Smoked Prime Rib
26 Comments
Posted: 03/18/26
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Are you ready to impress your guests? If you are, then you need to make this delicious Smoked Prime Rib recipe! It’s a perfectly seasoned and smoked piece of beef. It’s the perfect addition to any holiday dinner and the smoker is the best way to cook prime rib.
If you love a great cut of beef and want to WOW your guests, a prime rib roast is the best choice. A perfectly cooked smoked prime rib is a showstopper at any meal! Slow smoking infuses the meat with the most amazing flavor and we have to tell you a little secret… Smoking prime rib is lot easier than you think!
Pantry staples come together to create a mouthwatering seasoning for this boneless prime rib recipe. Once you have nicely seasoned the prime rib, it goes into the smoker and your job is done. Smoked prime rib is a set and step away recipe which makes it easy for you to get your side dishes together.
why you’ll love this recipe
- Lots of herbs and spices impart the best flavor on this large cut of meat during its cook time.
- Smoking this beautiful piece of beef takes just under 4 hours, leaving you lots of time to prepare sides and have a drink with your guests.
- All you need is your roast and spices, that’s it! It is so simple to have a restaurant quality prime rib roast at home.
Ingredients for Smoked Prime Rib
- Prime rib roast – A 5-pound, boneless roast is used in this recipe. When choosing your roast, the grade makes a huge difference. The prime grade has additional marbling which gives it more flavor, tenderness and moisture from that rendering of fat. If your budget allows it, we recommend getting the prime grade, but if not grab the choice cut and you’ll still get amazing results.
- Seasonings – Ground black pepper, garlic powder, dried rosemary, onion powder, brown sugar, Kosher salt, and dried thyme leaves are all you need to enhance the flavor of this delicious cut of beef.
How to Smoke Prime Rib Roast
- Combine the seasoning in a small bowl. Apply rub all over the prime rib. You can do this while it is sitting out to come to room temperature.
- Place roast right on the grill grates of the smoker, fat side up and smoke until the internal temperature indicates your desired doneness.
- Remove the roast from the smoker and tent with foil. Allow to rest at least 15 minutes before slicing.
When Is Prime Rib Ready To Eat?
- Rare: 120-125 degrees Fahrenheit
- Medium Rare: 130-135 degrees Fahrenheit
- Medium: 135-140 degrees Fahrenheit
- Well Done: 145 degrees Fahreneit or higher
How Many Minutes Per Pound Should I Smoke The Prime Rib?
About 30 minutes per pound for medium rare. Rely on your meat thermometer for checking the temperature. If you desire a doneness of medium then bump up your time to 40 minutes per pound at 225 degrees Fahrenheit.
Pro Tips
- Remember that this cut of beef is best cooked at a low temperature, don’t rush it.
- Remove the beef from the smoker when it is 5 degrees from your desired doneness because it will continue to cook as it rests.
- Use a mild flavored wood chip such as apple, cherry, oak or pecan for a mild, slightly sweet flavor that isn’t overpowering.
- When purchasing your prime rib from the store, count on about 1 pound of meat per person. If there are a lot of small eaters, like children, 3/4 pound per person will be enough.
This is the perfect meal to serve at holidays and is a very common dinner option for Thanksgiving, Christmas and Easter. Due to the fact that’s an expensive cut of meat a lot of people save this indulgence for the holiday season.
Did you make this? If you snap a photo, please be sure tag me on Instagram at @gimmesomegrilling or #gimmesomegrilling so I can see your grilling masterpieces!
Smoked Prime Rib
Delicious, seasoned Prime Rib made on your Traeger electric pellet grill for a delicious holiday dinner! Perfect recipe for entertaining!
Equipment
Ingredients
- 5 pounds Prime rib roast Boneless, tied back
- 1 Tablespoon ground black pepper
- 2 teaspoons garlic powder
- 2 teaspoons dried rosemary
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- 2 Tablespoons brown sugar
- 2 Tablespoons kosher salt
- 2 teaspoons dried thyme leaves
Instructions
- Trim any excess fat from the top of the roast, down to about 1/4” thick.
- In a small bowl, combine ground black pepper, garlic powder, dried rosemary, onion powder, brown sugar, Kosher salt and dried thyme leaves. Rub the seasoning mixture all over the prime rib. Tie back prime rib if this is not done already with butcher's twine. Let sit at room temperature for one hour.
- Preheat your electric pellet grill according to manufacturers directions to 225 degrees Fahrenheit.
- Place the roast on the electric smoker fat side up and close the lid. Smoke until the internal temperature is 120 degrees Fahrenheit for rare or 130 degrees Fahrenheit for medium. This will take about 3 1/2 hours.
- Remove the roast to a cutting board and tent with foil. Allow to rest for 15 minutes. Remember it will continue to cook and rise an additional 5 degrees while it rests.
- Slice and serve.
Tips
Fridge: Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5-7 days. It will be best the next day. Keep it intact for storage rather than slicing it for best results. If there’s any leftover au jus, drizzle it over the top of the prime rib in the container.
Freezer: Prime rib can be placed in a freezer safe container and frozen for up to three months. When ready to use thaw in the refrigerator overnight or 24 hours. We recommend slicing it so you can use a portion at a time.
