Juicy Smoked Prime Rib
Impress your guests with this smoked prime rib roast! Packed with flavor from a buttery garlic-herb rub and an irresistible beef injection.
This smoked prime rib is fancy without the fuss.
The first time I made this Smoked Prime Rib, my entire family gathered for Christmas dinner. My dad couldn’t resist—he snapped photos of the prime rib and sent them to all his friends, bragging about what he was eating. He may or may not have eaten half of it himself! This was before I had my blog or even dreamed of sharing my recipes with the world. Looking back, it might’ve been the spark that started it all. It’s one of the very first recipes I shared here, and I’m so glad you’re here to enjoy it.
Here’s why I love this prime rib recipe!
- It’s insanely juicy. Seriously, look at the picture—that’s after resting for an hour!
- That perfect smoke ring. The low and slow smoking method gives you that deep, smoky flavor we all crave.
- It’s fancy without the fuss. Perfect for anyone who wants to wow their guests with minimal effort.
If you are looking for things to serve with this prime rib, try smoked green beans (I’ll add a recipe for this sneaky delicious vegetable soon), Spicy Smoked Mashed Potatoes, Homemade Green Bean Casserole or Brussel sprouts. Yum. Have a great time cooking this Smoked Prime Rib recipe. And if you love smoked meats, I beg you to try my husband’s Rowdy Ranch Smoked Chicken Wings and Nashville Hot Chicken Wings. They get rave reviews and do not last long.
How to Smoke Prime Rib
Step 1
Prep the Meat
Mix up the injection ingredients and load up your injector. Inject that prime rib like it’s your job—get as much flavor in there as possible!
Step 2
Make the Rub
Throw the rub ingredients into a food processor and blend until everything’s finely minced. Coat your dried rib roast in that glorious buttery rub. Seriously, be generous.
Step 3
Smoke or Roast
Pop that prime rib in and cook until the internal temp hits 120°F for rare, 125°F for medium-rare, or 130°F for medium. We prefer medium-rare or medium depending on who is coming to dinner. Make sure you use a meat thermometer to keep it on point.
Step 4
Rest!
Let the roast rest for 20 minutes to lock in the juices before slicing it up. Don’t skip this step—it’s worth the wait!
Step 5
Slice and Serve
Slice the meat and serve it with horseradish cream for a traditional meal.
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Juicy Smoked Prime Rib
Equipment
- Smoker
- Measuring Cups and Spoons
- Meat Injector
Ingredients
- 6 lb prime rib
Rub
- 1 cup softened butter
- 5 cloves of garlic
- 3 fresh sage leaves
- 1 sprig fresh rosemary leaves
- 2 medium red onions (quartered)
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon pepper
Injection
- 1 cup beef broth
- 1 cloves fresh minced garlic
- 1 teaspoon dried rosemary
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon pepper
Instructions
- Mix the injection ingredients thoroughly. Inject the meat until it can’t accept any more.
- In a food processor, finely mince 5 cloves of garlic, 3 fresh sage leaves, 1 sprig fresh rosemary leaves and 2 medium red onions. It will seem like a lot of onions but its really not.
- Add 1 cup softened butter and pulse until well distributed.
- Dry the outside of the meat with paper towels. Generously coat the prime rib with the prepared rub. Sprinle the prime rib with ½ teaspoon salt and ½ teaspoon pepper. Let the meat rest for 30 minutes.
- While the meat rests, preheat your smoker, or oven, to 225°F.
- Smoke or roast the prime rib, 35–40 minutes per pound, until the internal temperature reaches 120°F for Rare, 125°F for Medium Rare, or 130°F for Medium.
- Remove from the smoker and tent with aluminum foil. Allow the prime rib to rest for 20-30 minutes before slicing and serving.
Notes
Substitutions
Choose the piece of meat wisely. Prime rib isn’t cheap and it shouldn’t be. If you can’t afford a good prime or choice rib roast, opt for a good quality chuck roast. It has a descent amount of marbeling. While it won’t be as soft and tender like a prime rib, it will be tender.