How to Smoke Prime Rib

HOW TO SMOKE PRIME RIB

Smoking prime rib follows a similar approach to preparing this beef roast in a kitchen. Here are the basic steps:

Season – Simple salt and pepper works well, but it’s easy to personalize prime rib with your favorite seasonings, herbs and aromatics.
Smoke the Prime Rib – Place the seasoned prime rib in the smoker at a low temperature (225°F to 250°F) and slowly smoke until done to your preference.
Rest – This provides time for the internal temperature of the prime rib to equalize. It also allows time for the juices to be reabsorbed.
Serve – Slice the rested prime rib and bring it to the table.

WHAT TEMPERATURE DO YOU SMOKE PRIME RIB?

Smoking is a process that uses lower temperatures to slowly cook the roast. This “low and slow” method is the essence of smoking. The target temperature to smoke prime rib is 225°F. This temperature provides a slow, efficient cook.

The lower the temperature, the longer the cook. 225°F provides a slow cook to impart the smoke flavor to the prime rib and keeps the cooking time reasonable.

HOW LONG DO YOU SMOKE PRIME RIB?

The time to smoke a prime rib depends on its size, whether it’s bone-in or boneless, your elevation and maybe the phase of the moon. In general, estimate 40 minutes per pound, so a six pound prime rib will take about 4 hours.

It’s important to cook to an internal temperature and not a specific time, so break out your thermometer to get the best results.

WHAT IS THE TARGET FINISHED TEMPERATURE TO SMOKE PRIME RIB

Use these temperatures to know when your prime rib is ready to remove from the smoker.

PREFERENCE	DESCRIPTION	INTERNAL TEMPERATURE
Rare	Red, cool center	110°F
Medium Rare	Red, warm center	120°F
Medium	Pink throughout	130°F
Medium Well	Pink center	140°F

HOW DO YOU SMOKE A BONE-IN PRIME RIB VS. A BONELESS PRIME RIB?

Smoking a bone-in prime rib is similar to a boneless prime rib. The time may vary slightly, but use the target temperatures to ensure your prime rib turns out to your desired finish. Bones in a prime rib protect the roast from the heat, however there is not a difference in the flavor despite a common belief to the contrary.

Be sure to smoke a bone-in prime rib with the bones down, toward the heat source.

HOW DO YOU SMOKE A BONE-IN PRIME RIB VS. A BONELESS PRIME RIB?

HOW DO YOU SMOKE PRIME RIB ON A PELLET SMOKER?

Smoking a prime rib on a pellet stove is an easy, point-and-shoot method. Simply follow these simple steps.

Set temperature to 225°F. For pellets, use a neutral like oak or fruit wood pellets like apple and cherry.
Season prime rib with salt and pepper, SRF Rosemary Roast Seasoning, or your favorite rub.
Place prime rib on the grill, close the lid and smoke until the roast reaches your desired internal temperature.
Allow prime rib to rest 20 to 30 minutes.
Increase pellet grill temperature to 450°F. When ready to serve, place prime rib on the grill for 5 to 10 minutes to sear the exterior to a golden brown.
Remove, slice and serve.