The Ultimate Smoked Prime Rib Recipe | Hey Grill, Hey (2024)

Smoked prime rib is always the crowning glory of every holiday table. Slow-smoked for amazing flavor and then flash-roasted for a rich exterior crust, my method for smoked prime rib ensures perfect results every time!

What is a Prime Rib Roast?

A rib roast is a large cut of beef that comes from the primal rib of the cow. The entire cut contains 7 rib bones and a lot of marbled, tender muscle and can weigh up to 30 pounds.

The label “prime” rib roast refers to the fact that this cut comes from a whole primal muscle, not necessarily the grade of the meat. Prime is typically the highest grade available at your butcher or big box warehouse. Most grocery store butchers carry the next grade down, which is Choice, and below that, you will see Select grade beef. These lower grades are still technically “prime rib” and most recipes you’ll see treat them the same.

What Grade Prime Rib Should I Buy?

The grade of beef makes a BIG difference in your final product, with Prime grade having additional marbling which means more flavor, tenderness, and moisture from that rendering fat. It also means a big difference in the final price of your roast. If you’ve got a big budget and are willing to pay the extra cash, go for the Prime grade and treat yourself!

If you purchase a Choice grade roast, you will still have outstanding results, so don’t fret or overthink it. The magic of this recipe is in the method and the final product will still be amazingly delicious and tender. Choice-grade prime rib will still give you a delicious roast and not cost you (as much of) an arm and a leg as Prime grade beef.

I usually stick with Prime and Choice grade beef when I’m cooking a fancy roast like this, but if your budget is on the lower end, a Select grade roast will work just fine, though it may not be as tender or flavorful as the other grades.

How Much Prime Rib Per Person?

When preparing prime rib for a sit-down dinner, plan on 1 pound of prime rib per person.

By planning on 1 pound of uncooked prime rib per person, you’ll ensure you have enough meat after any necessary trimming and volume lost during the cooking process. It will also leave you with enough meat left over for sandwiches the next day.

If this amount seems like a lot for each person, that’s because it is. Prime rib is an indulgence, and you want your guests to feel well-fed when they leave the table. If you have kids you are counting when calculating how much prime rib per person, you can decrease the total amount you buy knowing that children will likely eat a bit less.

Ingredients for Smokes Prime Rib

Here’s what you’ll need to make this smoked prime rib roast. This recipe is very simple.

• 10-pound prime rib roast
• 1/2 cup horseradish mustard
• 2 Tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
• 4 cloves minced garlic
• 1 Tablespoon coarse kosher salt
• 1 Tablespoon freshly cracked black pepper

Quick note: Adjust the amount of salt and pepper in this recipe as needed to fully cover the roast on all sides.

How to Smoke a Prime Rib

Now that you have your prime rib roast selected and your ingredients are ready to go, let’s get this beef in the heat! Here’s how to smoke a prime rib.

1. Preheat. Fire up your favorite smoker and preheat to 225 degrees F with your favorite hardwood for beef.
2. Trim and season. Combine mustard, Worcestershire sauce, and garlic in a small bowl. Slather the entire roast with the mixture then season liberally with salt and pepper.
3. Smoke. Place the seasoned roast on the grill grates of the smoker. Close the lid, and smoke until the meat reaches 120 degrees F for Rare, 125 degrees F for Medium Rare, or 130 degrees F for Medium.
4. Rest. Remove the roast to a cutting board, cover it with aluminum foil, and rest for 20 minutes. Increase the temperature on your grill to 400 degrees F.
5. Sear. As soon as your smoker reaches 400 degrees F, place the prime rib back on the smoker and smoke until the meat reaches your preferred doneness (130 degrees F for Rare, 135 degrees F for Medium Rare, or 140 degrees F for Medium).
6. Rest and enjoy. Remove the prime rib from the smoker and allow the meat to rest for around 15 minutes before serving.

How Long to Smoke Prime Rib

It takes approximately 35 minutes per pound to smoke prime rib to Rare doneness with the smoker running steady at 225 degrees F.

If you like your prime rib closer to Medium doneness, plan on 40 minutes per pound at 225 degrees F.

It is key to track the temperature of the meat while it cooks on the smoker so you can remove it when it hits that perfect juicy doneness. I like to use an instant-read meat thermometer to check my temperatures as the meat cooks. You’ll also want to allow at least 30 minutes of rest time and another 15 minutes for the high-heat sear before serving when calculating how long it will take to smoke prime rib from start to finish.

More Prime Rib Recipes

If you’re looking for other delicious prime rib recipes to try out this holiday season, I cannot recommend these more. Both are extremely flavorful and juicy. Click on the links below to head straight to the recipes.

• Prime Rib on the Grill
• Garlic Butter Smoked Prime Rib

Smoked Prime Rib Recipe

Follow the recipe, and let’s make some really good food! If you loved this recipe, please leave it a 5-star review and sound off in the comments section below!

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This post was originally published in December 2017. We recently updated it with more information and helpful tips. The recipe remains the same.