Many meat lovers will agree that prime rib or standing rib roast is among the most flavorful large cuts of beef. When we go to steakhouses for special occasions or celebrate holidays in our home, it’s one of the best meat cuts to enjoy. It’s naturally juicy, tender, and extremely flavorful. However, if you want to get the best out of the taste it can offer, then you have to smoke it as the professionals do.

Go For Quality

There are many things to consider to achieve a perfectly smoked prime rib. First is the beef quality, which is a significant determiner of the final taste. Therefore, look for a cut with additional marbling as it will have more flavor, moisture, and tenderness. If you fail to meet the standards for a high-quality prime rib, you won’t reach the maximum potential of the dish.

You can either go for bone-in or boneless, but bone-in can be more advantageous as it provides extra protection to the meat while you’re cooking it. It’s essential that you know that smoking a prime rib starts with selecting the roast, not seasoning it.

Trim the Fat

If you’re set with the measurement and quality of the prime rib, you can now start trimming it. There is naturally a thick layer of fat coating the meat cut, which won’t be a problem if you’re roasting it, but that’s not the case with smoking. It’s more ideal to expose the meat as much as possible to best absorb the smoky flavor. The fat cap will prevent even distribution, so it’s better to trim it away.

Decide on Seasoning

For the seasoning, you can go for either a dry or wet rub. For a dry rub, the most common method is to coat the prime rib first with olive oil and sprinkle salt and pepper. It will be savory enough, but you can also add rosemary, sage, or thyme if you want another layer of flavor. On the other hand, a wet rub is more preferable because it sticks to the meat better. You can achieve this by simply blending the herbs together.

Time to Smoke!

Once you’re done preparing the meat, all that’s left to do is to smoke it. The standard smoker temperature for prime rib is 225 to 240 degrees Fahrenheit or 107 to 116 degrees Celsius. You can browse from the different choices for wood bisquettes available at Bradley Smoker for the wood flavor. To best bring out the cut’s taste, go for a mild fruitwood, such as cherry, and avoid hickory or oak.

Afterward, you can place the trimmed and seasoned prime rib onto the smoker. It will take around 15 minutes per pound before it gets cooked to medium-rare. By the time the expected smoking duration has passed, the initial temperature should reach 135 degrees Fahrenheit or 57 degrees Celsius.

Only after that can you take the cooked prime rib out of the food smoker. Cover it in foil and let it rest for about half an hour for the meat to retain and even reabsorb the moisture, making the final product juicier. This will be more noticeable once you remove the foil and slice the roast.

If you bought a bone-in prime rib, remove the bones first. You can also opt not to do so since you can just carve them off regardless. However, it’s more presentable without bones and easier to cut as well. If it’s already boneless, you can proceed to cut it into the desired thickness. Present it however you like, and you can even serve it with your favorite side dishes.

Choose a Side Dish

There are many recipes for side dishes to choose from. For example, warm rosemary focaccia is delicious and perfect for soaking up the juices from the prime rib. There are endless possibilities for your smoked prime rib. You can also enjoy its tender, juicy, and smoky flavor along with red wine. Its savory herb notes will complement and enhance the prime rib’s taste, making your celebration even more special and memorable. As long as you closely follow the directions, you can even smoke prime rib like a pro.

For more great ideas on how to get the most of your Bradley Smoker, check out the awesome articles on our Bradley Smoker Food Smoking Blog for more tips & tricks.