Place leftover prime rib in a pan with a little beef broth or au jus and cover it with aluminum foil. Reheat slowly for best results on the stovetop or in the oven.
Nutrition Information
Calories: 690kcal (35%), Carbohydrates: 3g (1%), Protein: 30g (60%), Fat: 60g (92%), Saturated Fat: 25g (156%), Cholesterol: 137mg (46%), Sodium: 1497mg (65%), Potassium: 516mg (15%), Sugar: 2g (2%), Vitamin A: 15IU, Vitamin C: 0.4mg, Calcium: 25mg (3%), Iron: 3.4mg (19%)
Storage And Reheating
Fridge: Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5-7 days. It will be best the next day. Keep it intact for storage rather than slicing it for best results. If there’s any leftover au jus, drizzle it over the top of the prime rib in the container.
Freezer: Prime rib can be placed in a freezer safe container and frozen for up to three months. When ready to use thaw in the refrigerator overnight or 24 hours. We recommend slicing it so you can use a portion at a time.
Place leftover prime rib in a pan with a little beef broth or au jus and cover it with aluminum foil. Reheat slowly for best results on the stovetop or in the oven.
How To Serve Smoked Prime Rib
The possibilities are endless with this deliciously smoky piece of beef. We love making Cheesy Potatoes for every holiday meal and the flavor from the smoker makes them even better. No more space on the smoker? Grilled Baked Potatoes are always light and fluffy and customizable with everyone’s favorite toppings. And don’t forget to offer some horseradish sauce on the side!
Mix it up with Smoked Mac and Cheese which the kids and adults alike will love. Plus a basket of Dinner Rolls is always a welcome addition to any holiday meal.
If you need a tasty appetizer, start the meal with BBQ Smoked Meatballs or Bacon Wrapped Grilled Asparagus.
More Smoked Beef Recipes
- Game day cookouts call for delicious Smoked Brisket to serve a crowd. Your patience will pay off when you dig into this tender brisket dish.
- Juicy and loaded with flavor, Smoked Burgers are sure to wow your family tonight. In only about 40 minutes, sit down to a delicious meal.
- Perfectly seasoned Beef Ribs are always a weekend request in our house. The spiced crust that forms on the outside is to die for.
- A simple flavorful marinade makes for a mouthwatering Flank Steak which is great for serving guests. It is a truly delicious choice for a protein.
marisa Almeida says
Posso defumar no forno?
Brooke Kill says
No realmente—los hornos no producen humo de verdad. Puedes asarlo en el horno y luego añadir sabor ahumado con especias, humo líquido o terminarlo en la parrilla.
Brenda says
If I am smoking a ten pound prime rib would I just double the cooking time
Brooke Kill says
No need to double the time—larger roasts don’t cook in a straight line like that. For a 10 lb prime rib at 225°F, plan on about 5–6 hours (30–35 min per pound), but always go by internal temp, not time. Aim for 130–135°F for medium rare, and let it rest before slicing.
Scott says
This recipe is as good as we ever had. Easy and tastes amazing. Can’t go wrong. I’ll cook this many more times.
Courtney says
Definitely a favorite here too! So glad you enjoyed it!
Gert Fourie says
This recipe was perfect for my first big cut smoked. I smoked with Kameeldoring wood. Smoked 5 kg Prime Rib for about 7 hours at 110° C to internal temp of 63°C.
Courtney says
So glad you enjoyed it! Thank you for sharing!
Gert Fourie says
This recipe was perfect for my first big cut smoked. I smoked with Kameeldoring wood
Courtney says
Great to hear!
tony lang says
I cooked mine (7 rib roast) @ 250-255 until it reached 120 internal temp. Tented for 30 minutes then sliced with electric knife.
Truly turned out amazing…..
Megan Mitzel says
Awesome! Glad you enjoyed it!
Don Marks says
Does the 30 minute apply to an 18 pound, bone in prime rib roast?
Megan Mitzel says
Are you referring to the 20 minute rest time? It’s a good idea to let any cut of meat rest after grilling/smoking.
Lance says
Do you lay the roast directly on the grill or put it in some kind of roasting pan?
Julie Evink says
We laid it directly on the smoker grates!
Malinda Linnebur says
Can I come to your house for Christmas dinner, lol!?! We used to always have prime rib for Christmas when I was growing up and I sure do miss it!! Maybe if I can find one on sale I’ll have to make it, and I bet it’s even better smoked!!
Julie Evink says
Yes I’d love to have you 😉
Shadi Hasanzadenemati says
Gorgeous food and really delicious. I would love to make this for a fancy dinner!
Julie Evink says
It would be a hit!
Aimee Shugarman says
The perfect holiday dinner. Prime Rib is my favorite!
Julie Evink says
Such a popular holiday meal!
Danielle Green says
Wow does this prime rib look absolutely mouthwatering!
Julie Evink says
It was so delicious!
Melissa Howell says
Oh man, I hardly ever buy beef because it is so expensive and I usually seem to mess it up! But these are such great instructions that I think even I could be successful 🙂 Now I just need to get a smoker….
Julie Evink says
Low and slow is the key for a delicious Prime Rib!