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My recipe for Smoked Prime Rib recipe is a show-stopping centerpiece with incredible flavor from a simple rub and just a few hours of smoking! After a quick sear, this perfectly tender roast has the most beautiful crust.
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- Smoked Prime Rib Recipe
- Smoking a Prime Rib Ingredients
- How to Smoke a Prime Rib
- Smoke Prime Rib Tips
- What is Prime Rib?
- How Long to Smoke Prime Rib
- What Temp To Cook Ribeye Roast
- Prime Rib on Smoker Temperature Chart
- How to Make Au Jus
- Smoked Prime Rib Recipes FAQs
- Best Prime Rib Recipes
- Smoked Beef Recipes
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- 📋 Recipe
- 💬 Reviews
Smoked Prime Rib Recipe
I love prime rib recipes. There is nothing like a juicy, tasty rib roast with a gorgeous sear. I have made this beautiful cut of beef in just about every way you can think of, especially for the holidays. I have to say, a smoked rib eye roast may be my favorite way to make it!
The flavor you get from smoking a rib roast is unlike any other, and oh, how tender and juicy it is! It’s just plain irresistible. Give it a try and I know you will want to find every excuse to smoke prime rib from now on.
Smoking a Prime Rib Ingredients
- Boneless Prime Rib
- Coarse Salt
- Black Pepper
- Garlic Powder
- Full recipe Prime Rib Rub, including step-by-step instructions on how to make the best prime rib seasoning.
How to Smoke a Prime Rib
- Preheat your Traeger or smoker to 285 degrees Fahrenheit. Sprinkle your prime rib with the prime rib rub. Be sure to cover every inch of the prime rib with the seasonings.
- Let your prime rib sit outside the fridge and come to room temperature. This will take around 30 minutes.
- Place on the smoker and cook for about 3 hours or until the internal temperature reaches 130 degrees.
- Heat a cast iron skillet to high heat and sear each side of the cooked prime rib for about one minute.
- Allow the prime rib to rest off of the heat for about 10 minutes. Slice against the grain and enjoy!
Smoke Prime Rib Tips
- Pellet smokers like this Wood Pellet Grill and Smoker are perfect for smoked beef recipes.
- Always slice against the grain for best results.
- The longer the rub is on your prime rib the better. In other words, you can put the rub on the night before and it will be even better.
- Heat-resistant gloves are a must when handling this recipe, especially during the searing stage.
- Using a cast iron grill pan is best if you want those gorgeous sear markings.
- You can add a bit of oil to your searing pan if you prefer. However, I don’t use oil. This is simply a preference.
What is Prime Rib?
Prime Rib is a cut of beef from the beef rib primal cut, prepared as a roast either bone-in or boneless. This beautiful cut of beef is juicy and tender, with rich flavor and plenty of marbling.
How Long to Smoke Prime Rib
I smoke a 5-pound rib roast for about 3 hours or until the internal temperature reaches 130 degrees. You will have to increase the time for largers cuts.
What Temp To Cook Ribeye Roast
285 degrees Fahrenheit for a beautiful outside crust, tender middle, and plenty of flavors in just 3 hours.
Prime Rib on Smoker Temperature Chart
| Doneness | Temperature | Appearance |
|---|---|---|
| Rare | 120-125°F | Bright reddish-pink throughout |
| Medium-rare | 130-135°F | Pink throughout |
| Medium | 140-145°F | Slightly pink at the center |
| Medium-well | 150-155°F | Mostly brown throughout, with some pink |
| Well-done | 150-155°F | Brown throughout |
For best results, always use a meat thermometer, and for more information, see our Prime Rib Temperature Chart.
How to Make Au Jus
- Place the roasting pan from cooking prime rib on the stove over low heat after removing the roast from the pan. If you prefer, you can also use a separate pan to cook the beef au jus.
- Whisk Worcestershire Sauce and Red Wine into the dish along with drippings from the beef. If using the original roasting pan, scrape up any brown bits from the bottom of the pan for extra flavor. A wooden spoon works best for this.
- Add Beef Broth or juices from the prime rib. Bring to a simmer. Serve hot with sliced prime rib, and enjoy!
Try my favorite au jus recipe! I serve it with all of my roast beef recipes. Get it here: Au Jus for Prime Rib
Smoked Prime Rib Recipes FAQs
Prime rib is from the same primal rib section as ribeye, but refers to the entire roast, while ribeye refers to a section of the roast cut into steaks.
½ pound per person.
My recipe serves 5-6 people.
Best Prime Rib Recipes
- Boneless Prime Rib
- Sous Vide Prime Rib
- Air Fryer Prime Rib
- Instant Pot Prime Rib Roast
- Dry Aged Prime Rib
- Standing Rib Roast
- Super Easy Prime Rib Recipe
- Grilled Prime Rib
Serve with Horseradish Sauce for Prime Rib and Au Jus for Prime Rib, or any of my Sauces for Beef Tenderloin, as well as my best Side Dishes for Prime Rib!
Smoked Beef Recipes
- Smoked Chuck Roast
- Smoked Tomahawk Steak
- Smoked Burgers
- Smoked Beef Brisket
- See all of our Best Smoked Beef Recipes!
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Smoked Prime Rib
Equipment
- Heat Resistant Gloves
- Cast Iron Grill Skillet
Ingredients
- 5- Pound Boneless Prime Rib
- Full recipe Prime Rib Rub
See our Beef Temperature Chart for helpful tips on cooking any cut of beef!
Instructions
- Preheat your smoker to 285 degrees fahrenheit. Sprinkle your prime rib with the prime rib rub. Be sure to cover every inch of the prime rib with the seasonings.
- Let your prime rib sit outside the fridge and come to room temperature. This will take around 30 minutes.
- Place on the smoker and cook for about 3 hours or until the internal temperature reaches 130 degrees.
- Heat a cast iron skillet to high heat and sear each side of the cooked prime rib for about one minute.
- Allow the prime rib to rest off of the heat for about 10 minutes. Slice against the grain and enjoy!
Notes
- Always slice against the grain for best results.
- The longer the rub is on your prime rib the better. In other words, you can put the rub on the night before and it will be even better.
- Heat resistant gloves are a must when handling this recipe, especially during the searing stage.
- Using a cast iron grill pan is the best, if you want those gorgeous sear markings.
- You can add a bit of oil in your searing pan, if desired. However, I don’t use oil. This is simply a preference.
Rosa R says
Hi, can I use a bone-in prime rib? And how long should I cook it in the smoker? This looks delicious and would love to make it next weekend.
Em Beitel says
Hi Rosa! Yes, absolutely, you can use bone-in. Go with the same cook time as boneless. I'm excited for you to try it - please let me know what you think!
Rick D says
Love smoked Prime Rib. I go 235 for 4 hours as I find the lower temp keeps it juicier. Just my humble opinion
I added your sear step this last time and it was great. Short time investment for a big flavor gain.
Em Beitel says
Thanks very much, Rick! We're glad you enjoyed it!
Bev says
5-star recipe here. This came out so delicious. I cooked at 300 degrees because my smoker doesn't do 285 degrees. So I planned to smoke for less time, which ended up being like 2 1/2 hours. The searing was the icing on the cake for this prime rib, loved the marks it left. Thanks for this super duper easy delicious recipe.
Em Beitel says
That is so awesome, Bev! Thank you so much for your comment - we are very happy you enjoyed it!