You don’t have to smoke your prime rib. In fact, I followed pretty much this same process for years when roasting my Christmas Eve prime rib in the oven. However, there’s just something extra tasty about having a high quality prime rib roasted on your smoker.

This is more of a process than a recipe. The time it takes and the amount of seasoning you use is dependent on the size of the prime rib roast and your personal taste. Here’s how we do it in our family and I guarantee, it turns out great every time. That is, IF you start with a really high quality piece of beef.

INGREDIENTS:

Prime rib roast (I use a 10 pound roast, usually have it boned and trimmed)
Olive Oil
All Purpose Seasoning
Your favorite prime rib seasoning blend ( have always used Snyder’s Prime Rib Rub)
Butcher’s Twine

INSTRUCTIONS:

Before roasting, make sure you allow your prime rib roast to come to room temperature. You want your meat thermometer readings to be accurate so you don’t over or undercook your roast.

Using butcher’s twine, tie the roast to help it maintain it’s shape while it cooks. Makes beautiful slices for presentation.

Using your hands, rub the outside of the prime rib with olive oil. Make sure you get all sides and the bottom. The olive oil helps the seasoning adhere to the meat.

Liberally sprinkle the outside of the roast with all purpose seasoning, again making sure you do all sides and the bottom. Follow this with the prime rib seasoning. The amount you use may vary according to your taste. I use a very generous amount as our family likes the seasoning “crust” on the prime rib best. Let the roast rest for about 30 minutes to an hour to allow the seasonings to properly adhere. Now you’re ready to cook.

Bring your smoker to a temp of about 300 degrees. We use a competition blend of woods that include hickory and cherry. Insert your meat probes, if using, into the meat making sure to avoid any pockets of fat so you get an accurate temperature reading. Place the roast on the rack and smoke until you reach the doneness you desire. We think it’s a crime to serve prime rib over medium rare, but it’s your personal choice. Rule of thumb is about 2 1/2 to 3 hours at 300 degrees for 10 pounds. You need the internal temp to be about 125 degrees for medium rare.

Remove from the smoker and let rest, covered with foil for about 30 minutes. Serve slices with horseradish cream sauce.

Horseradish Cream Sauce

INGREDIENTS:

2-3 tablespoons prepared horseradish
8 ounces sour cream
1/4 cup lemon juice
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
1 teaspoon all purpose seasoning
fresh chopped chives (optional)

Mix ingredients together and allow to chill before serving.