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Tender and juicy Smoked Standing Rib Roast makes an unforgettable main course for the holidays and special occasions. Complete with a simple seasoning recipe, this is a gorgeous smoked prime rib roast with easy prep and a hands-off cook time. Let it sear for 3 hours for beautifully tender beef, then quickly sear it in a cast iron pan for the perfect crust. It’s easy and rewarding.
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Smoked Rib Roast
My family and I are big fans of prime rib, so I always try to make it at least once a year for Christmas dinner. I love coming up with new ways to cook a prime rib roast. Smoking a prime rib is easily one of my favorite ways to cook this gorgeous cut of beef!
I know firsthand how daunting it can be to cook a cut like prime rib but trust me when I say smoking prime rib is one of the easiest ways you can cook it. All you have to do is season it, set it in the smoker, and return to it later to sear it in a pan. It’s basically a slow cooker recipe with a reverse sear. As long as you check it with a handy meat thermometer, you’ve got this!
If you love prime rib as much as my family does, you’re going to want to smoke prime rib – believe me, it’s even more amazing than I can put into words. You have to try it for yourself to really understand how the smoky flavors elevate the juicy, tender beef and crisp, flavorful crust to a whole new level of deliciousness.
This was hands down the best prime rib I have ever made!
Billy on Pinterest
Smoked Prime Rib Recipe Ingredients
- Boneless prime rib
- Kosher salt
- Black pepper
- Garlic powder
- …Or any of your other favorite prime rib seasonings, like my rosemary salt seasoning blend!
When searing, you may even want to try adding some of my garlic butter recipes to the pan. Oh, it is delicious.
Smoking a Rib Roast
- Preheat the smoker to 285°F. Mix coarse salt, black pepper, and garlic powder in a small bowl, then evenly season your prime rib with the mixture. Coat the entire surface of the rib roast with the seasoning.
- While the smoker heats, let your prime rib rest outside of the refrigerator to come to room temperature. This should take about 30 minutes. Don’t skip this step!
- Once room temp and the smoker is heated, add the prime rib roast to the smoker and cook for 3 hours or until the internal temperature reaches 130°F as read by a meat thermometer.
- Heat a cast iron skillet over high heat. Sear each side of the prime rib for about 1 minute to lock in flavor and develop that beautiful crust.
- Let the roast rest for 10 minutes off the heat.
- After 10 minutes, slice against the grain with a sharp knife, serve, and enjoy! I love serving this delicious recipe with au jus, using beef stock, or red wine jus.
I love a good prime rib recipe made in the oven but when I tried smoking my prime rib, it took this recipe to a whole new level! I’m so excited to share the step-by-step instructions with all of you. Try it, I guarantee you will love the depth of flavors smoking creates!
Smoking Standing Rib Roast Tips
- A pellet smoker is a great choice for this recipe; try this Wood Pellet Grill and Smoker.
- If you have the time to let your roast rest for longer with the rub, let it sit overnight in the refrigerator after seasoning. The flavor will develop even more for an even better-smoked rib roast.
- Don’t skip out on letting your roast come to room temperature. This is important to ensure the roast cooks evenly throughout.
- A cast iron pan is best for searing, but if you don’t have one, use your best pan for searing meat.
- Heat-resistant gloves are important when smoking prime rib, especially when searing in a cast iron pan.
- You can add oil or butter to the pan when searing the meat if you like. I like adding garlic butter!
- You can play around with different spices for your liking. I have tried mixing paprika and onion powder. Worcestershire sauce also works great with this recipe.
- Always let your roast rest after cooking for at least 10 minutes.
- Always slice against the grain for best results.
Smoked Rib Roast FAQs
It is better to smoke than sear, for the best results. Smoke the beef rib to 5 degrees under your desired degree of doneness, then sear to lock in flavor and moisture. Let the beef rest, then slice and serve.
Hardwoods such as hickory, oak, or pecan are popular choices for smoking a prime rib but are too flavorful for some. If you like a lighter flavor when smoking, try a fruit wood such as cherry.
Just like a wood smoker or offset smoker, the best pellets for smoking beef depend on your taste, but generally, cherry wood pellets are perfect for smoking a prime rib. They add a lighter flavor than hardwoods such as oak.
Smoked Prime Rib Roast Temps
The best way to ensure a perfect cook is to use a meat thermometer and to monitor the internal temp of your beef before pulling it from the smoker. I smoked my 5-pound prime rib for 3 hours, but depending on the size of your roast, the time varies. If your roast is a different size, aim for about 20 minutes per pound and adjust depending on the internal temperature.
If you use a bone-in beef rib, plan on adding to the smoke time until you reach the desired internal temperature. Smoke prime rib until the internal temperature reaches 5°F below your desired degree of doneness:
| Rare Prime Rib | 125°F |
| Medium-rare Prime Rib | 135°F |
| Medium Prime Rib | 145°F |
| Medium-well Prime Rib | 150°F |
| Well-done Prime Rib | 160°F |
Prime Rib Recipes
- Slow Roasted Prime Rib
- Instant Pot Prime Rib
- Boneless Prime Rib Roast
- Standing Rib Roast
- Sous Vide Prime Rib
- Dry Aged Prime Rib
Try my prime rib recipes with my Prime Rib Seasoning!
Smoked Recipes
📋 Recipe
Smoked Rib Roast
Equipment
- Heat-resistant gloves
Ingredients
- 5 pound prime rib roast
- 2 Tablespoons coarse salt
- 2 Tablespoons black pepper
- 2 Tablespoons garlic powder
See our Cooking Conversions Chart for help converting measurements!
Instructions
- Preheat smoker to 285°F. Mix coarse salt, black pepper, and garlic powder in a bowl, then evenly season your prime rib with the mixture. Coat the entire surface of the rib roast with the seasoning.5 pound prime rib roast, 2 Tablespoons coarse salt, 2 Tablespoons black pepper, 2 Tablespoons garlic powder
- While the smoker heats, let your prime rib rest outside of the refrigerator to come to room temperature. This should take about 30 minutes. Don’t skip this step!
- Once room temp and the smoker is heated, add the prime rib roast to the smoker and cook for 3 hours or until the internal temperature reaches 130°F as read by a meat thermometer.
- Heat a cast iron skillet over high heat. Sear each side of the prime rib for about 1 minute to lock in flavor and develop that beautiful crust.
- Let the roast rest for 10 minutes off the heat. After 10 minutes, slice against the grain, serve, and enjoy!
Notes
- If you have the time to let your roast rest for longer with the rub, let it sit overnight in the refrigerator after seasoning. The flavor will develop even more for an even better smoked rib roast.
- Don’t skip out on letting your roast come to room temperature. This is important to ensure the roast cooks evenly throughout.
- A cast iron pan is best for searing, but if you don’t have one, use your best pan for searing meat.
- Heat-resistant gloves are important when smoking prime rib, especially when searing in the cast iron pan.
- You can add oil or butter to the pan when searing the meat if you like. I like adding garlic butter!
- Always let your roast rest after cooking for at least 10 minutes.
- Always slice against the grain for best results.
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