This post may contain affiliate links, meaning I may earn a commission if you make a purchase, at no extra cost to you. I only recommend products I trust. Thank you for your support.
A prime rib, also known as a standing rib roast, is a massive, elegant cut of beef taken from the primal rib section of the steer, specifically ribs six through twelve.
This smoked prime rib recipe features a bone-in standing rib roast seasoned with a garlic herb rub and slow-smoked on a Traeger pellet grill until it’s perfectly tender, juicy, and packed with smoky flavor.
The Traeger’s low, steady heat gently cooks the roast prime rib, slowly melting the fat, tenderizing the meat, and infusing it with that irresistible, wood-smoked aroma.
The smoked prime rib roast is then given a quick high-heat sear right on the pellet grill, a crucial step that creates a dark, flavorful bark while keeping the center perfectly tender and juicy.
This smoked prime rib recipe is surprisingly easy to make, serves about twelve people, and is ideal for festive holiday dinners or backyard gatherings when you want to serve something truly special.
Serve it with warm au jus or a dollop of creamy horseradish sauce to balance the richness of the meat, alongside classic sides like roasted garlic mashed potatoes, grilled asparagus, or buttery dinner rolls.
✅ Take a moment to read through the whole post for the ingredient list, expert tips, and equipment suggestions. The full recipe is right below.
Key Ingredients for This Smoked Prime Rib Recipe
The success of a great smoked prime rib roast is built on premium beef and a classic, complementary seasoning blend.
1. Prime Rib Roast
- You’ll need a bone-in standing prime rib roast, a premium cut prized for its rich marbling and exceptional flavor.
- Bone-in is recommended because the bone acts as a buffer against direct heat, helping the meat retain moisture and contributing a unique depth of flavor that is typically superior to boneless cuts.
2. Coarse Kosher Salt
- Coarse kosher salt helps draw out moisture from the surface of the meat, allowing it to reabsorb with the seasoning for deep, even flavor.
- It also tenderizes the roast and lays the foundation for a beautifully seasoned crust.
3. Black Pepper
- Freshly ground black pepper adds a sharp, aromatic spice that enhances the beef’s natural richness.
- During searing, it contributes to the formation of a flavorful, caramelized bark on the roast.
4. Fresh Rosemary
- Fresh rosemary adds a piney, earthy aroma with slightly peppery notes that complement the richness of the beef.
- Its sturdy leaves hold up well during smoking, infusing the meat with a deep, woodsy flavor.
5. Fresh Thyme
- Thyme brings a subtle earthiness and gentle lemony flavor that balances the heaviness of the meat and smoke.
- It enhances the overall depth and complexity of the smoked prime rib’s flavor profile.
6. Granulated Garlic
- Granulated garlic or garlic powder delivers a deep, savory allium flavor that sticks well to the roast.
- Most importantly, it withstands the high heat sear without burning or turning bitter, helping create a rich, flavorful bark.
Essential Tools You’ll Need for This Traeger Smoked Prime Rib
Cooking a prime rib on a pellet smoker demands precision, making the right tools indispensable for managing heat and temperature.
- Pellet Grill (Traeger): This equipment provides the mechanism for the low-and-slow smoking process and the rapid high-heat searing phase required for the reverse sear technique.
- Flavorful Wood Pellets: Robust woods like Hickory or Mesquite are recommended, as their strong profile beautifully complements the rich, heavy flavor of beef. Pecan is also an excellent choice.
- Dual-Probe Digital Meat Thermometer: To monitor both the grill’s ambient temperature and the meat’s internal temperature simultaneously, ensuring the roast cooks evenly and reaches a safe, perfect doneness.
- Butcher’s String: Used to tie the roast firmly at 2-inch intervals, helping it maintain a uniform shape for even cooking and making carving much easier, especially for boneless or loosely connected bone-in cuts.
- Heavy-Duty Aluminum Foil: Necessary for tightly wrapping the roast during the critical resting period to help the internal juices stabilize.
Why You’ll Love This Smoked Prime Rib Roast
This pellet grill smoked prime rib roast is not only incredibly delicious but also a high-quality source of essential nutrients.
- Edge-to-Edge Perfection: The reverse sear method ensures a consistent, juicy, medium-rare center throughout the entire roast, eliminating the thick band of overcooked meat often associated with traditional methods.
- Unforgettable Smoke Flavor: Smoking the roast on a pellet grill introduces a deep, complex wood smoke essence that is simply impossible to achieve in a conventional oven, complementing the beef’s natural richness.
