For the ultimate special occasion meal, it doesn't get better than this impressive smoked prime rib roast! This beautiful piece of beef is smothered in a spiced garlic butter and then smoked until it transforms into the most succulent, melt-in-your-mouth tender meat. You can smoke it on an electric pellet grill, charcoal grill or gas grill — your choice. No matter how you smoke this flavorful prime rib, you have a guaranteed crowd pleaser that you'll want to serve every chance you get.
If the rib bones are not already cut away from the meat and tied back, take a knife and cut down the rib bones to separate the bones from the meat. Keep the knife as close to the rib bones as possible. Don't completely cut through the roast. Stop at the bottom of the ribs so that the ribs and meat open like a book.
Tie several pieces of kitchen twine horizontally and vertically around the roast to secure the two pieces together (see notes).
In a mixing bowl, beat together the softened butter, garlic cloves, smoked paprika, dried rosemary, kosher salt and black pepper until it becomes one cohesive mixture.
Rub the butter mixture all over the prime rib, including the sides, so that it's well-covered.
Place the prime rib on a 225-degree smoker with a water pan and a drip pan underneath. The roast should be fat-side up, standing on the bones. Insert a leave-in meat thermometer in the center of the roast. Close the lid.
When the internal temperature reaches 105-110 degrees F, remove the roast from the smoker and crank up this heat to anywhere from 400-450 degrees F. Place the prime rib back on the smoker to reverse sear and form a crust. Continue to cook until it reaches 5-10 degrees under your final desired temperature. Pull at these temperatures for these final levels: 115-120 degrees F for rare, 125-130 degrees F for medium rare, 135-140 degrees F for medium, 145-150 degrees F for medium well and 150 degrees F. For best results, don't cook it above medium rare for the most juicy, tender, flavorful meat.
Set the prime rib on a cutting board, cover with foil and allow the meat to rest for 20-30 minutes to allow the juice to redistribute to the meat. Carve and serve. Enjoy!
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Notes
For best results and more even cooking, set the prime rib on the countertop at room temperature for three hours before cooking.
If you don't want to bother with cutting the ribs away from the meat and tying the two back, ask your butcher to take care of this for you. It should be free of charge.
While this recipe calls for a bone-in prime rib, you can substitute a boneless prime rib. Likewise, you can use a small roast than specified. Just know it will require less cooking time.
Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to four days. To reheat, place in a baking dish with 2-3 tablespoons beef stock. Cover with foil and warm in a 250-degree F oven for 10-15 minutes. You can also freeze the leftovers for up to six months.
Leave the fat cap on the roast. This is a flavor maker. The exception is if the fat cap hasn't been trimmed. It should be about ¼-inch thick, but I find most prime ribs have already been trimmed.
Nutritional information is only an estimate. The accuracy of the nutritional information for any recipe on this site is not guaranteed.