
Whether you're planning a holiday meal or a dinner party, smoked prime rib roast is a great option. This delicious roast is perfect for Thanksgiving, Christmas dinner or any gathering, offering a rich smoky flavor and tender, juicy meat.
What is prime rib?
Prime rib, also called standing rib roast, is a large cut of beef from the rib section, prized for its tenderness, flavor and marbling. When sliced, it's the same cut as a ribeye steak, making it a favorite for those who enjoy rich, flavorful beef.
Often reserved for special occasions, prime rib is typically roasted and reverse-seared to create a flavorful crust.

The term "prime rib" refers to the cut of beef, not necessarily its grade. While USDA Prime is the highest grade of beef known for its marbling and tenderness, you can also find prime rib labeled as USDA Choice or USDA Select, which are lower grades.
Ingredients needed for this recipe:

1 prime rib roast
Dijon mustard
Kosher salt
Black pepper
Smoked paprika
Onion powder
Mustard powder
Granulated garlic
Dried rosemary
Dried thyme
Preparing the prime rib for smoking.
1. Dry Brine the Roast.
Start the cooking process the night before by using a dry brine. Pat your prime rib roast dry with a paper towel, then season the entire roast with kosher salt. Place it on a wire rack in your fridge, uncovered, overnight. This step helps to create a nice crust and tenderize the large cut of beef.

2. Bring the Roast to Room Temperature
On the day of cooking, remove the prime rib roast from the fridge and let it sit on the cutting board, until it reaches room temperature (about 1-2 hours). This allows for more even cooking throughout the thickest part of the roast.
3. Preheat and Prepare Your Pellet Smoker
Set your pellet grill or smoker to 225°F. If you have second rack on the pellet smoker, you can use it to place the prime rib on top and a foil pan underneath to catch the drippings.
4. Season the Prime Rib Roast.
Combine black pepper, garlic powder, onion powder, dry mustard, smoked paprika, thyme and rosemary to make your seasoning for the roast. No additional salt is needed as the prime rib has plenty from the dry brine process.

Then, cover the prime rib with dijon mustard and season the entire prime rib on all sides, with the seasoning you just put together.

5. Smoke the Prime Rib roast.
Place the prime rib roast fat side down on the smoker. The smoking process will take several hours. A rough guide is 30 minutes per pound, but you'll want to monitor the internal temperature of the roast using a digital meat thermometer.

6. Target Temperature and Reverse Sear
Your prime rib recipe will achieve the best results by hitting an internal temperature of:
- 120-125°F for medium rare
- 130°-135 F for medium
- 140-145°F for medium well
Remember, that large pieces of meat will continue to cook and increase in temperature as they rest. Sometimes large cuts such as a prime rib roast will rise in internal temp as much as 10-15 degrees.

7. Finish Cooking with a High Temperature Sear
Once the roast reaches 115 degrees, I remove it from the grill and increase the temperature of my smoker to 400 degrees. Then, I place the roast back into the smoker until it reaches 125°F.
Once the prime rib rests, it will temp around 130-135°F, giving me the medium rare doneness I'm looking for.

Resting.
It is extremely important to rest your prime rib for at least 20-30 minutes before serving. This will allow the muscle fibers of the meat to relax and the juices to redistribute. The result of a good rest is just as important as the cooking process.
Once the temperature of the meat reaches your desired doneness, remove the roast from the smoker and loosely wrap it in aluminum foil. Let the meat rest for 20-30 minutes.

Slice and Serve.
Use a sharp knife to carve the prime rib roast against the grain into ¼ slices. Serve with an Au Jus or creamy horseradish sauce (my favorite).
9. Store leftover Prime Rib.
If you have leftover prime rib, store it in an airtight container in the fridge for the next day or two. Reheat gently to avoid overcooking. It also makes for great sandwiches or sliders!
Try these beef recipes next time you're on the grill!
Grilled Ribeye steak with cowboy butter
Pro Tips for smoking prime rib:
- For the best way to ensure a tender and juicy roast, use prime grade beef and a reverse sear method.
- The entire time should be spent monitoring the roast with a digital meat thermometer for perfect prime rib.
- Smoking at lower temperatures gives the roast more time to absorb the smoke flavor.
Whether you're cooking for a special occasion or simply indulging in one of your favorite cuts of beef, this prime rib recipe will elevate your dinner party to the next level.
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Smoked Prime Rib Roast Recipe
- Total Time: 4 hours
- Yield: 6 1x
Ingredients
- 1 boneless prime rib roast (3-4 pounds)
- 3 tablespoons dijon mustard
- 2 tablespoons kosher salt
- 1 tablespoon black pepper
- 1 tablespoon smoked paprika
- 1 tablespoon mustard powder
- 1 tablespoon granulated garlic
- 1 tablespoon dried rosemary
- 1 tablespoon dried thyme
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
Instructions
- Season prime rib roast with kosher salt and dry brine overnight, in the fridge, uncovered.
- The next day remove prime rib from the fridge and pat dry any excess moisture with a paper towel.
- Lightly coat the entire prime rib in dijon mustard. Then combine the rest of the ingredients together to make the seasoning for the prime rib. Season the prime rib with the seasoning you just made.
- Smoke the prime rib at 225°F degrees, fat side up, until the internal temperature reaches about 115°F for medium rare or 125°F for medium. The prime rib will cook at about 30 minutes per pound.
- Once the prime rib reaches 115°F or 125°F (depending on your preferred doneness), remove it from the smoker and increase the temperature to 400°F. Place the prime rib back onto the smoker, and cook until it reaches an internal temperature of 125°F for medium rare or 135°F for medium. The high heat will help develop a crust on the meat.
- Loosely tent some foil on the prime rib and allow the meat to rest for 20-30 minutes before slicing ¼ inch slices across the grain.
- Cook Time: 4 hours






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