're actually the same beef cuts, but the difference is their grade.

A prime grade rib roast is extremely well-marbled with fat throughout the muscle, not just the fat cap.

But that doesn't mean you should discredit a choice rib roast! No, not at all. They, too, have great marbling and are better priced. Why get one prime rib when you can get two rib roasts...? And the final product still comes out just as delicious and moist!

And then make amazing sandwiches with all the leftovers.

Decisions...

Ingredients

A rib roast. We had a 6.20 pound rib roast, bone-in. It gave us plenty of leftovers as a family of three, but I've had 8 pound roasts work well when entertaining as well.

Seasoning. You can use whatever seasoning rub you like, though make sure it's not full of brown sugar like a bbq rub. You don't actually want a lot of strong flavors taking away from that smoked prime rib flavor. We used garlic powder and onion powder, plenty of kosher salt, and tons of coarsely ground black pepper.

Optional Baste. I know a lot of people use compound butters to make a 'butter crust', but we decided on a simple, yet flavorful basting solution of a little worcestershire sauce, bourbon, and apple cider vinegar. It gives the roast a bright taste that enhanced its smoky flavor.

Wood Pellets. The smoke is definitely considered an ingredient here, don't take it lightly. Using the right wood pellets for this cut of meat is important, I find mesquite to be overpowering here, so apple, pecan, cherry, and even hickory pellets work well here.

How to Smoke a Rib Roast on a Pellet Smoker

Fill your pellet hopper with your chosen hardwood pellets. Preheat your smoker to 250 degrees F and season your rib roast.

Season the entire roast liberally, you want the entire outside of the roast covered in that dry rub.

You don't have to prep the meat with a long dry brine process, you can trim the fat (as needed), season, and get it on the smoker when it's ready.

But for me and my house #teamExtra, we are going to dry brine the prime rib roast overnight in the fridge uncovered. Nekkid, y'all. To let the seasoning dry out that surface and get a really nice dark color when it smokes.

Place the roast on the grill grates bone side down and stick the probe thermometer right into the center of the roast.

Smoke the roast for one hour in the closed smoker, then come back and quickly spray that basting solution all over the rib roast before closing it back up. Spray as often as every hour. It's optional, yes, but it adds flavor.

Once the internal temperature of the roast reaches 120 degrees F. Pull it out to let it rest for at least 20 minutes before slicing up and serving.

Carving a Bone-In Prime Rib

Let's talk about carving your smoked prime rib into tender, perfectly cooked ribeye steaks.

If you have boneless rib roast or a standing rib roast where the butcher removed the bones then tied them back on, don't sweat the carve. Use a sharp knife to slice steaks that are ½ an inch thick and serve them!

But for a bone-in roast...

Hold it so the bones are sticking upward, then take a sharp knife and run it down between the bones and the roast. Stay as close to the bones as possible and continue down the bones until you reach the other side.

Other Great Holiday Main Dishes

Whole Lobster. I break down how to steam OR boil a whole lobster, as well as how to dispatch it and shell it all in one post.

Million Dollar Roasted Chicken. This is a fantastic dish that zhushes up a simple roasted chicken and elevates it with a brush of aleppo pepper-spiced créme fraiche. It's bougie, it's it's absolutely delish, yet so easy to make.

Insanely Tender Eye of Round Roast Beef. If you have a sous vide machine, my recipe will give you filet mignon tenderness from this tough, affordable cut of beef. It's a reader-favorite for any holiday!

Spatchcocked Turkey. Thanksgiving's saving grace! This is the juiciest, most foolproof turkey you'll ever eat that won't take all day to roast in the oven. Another holiday reader favorite that has adorned many a Thanksgiving table.

Buttermilk Southern Fried Chicken. Fried chicken is a dish that is near and dear to many southern cooks. With it's juicy well flavored meat and stained-glass shatteringly crisp crust, it's not a surprise it shows up on many a holiday table. It's even a Christmas staple in Japan!

Tips for the BEST Smoked Prime Rib

Let the seasoning really soak into the fat for great flavor. Fat is a flavor medium, it soaks in flavors! Let the roast rest with the seasoning for at least an hour, but if you can let that prime rib sit on a wire rack in the fridge overnight to dry out the surface and let that seasoning really give some impact.

