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.

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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!

Smoked brisket recipe

Easy Smoked burgers

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.