Smoked Prime Rib

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Seasoned simply, then smoked and roasted to perfection with a garlic butter finish, this prime rib is juicy, tender, and worthy of being your holiday meal centerpiece.

Prep Time15

Cook Time4

Rest Time30

Total Time4 45

Course: Main Course

Cuisine: American

Keyword: prime rib, prime rib roast, smoked prime rib, standing rib roast, Traeger Prime Rib

Servings:

Calories: 1464kcal

Author: Rachael

Equipment

1 Pellet Smoker I use a Treager and used Pecan pellets
1 Meat probe or Instant Read Thermometer I use Meater, which has a convenient app

Ingredients

8 lb 4-Bone Prime Rib Roast 8-10 Lb
5 Tablespoon Prime Rib Rub or Make your own

Butter Finish

1/2 cup Unsalted butter
1 Tbs Minced garlic
1 tsp Dried parsley
1/2 tsp Kosher salt

Instructions

Take the prime rib roast out of your fridge, and set on the counter to allow to come up to room temperature for about 30 minutes to an hour. This will help the roast cook more evenly.
When ready to cook, set the Traeger or Pellet Smoker temperature to 250℉ and let it ignite. When smoke is coming out, shut the lid and preheat with the lid closed for 15 minutes or so. You should see some blue smoke, and the temperature should remain steady.
While the grill preheats, trim any excess fat off the roast if needed. And tie the bones on if the butcher did not do this for you. Excess fat is if there is any fat over 1 inch in thickness. Otherwise, leave fat on the roast, as it will render as it cooks and baste and flavor your roast as it cooks.
Now, either make your own prime rib rub by combining salt, pepper, thyme, and rosemary in a bowl, or use a pre-made prime rib rub. I like the Traeger Prime Rib Rub. Then rub it all over the roast. If it is not sticking well, use a teaspoon or so of oil, rubbed over the roast to act as a glue.
Insert a meat probe or meat thermometer into the center of the roast, avoiding the bones and any large pockets of fat. I recommend the Meater brand probe, which connects seamlessly with an app, making cooking and monitoring the temperature easy.
Place the roast directly on the pre-heated grill, grill grates, bones down, close the lid, and leave it alone. Let it cook until the internal temperature reaches 115℉, about 3 1/2-4 hours. ** Remember, do not cook based on this estimated time, rather use a meat thermometer to get the best results, this is not a cut of meat you want to take chances with.
When roast reaches 115℉, remove the roast from the grill and place on a baking sheet, and cover with foil. Let it rest for 20 minutes.
While the roast rests, increase the Traeger temperature to 450°F and preheat with the lid closed. Then make your butter bath by melting butter and stirring in the garlic, salt, and dried parsley.
When the 20 minute rest time is up, brush your roast with the butter bath and return the roast to the grill. Be sure your meat probe is in place so you can continue to monitor the internal temperature.
Close the lid, and cook your roast an additional 10-15 minutes, rotating halfway, until the internal temperature reaches 125°F for medium-rare or your desired temperature.
Remove the roast from the grill and cover with foil, let rest for 30 minutes, the temp will rise about 5 degrees during this time, so keep this in mind when selecting the temp you cook your roast to.
Once it has rested 30 minutes, remove the string, and bones, slice and enjoy.

Notes

Pick your Temp: The roast will increase in temp about 5-10 degrees during the rest period, so depending on your desired doneness, adjust accordingly. Rare is 115°F , Medium-Rare 120-125°F , Medium 130-135°F
Let The Butcher Do the Work: If I can save myself time by letting the butcher do the work, I will. So, buy your prime rib with the bones cut off (by the butcher) but tied back on. This saves you loads of work, but still produces the best results.
Leave the Fat: The fat gives your roast flavor. Only trim fat it if exceeds an inch. Your butcher should have already done this for you. So leave it unless it is excessive, as you pay a lot for that flavor from the fat, so don't cut it all away.
Rub It: There is some debate on how to get the best flavor on a prime rib, but I can tell you, use a rub. The roast is too big to marinate and get proper flavor throughout, and injecting it can lead to a dried out prime rib from moisture loss. So, rub it and cook on your pellet smoker.
Use the Right Tools: Get an instant read thermometer and use a PROBE for keeping an eye on the internal temperature. The probe will help you monitor the cook so you stay on top of it, and the instant read thermometer will give you even more accurate results. The best way not to ruin prime rib roast is to cook it to the right temperature. So, invest in a good meat probe. I love the Meater brand. And a good instant read thermometer. I love Thermoworks, specifically the Thermapen One.
Rest It: Let it rest. Resting the rib roast allows the juices to re-distribute and gives you the most tender, juicy roast. I know it can be so tempting to dig in early, especially because it is going to look and smell amazing. Don't do it! Do NOT skip this step.

Nutrition