Let your prime rib rest after cooking for at least 15-20 minutes on a cutting board under a tent of aluminum foil. You really want to keep the meat juicy, but cutting it as soon as you're done will make all that juice run right out and all over your board.

Best Side Dishes for Smoked Prime Rib Roast

During the holidays I serve a smoked rib roast with my grandmama's southern candied yams, my soul food mac and cheese (which has over 2 THOUSAND rave reviews, by the way!), and slow cooked southern green beans. Don't forget the cornbread and yummy yeast rolls, either! We like to keep it real classic and cozy.

During the summer, things are totally different. We're having those classic summer foods like my mama's fast and easy southern baked beans, my fresh and sweet strawberry lemonade, bright and delish lemon garlic asparagus, warm butter lobster rolls, and my favorite strawberry salad. A cookout for the ages!

FAQ

More beef recipes

• Easy Smoked Tri Tip
• Overnight Smoked Beef Brisket
• Oven Braised New England-style Pot Roast
• Churrasco Grilled Skirt Steak with Chimichurri Sauce

Smoked Prime Rib Recipe

By: Eden Westbrook

5 from 10 votes

Cook ModePrevent your screen from going dark

This smoked prime rib roast is the the best way to elevate your next holiday meal, no matter the season! Made on a Pit Boss or Traeger pellet grill (or other electric smoker), this cut of beef is slow cooking at a low temperature until it's a perfect medium rare, juicy, flavorful and pink from edge to edge. It's the ultimate, showstopping holiday dinner dish!

6 servings

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Ingredients 

• ▢ 1 6 pound bone-in prime rib roast

Beef Dry Rub

• ▢ 2 tablespoon kosher salt
• ▢ 2 tablespoon black pepper, coarsely ground
• ▢ 1 tablespoon garlic powder
• ▢ 1 teaspoon ground sage
• ▢ 1 teaspoon ground rosemary

Basting Solution

• ▢ ½ cup worcestershire sauce
• ▢ ¼ cup apple cider vinegar, or lemonade
• ▢ ¼ cup good bourbon

Instructions 

• Fill your pellet hopper with your choice of hardwood pellets.
• Stir together all the dry rub ingredients in a small bowl and mix all the basting ingredients together in a spray bottle.
• Season the entire rib roast liberally with the dry rub on all sides, you want the entire outside of the roast covered in that dry rub.
• OPTIONAL: place the seasoned rib roast on a wire-rack lined baking sheet and let dry brine in the fridge, uncovered, overnight.
• When ready to cook, Preheat the pellet smoker to 250 degrees F. Place the seasoned rib roast onto the smoker's grates and stick the probe thermometer right into the center of the roast.
• Smoke the rib roast for one hour. Then come back and quickly spray that basting solution all over the rib roast before closing it back up. Spray as often as every hour. It's an optional step, but it adds so much flavor.
• Once your probe thermometer reaches 120-122 degrees F for medium-rare (while the meat rests, it'll rise in temperature) take it out. For our 6 pound bone-in rib roast, it took a little over 3 hours to reach an internal temperature 122 degrees F.
• Let the smoked rib roast rest for at least 15 minutes before slicing ½ inch steaks with a sharp knife to serve it for dinner.

Last step!Be sure to snap a pic and share on Instagram #sweetteaandthyme and tag me at @sweet_tea_thyme so we can all see!

Recipe Notes

how to carve a smoked prime rib roast

If you've got a boneless rib roast, don't worry about carving. Slicing steaks for your guests is all you have to do.

Same with a standing rib roast that has already had the bones carved away but tied on, just snip the twine and remove the bones for gnawing on later.

But if you have a bone-in roast, here's how to carve it:

Hold it so the bones are sticking upward, then take a sharp carving knife and run it down between the bones and the roast. Stay as close to the bones as possible and continue down the bones until you reach the other side.

tips for the best prime rib

• Let your roast shake the chill of your fridge off and come to room temperature for an hour before cooking.
• Let your prime rib rest after cooking for at least 15-20 minutes on a cutting board under a tent of aluminum foil. This will keep the meat juicy when you cut into it for serving.

Nutrition Information

Serving: 1g, Calories: 83kcal (4%), Carbohydrates: 6g (2%), Protein: 3g (6%), Fat: 3g (5%), Saturated Fat: 1g (6%), Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g, Cholesterol: 10mg (3%), Sodium: 1280mg (56%), Fiber: 1g (4%), Sugar: 2g (2%)