- Superior Tenderness and Juiciness: The low-and-slow smoking phase gently renders the internal marbling, resulting in an exceptionally succulent, melt-in-your-mouth texture.
- Excellent Source of Protein: Beef is a complete protein, delivering 46 grams of highly bioavailable protein that supports muscle repair, growth, and overall cellular function.
- High in Iron: Prime rib is an excellent source of iron, which is essential for producing red blood cells and transporting oxygen throughout the body.
- Rich in B Vitamins: Prime rib is also packed with B vitamins, including B12 and niacin, which play key roles in energy metabolism and supporting a healthy nervous system.
- Keto and Low-Carb Friendly: This cut naturally contains zero carbs and zero sugars, making it an ideal choice for ketogenic and other low-carb diets.
What to Serve with This Pellet Grill Smoked Prime Rib
When serving smoked prime rib, pair it with sides that add contrast in texture, flavor, and acidity to balance the richness of the smoky, fatty beef, such as:
- Creamy Horseradish Sauce: This condiment is paramount, offering a sharp, spicy, and cooling kick that cuts beautifully through the richness of the smoke and fat.
- Rich Au Jus: Made simply by simmering down the savory drippings collected in the roasting pan with a bit of beef stock, this is a mandatory drizzle for moisture and depth of beef flavor.
- Classic Potato Sides: Garlic and herb-roasted potatoes or rich smoked scalloped potatoes pair beautifully with smoked prime rib, matching the meat’s richness for a harmonious bite.
- Roasted Vegetables: Bright, slightly acidic greens and roasted root vegetables, like asparagus with lemon, green beans with almonds, creamed spinach, or carrots and parsnips, balance the richness of smoky prime rib.
- Mushroom Dishes: Sautéed wild mushrooms add caramelized depth, creamy mushroom soup brings a rich, cheesy touch, and mushroom risotto offers comforting creaminess.
- Salads: Fresh, crisp salads like arugula with fennel and citrus vinaigrette or watercress with pear add brightness and a refreshing contrast to the richness of smoked prime rib.
Pro Tips for Making the Best Smoked Prime Rib
Achieving the best smoked prime rib requires adopting pro chef techniques focused on quality control and nuanced flavor management.
1. Source the Best Quality Beef
Choose USDA Prime rib or High Choice grade beef, as the marbling, those flecks of intramuscular fat, ensures the meat remains tender and full of flavor throughout the long smoking process.
The low-and-slow process allows this marbling to render gently, lubricating the muscle fibers and ensuring the resulting texture is melt-in-your-mouth delicious.
2. Wood Pellet Choice
For robust cuts like prime rib, the wood used for smoking should be just as bold to complement the beef’s richness, so avoid fruity or delicate varieties.
For a pellet grill, Hickory or Mesquite wood pellets are classic choices that provide the deep, savory smoke signature flavor expected from smoked prime rib.
A Pecan wood blend also works beautifully, adding a subtle nutty sweetness that enhances the herb flavors.
3. Tye the Roast for Easier Carving
To simplify the carving process later, ask your butcher to slightly separate the bones from the roast and then tie them back using butcher’s string.
This keeps the bones in place during cooking to enhance flavor and moisture, but makes it much easier to remove them for clean, precise slices after resting.
4. Achieve the Perfect Bark
The dark, savory crust, or bark, is what makes a prime rib on a pellet smoker truly outstanding.
To avoid bitter, burnt flavors, use granulated garlic or garlic powder in the rub instead of fresh minced garlic.
Fresh garlic can scorch quickly at 450°F, creating a harsh, acrid taste, while granulated garlic holds its flavor and withstands the high heat of the final sear.
Final Remarks
This smoked prime rib features a perfectly tender, juicy interior, rich smoky flavor, and a beautiful herb-crusted bark, making it the ultimate centerpiece for holidays or special celebrations.
Feel free to experiment with different wood pellet blends like hickory, mesquite, or pecan, or adjust the herb rub to include your favorite aromatics.
Serve it alongside classic sides like garlic and herb-roasted potatoes, blistered green beans, or a citrusy arugula salad for a balanced and indulgent feast.
If you try this smoked prime rib recipe, we’d love to hear how it turned out. Share your experience or any twists you added in the comments.
You’ll find the complete list of ingredients and step-by-step cooking instructions just below.
Traeger Smoked Prime Rib Recipe
This easy smoked prime rib recipe serves twelve and features a bone-in standing rib roast seasoned with a garlic herb rub and slow-smoked on a Traeger pellet grill until it’s irresistibly tender, juicy, and full of smoky goodness.
