The secret to the most flavorful smoked prime rib isn’t just in the cooking – it’s in the 48-hour dry brine that happens before your roast ever meets smoke. This essential first step, often overlooked in standard recipes, ensures deeply seasoned, perfectly tender meat from edge to edge.
After testing countless rib roasts in our outdoor kitchen, we’ve found that this extended dry brine, combined with a pellet grill, simplifies the smoking process, providing a consistent temperature ideal for flawlessly cooking such a substantial piece of meat. Our method takes the mystery out of smoking this premium cut, guaranteeing a stunning pink center and a flavorful crust every single time.
Ingredients for Smoked Prime Rib
- Prime rib roast (a 7-8 lbs bone-in standing rib roast)
- Kosher salt
- Oil
- Roast seasoning (SPG Blend or steak seasoning)
- Compound butter (we use our roasted garlic compound butter)
- Creamy horseradish sauce (for serving)
Substitutions
- SPG Blend: You can substitute with any custom blend of salt, pepper, and garlic powder or your favorite dry rub suited for beef. We also love GirlsCanGrill Brisket blend on big cuts of beef.
Which Prime Rib to Buy?
Grade: This is the most important factor to a tender, juicy prime rib (well that, and not over cooking it). Pay close attention to what the label says for the USDA grade of beef; this indicates the marbling of the meat. We’ve tested every grade of beef for prime rib and will only buy Prime or Choice. These are more expensive than Select but for holidays and special occasions, it’s worth it. American Wagyu is the top-tier choice, but it will also cost the most.
How much prime rib per person: Generally, it’s one ‘bone’ per person, but we aim for 1/2 pound per person for a realistic measurement of how much meat anyone will actually eat. And besides, no one hate’s prime rib leftovers.
How to Make Smoked Prime Rib on a Pellet Grill
- Dry Brine the Prime Rib: Season liberally with kosher salt and refrigerate on a wire rack for 24-48 hours.
- Prep the Pellet Grill: Preheat to 250°F, filling the hopper with your chosen pellets.
- Season the Prime Rib: Rub with oil and your chosen seasoning.
- Smoke the Prime Rib: Place the roast on the pellet smoker, close the lid, and smoke until the internal temperature reaches 130-135°F for medium rare, about 2½ to 3½ hours.
- Rest and Serve: Let the prime rib rest tented with aluminum foil after topping with compound butter. Slice and serve with creamy horseradish sauce.
girl Carnivore Tips for getting the most out of your pellet Grill
- Temperature Monitoring: Use a meat probe with ambient temp to ensure the prime rib cooks to the perfect doneness without overcooking. Prime rib is at its best served at an internal temp of medium, which will have the edges more done than the center, giving everyone the chance to get their favorite bite.
- Enhancing Smoke Flavor: Pellet grills will never produce as much smoke flavor as a traditional smoker. Our trick? Add hickory or even mesquite wood chunks on the grill grates in the back hot corners of your pellet grill to intensify the smoky flavor, and use charcoal pellets, like our favorite Jack Daniel’s pellets, for a little taste of authentic smoke.
- Note, we normally wouldn’t recommend mesquite for prime rib, but since it’s a pellet smoker, you won’t get as deep a flavor as a charcoal grill.
- Herbaceous Bonus: During the last hour, basting the meat with an herb-basting brush of fresh herbs like rosemary and thyme will go a long way.
How to Serve a Smoked Prime Rib Roast
Serve the smoked prime rib alongside mashed potatoes, creamed leeks, a pile of duck fat fries, or a light salad to complement its richness. The creamy horseradish sauce adds a sharp contrast that cuts through the fat, balancing each savory bite or check out our other sauces perfect for prime rib.
What Wine to Pair with Smoked Prime Rib
A robust red wine such as Cabernet Sauvignon or a Shiraz pairs beautifully, offering a robust body that stands up to the rich flavors of the meat.
How to Store & Reheat
Refrigerate leftovers in an airtight container or wrapped tightly in foil for up to 4 days. Reheat slices gently in a low oven covered with foil to retain moisture.
To reheat, place in a 275°F oven covered with foil until just warmed through, typically about 20-30 minutes, depending on thickness. Use leftover prime rib in anything you want, from diced up into omelets and scrambles to epic sandwiches, stir-fries, pasta dishes, and even soups.
More Smoked Prime Rib Recipes
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Dry brine the prime rib:
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Start by removing the prime rib from the package and pat it well with paper towels.
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If the fat cap is over ¼”, trim off any unnecessary fat with a sharp knife.
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Then season the prime rib liberally on all sides with kosher salt.
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Set the prime rib on a wire rack over a baking sheet and place it in the fridge for 24 to 48 hours.
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The color of the meat will get dark red and dry on the outside of the beef as it rests in the fridge.
Prep the pellet grill:
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When ready to smoke, remove the prime rib from the fridge and let it rest at room temperature for 1 hour.
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Meanwhile, add pellets to the auger of the pellet smoker.
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Preheat your pellet smoker according to the manufacturer’s directions, allowing it to smoke, and then preheat to 250 degrees F.
Season the prime rib:
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Rub the rib roast with oil and sprinkle a coating of the roast seasoning all over the prime rib.
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When the pellet grill has preheated to 250 degrees, place the prime rib on the grill grates and close the lid.
Smoke the prime rib:
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Allow the prime rib to cook on the smoker until it reaches an internal temperature of 130 – 135 degrees F, for medium, with a digital meat thermometer in the thickest part of the roast, about 2 ½ to 3 ½ hours.
Rest, Slice, and Serve:
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When the roast reaches your desired internal temp, carefully remove it from the grill and transfer it to a rimmed wooden cutting board.
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Top it with the compound butter and tent with foil.
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Let it rest for 10 minutes, and remove the butcher’s twine
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Using a long, sharp knife, cut the roast from the bones, using the curve of the bones as a guide for the blade of your knife.
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Then slice the roast into individual servings, about ½ to 1” thick, depending on your desired serving size.
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Serve the smoked prime rib immediately with creamy horseradish sauce on the side for topping.
- Cook to temp, not time: Use a meat probe with ambient temp like the Thermoworks RFX for the most accurate internal temp on your prime rib. Make sure the meat probe is inserted into the thickest part of the roast and that the thermometer isn’t touching the bones.
- Account for carryover cooking: as the prime rib rests, it will continue to rise in heat about 5 to 7 degrees.
- How to get more smoke flavor on a pellet grill: Because pellet grills never get as much smoky flavor as traditional grills, we use Jack Daniel’s charcoal pellets in our Traeger grill and place a couple of hickory chunks in the back hot corners of the grill to produce more smoke flavor.
Serving: 1serving | Calories: 1007kcal | Carbohydrates: 2g | Protein: 43g | Fat: 91g | Saturated Fat: 38g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 4g | Monounsaturated Fat: 39g | Trans Fat: 0.2g | Cholesterol: 204mg | Sodium: 178mg | Potassium: 740mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 0.1g | Vitamin A: 190IU | Vitamin C: 0.1mg | Calcium: 73mg | Iron: 6mg
