I, like most meat eaters, love a good prime rib. I have tried different oven cooking methods, including the one where you cook it at 500 degrees for about 20 minutes, then turn the oven off and let it cook for a couple more hours – just don’t open the oven door. I haven’t had much luck with that method as it’s hard to determine exactly when it will be done.
When I got a smoker, I decided to try my luck with smoking prime rib. It is now the only way I cook prime rib. It is an easy way to cook prime rib, plus I always know when it will be cooked to a perfect medium rare.
I also put a pan of Au Jus under the prime rib while smoking it. The seasonings and the juices drip into the Au Jus and add additional smoky tastiness to it.
Another bonus to smoking prime rib is it frees up your oven to cook any side dishes that you want with the Smoked Prime Rib.
Mix together the dry seasonings and put the beef stock in a pan. I by inexpensive foil pans that I use specifically for the smoker, but a metal pan will work too.
Rub the Worcestershire sauce around the outside of the prime rib and then the dry seasoning.
Now prepare your smoker according to the manufacture directions. I like to use hickory chips but use what flavor chips you like.
Set the smoker to 225 degrees and an internal food temperature to 140 degrees, and do a chip burn.
Put the pan of beef stock under the prime rib. This will catch any drippings from the meat and flavor the au jus.
Insert the meat thermometer into the thickest part of the meat. It’s ready to start cooking.
I put my prime rib in the smoker fat side up. This way the fat drippings drip down through the meat and help flavor the meat as it cooks.
Once the prime rib reaches 100 degrees, wrap it in Butcher Paper. I found mine on Amazon.
Put it back in the smoker and cook until it reaches 140 degrees.
Wrapping it in butcher paper isn’t completely necessary, but it does have it’s benefits. Butcher paper helps the meat retain moisture and it’s more breathable than foil, so it doesn’t create a steaming environment for the meat.
A very important step is to let it rest for 1/2 hour; this helps ensure all of the juices don’t run out upon cutting. You will still have some of the juice run out, but the meat will remain moist and tender.
I purchased an inexpensive foam cooler that I use for resting food from the smoker. I found if I put an old, clean towel in the cooler, then the meat, and close the lid it helps keep it warm during the resting phase.
Now you are ready to carve your perfect medium rare prime rib and enjoy your holiday meal. Don’t forget the Au Jus!
I like to serve prime rib with Asparagus and Mushrooms in a Garlic Balsamic Reduction, or Gingery Green Beans and Mushrooms. Holiday Wild Rice is also a perfect side dish for prime rib and it can be made a day or 2 in advance to save time and stove/oven space.
Enjoy!
Smoked Prime Rib
Equipment
- Smoker
- Foil Pan
- Cutting board and knife
- Butcher Paper
- Cooler to rest Prime Rib in
- Hickory, Mesquite, or wood chips of your choice
Ingredients
- 5 pounds prime rib with bones
- 3 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
- 2 cups beef stock
Rub Ingredients
- 1 tbsp paprika
- 2 tsp granulated garlic
- 2 tsp sea salt
- 2 tsp black pepper
- 1 tbsp brown sugar
Instructions
- Combine rub seasonings.
- Rub Worcestershire sauce on outside of prime rib then rub with the seasoning mixture.
- Put beef stock in a foil pan.
- Fill wood chip pan 1/3 full of hickory chips or chips of your choice.
- Prepare smoker according to manufacture directions. Set cook to 225 degrees and internal food temperature to 140 degrees and do a chip burn.
- Insert meat thermometer into prime rib, then put in the smoker over the pan with the Au Jus. This will catch the drippings from the prime rib and help season the Au Jus.
- Cook until the prime rib reaches 100 degrees. Remove and wrap with butcher paper. I use some masking tape to help keep the paper closed.
- Return to smoker and cook to 140 degrees.
- Remove from smoker, keep it wrapped in the butcher paper, and let it rest for ½ hour before slicing.
- Enjoy!