Ingredients
How to Smoke Prime Rib (Step-By-Step Instructions)
Trim and Prepare the Prime Rib
- Start with a high-quality standing rib roast.
- Trim the outer fat layer down to about ¼ inch thick.
- This helps the fat render slowly during the long smoke while keeping the roast moist and self-basting.
- If your prime rib is boneless or the bones were separated by the butcher but not tied back on, use butcher’s twine to tie the roast firmly at 2-inch intervals along its length.
- This helps the roast hold its shape for even cooking and easier carving.
Make the Garlic Herb Dry Rub
- In a small bowl, combine kosher salt, black pepper, rosemary, thyme, and granulated garlic or garlic powder.
- Mix well to create a balanced dry rub for seasoning.
- Then coat the roast generously, pressing the rub into all sides and crevices for even coverage.
Let It Rest at Room Temperature
- Let the seasoned roast sit uncovered at room temperature for 1½ to 2 hours before smoking.
- This allows the meat to temper for an even edge-to-edge cook and helps prevent a gray, overcooked band beneath the crust.
Preheat and Prepare the Smoker
- Preheat your pellet grill to 225°F (you can go up to 250°F for a slightly faster cook, but lower temperatures produce a deeper smoke flavor).
- Close the lid and let the smoker preheat for about 15 minutes, ensuring the temperature is stable and the smoke runs clean.
- Use hickory or pecan pellets for the best complement to the rich beef flavor.
Smoke the Prime Rib
- Place the seasoned roast bone-side down directly on the grill grates.
- If your prime rib is tied with butcher’s twine, make sure it stays snug to help the roast hold its shape during cooking.
- Insert a digital probe into the thickest part of the roast, avoiding the bone to ensure an accurate reading.
- Close the lid and smoke the roast until the internal temperature reaches 125°F (52°C) for a perfect medium-rare finish.
- This typically takes 5 hours for a 10-pound roast.
- Avoid opening the lid unnecessarily, as heat loss and temperature swings can extend the cook time and reduce smoke penetration.
Rest Before Searing
- Once the roast reaches an internal temperature of 125°F (52°C), immediately remove it from the smoker and place it on a cutting board.
- Loosely tent with aluminum foil and let it rest for 20 minutes.
- This rest lets the surface heat dissipate and the temperature stabilize, ensuring a perfect medium-rare finish.
Prepare the Smoker for Searing
- While the roast rests, raise the pellet grill temperature to 450°F (or at least 400°F).
- Close the lid and let it preheat until fully stabilized.
Sear the Smoked Prime Rib
- Remove the foil completely, then place the roast back on the hot pellet grill.
- Close the lid, and sear for 10 to 15 minutes, rotating halfway through.
- Sear until the internal temperature reaches 130°F to 135°F for medium-rare or 140°F for medium.
Rest the Roast
- Remove the smoked rib roast as soon as it reaches the desired sear temperature.
- Cover it tightly with heavy-duty aluminum foil and let it rest for at least 30 minutes.
Slice and Serve
- After the final 30-minute rest, carefully remove the foil and snip off the butcher’s twine.
- Transfer the roast to a large cutting board with the bones facing down (if bone-in).
- Use a sharp carving knife to cut along the bones to separate them cleanly from the meat.
- Then slice the smoked prime rib roast into thick, even portions about ½ to ¾ inch thick.
- Arrange the slices on a warm platter and drizzle with au jus or serve alongside creamy horseradish sauce for the perfect finishing touch.
- Garnish with a few sprigs of fresh rosemary or thyme if desired, and serve immediately while warm.
Nutrition Facts
Servings 12
Serving Size About 8 oz (227 g) per person
- Amount Per Serving
- Calories 640kcal
- % Daily Value *
- Total Fat 48g74%
- Saturated Fat 12g60%
- Cholesterol 165mg56%
- Sodium 250mg11%
- Potassium 600mg18%
- Protein 46g92%
- Vitamin A 220 IU
- Calcium 40 mg
- Iron 3.8 mg
- Zinc 10 mg
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet. Your daily value may be higher or lower depending on your calorie needs.
Note
- Always rely on internal temperature rather than cooking time, since factors like shape, marbling, and bone structure affect how evenly the roast cooks.
- The smoked prime rib’s internal temperature will rise 5 to 10 degrees after searing due to residual heat, so pull it slightly early to avoid overcooking.
- Rest the roast twice, first for 20 minutes before searing and again for 30 minutes afterward, to stabilize heat, retain juices, and ensure a tender, perfectly cooked result.
- Watch the fat cap closely during searing, and loosely tent any spots that start to burn to prevent bitterness and preserve flavor.
