This recipe was updated 12/15/25. While I quite enjoyed the original version, I made the seasoning a bit simpler and added beef tallow which is a great addition.
Prime Rib is the ultimate holiday meal and it is soooo good on the smoker. If you want an easy and delicious way to smoke prime rib perfectly every time, I’ve got you covered.
Not only is this recipe foolproof, but it’s got amazing flavors too. If you follow this method you’ll have a deliciously browned crust and tender, flavorful meat that is done to perfection.
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With a few simple tried-and-true methods, we’ll be achieving 3 main objectives:
1. Perfect Edge to Edge Doneness
If anyone is familiar with my tomahawk steak recipe, you know I’m a huge fan of the reverse sear. That is, starting out at a low temperature (225 °F in this case) and then finishing at a high heat for a beautifully browned and delicious exterior.
The reverse sear is especially effective on a large piece of meat like our rib roast. It is the key to avoiding a large outer band of grey, overcooked meat.
2. Tender and Flavorful
We’ll start with an overnight dry brine with kosher salt (and some other seasonings) The salt will draw moisture to the surface of the meat at first, but that moisture will slowly get sucked back into the meat, taking the salt with it.
That salt will not only flavor the meat inside, but it will also tenderize it. That’s the magic of the dry brine.
This step also helps us achieve our last goal which is….
3. A Delicious Crusty Exterior
Our overnight dry brine will give us a perfectly dry exterior to start with. Less moisture means more browning.
I use beef tallow when I put the meat on and again before the searing phase. This, combined with some classic herbs and spices create the most amazing flavors during our high-heat searing phase.
The end result will have you and your guests eating way too much because it’s THAT good.
How To Reverse Sear a Prime Rib
The reverse sear will be the key to getting a perfect doneness, but it’s not exactly the same as cooking a steak.
We’ll start by smoking the rib roast indirectly until just under your desired serving temperature.
Because we are cooking at such a low temperature (anything between 225° F and 250°F is fine), there won’t be much carryover cooking, if any.
IMPORTANT TIP: Because we are still going to sear the meat for 15 minutes on high heat, you’ll want to take your prime rib roast off the smoker 5 degrees under your desired final temperature. Since I want 130° F, (a.k.a. the perfect temp) I take mine off at 125° F internal.
Once your prime rib roast is 5 degrees under your desired serving temp, remove it from the heat and rest it for 30 minutes. This will give it time for the juices to redistribute and also give you time to raise your cooking temp to 450-500 °F
After resting for 30 minutes and your cooker is up to searing temp, place the prime rib roast back on indirect heat for 15 minutes.
If your grill or smoker is hot enough, that will be plenty of time to develop a delicious, crusty exterior thanks to the maillard reaction, but not too long where the outer edges of the meat inside will overcook.
While the smoker gets fired up, let’s cover a few more essentials.
Smoked Prime Rib FAQ
How long to smoke prime rib?
We’ll be shooting for a cooking temp of 225 °F. While there’s always variables in live fire cooking such as weather, ambient temperature, different grills/smokers, etc., a good rule of thumb is that it will take approximately 35 minutes per pound for medium rare.
What kind of wood to use when smoking beef?
No matter which wood you choose, more smoke is definitely not better when it comes to prime rib. A little smoke adds a nice bit of extra flavor. Too much smoke can easily ruin this beautiful and expensive piece of meat. I like to use a couple small to medium sized pieces of fruit wood like apple or cherry. If you prefer, any of the medium-intensity woods such as hickory, oak, or pecan would be fine.
How much prime rib per person?
You probably don’t need 1 lb per hungry adult, but that’s my rule of thumb. Nobody is going to complain if there’s leftovers and prime rib is one of those special meals that people find room for.
Can I use a boneless rib roast?
Absolutely. Some people prefer to buy boneless prime rib or have their butcher cut them off. Contrary to popular belief, the bones aren’t going to add much flavor, if any. (This is a huge piece of meat) The benefit of the bones are that they can help protect the meat from overcooking, and they can make an impressive display. I personally prefer boneless rib roasts. They cook evenly, they are easy to cut, and the reverse sear method makes the cook pretty much no-fail anyway.
As with all live fire cooking, accurate temperatures are critical for success. A multi-probe thermometer, as well as an instant-read handheld are the perfect tools to get internal and cooking temp readings. These affordable options are what I use.
If you’re making smoked prime rib and you want perfect, NO-FAIL results, look no further! This recipe for smoked prime rib is EASY and produces tender, juicy meat, with a delicious crusty exterior every time.
Prime Rib Seasoning (double everything but the salt if your roast is over 7 lbs)
Kosher Salt (1 Tablespoon per lb)
2 Tablespoons Garlic Powder
2 Tablespoons Fresh Rosemary (very finely chopped) see note 2
1 Tablespoon Cracked Black Pepper
Instructions
Dry Brine (6 to 24 hours before cooking)
See above for more information on dry brines. This process results in juicier, more flavorful, and more tender meat
If your prime rib has a fat cap, I would remove all but a very thin layer and score the remaining fat or if there’s no fat cap, score any visible fat with a sharp knife.
Mix the salt, pepper, garlic, and rosemary until well incorporated. Season all sides of the rib roast liberally until all the seasoning is used. Place on a wire rack uncovered in the fridge.
The Cook
Preheat your grill or smoker to 225 °F (anything between 225 and 250 is fine)
When your grill or smoker reaches 225° F, spray all sides generously with beef tallow and begin smoking your prime rib roast over indirect heat
Insert a temperature probe in to the center of the prime rib roast
When your prime rib roast is 5 degrees under your desired serving temp, carefully remove it from the smoker and place on a cutting board to rest for 30 minutes (see note 3)
While the roast is resting, raise the cooking temp to 450° F or 500° F if possible.
After resting for 30 minutes, spray with tallow again and place the prime rib roast back on the smoker (indirect heat) to sear for 15 minutes
Remove from the grill or smoker and serve immediately or rest for up to 30 more minutes if your guests are not ready to eat just yet
Notes
This recipe works for any prime rib roast from 2 to 7 ribs. The seasoning was made for an average sized roast (7 lbs) so you may need a bit less for a smaller roast, or more for a very large roast.
Please use fresh rosemary vs. dried if at all possible. The difference is night and day.
We are cooking a large piece of meat at a low temperature, so there’s very little carryover cooking while resting.
If your smoker requires the use of wood chunks, I suggest using one or two small chunks, totalling about the size of your fist or less. More smoke is not better when it comes to prime rib. Fruit woods are good or medium intensity woods like hickory, oak, or pecan would do nicely.
I am so excited abo0ut this recipe! My mother in law loves prime rib (and me too of course), so I’ll be making it again this year. I never smoked it, so I’m going for this. Your recipes always turn out so good!
I am so excited abo0ut this recipe! My mother in law loves prime rib (and me too of course), so I’ll be making it again this year. I never smoked it, so I’m going for this. Your recipes always turn out so good!
This is a great recipe! The directions are easy to follow and very helpful! Thank you for sharing this!