How To BBQ Right

I had never smoked a Prime Rib before… but… 

Whew…. I’m here to tell you that this was the absolute best prime rib I’ve ever had. 

I’ve had prime rib at some great steak houses, and I thought I had eaten the best. But cooking it on the smoker blows them all out of the water. 

The procedure I used wasn’t difficult at all, so I definitely encourage you to try one yourself. 

I started with a 5lb. Choice Grade Prime Rib. 

I didn’t go out and try to buy the most expensive cut I could find (mostly because I wasn’t sure how it would turn out and I didn’t want to waste a lot of money). So I just picked mine up at Sam’s Club.

I picked out one that was well marbled with fat, because we all know that fat is what makes it juicy and flavorful. 

If you’re trying to save money, you can pick a Select Grade Prime Rib… but just remember that Select won’t have as much marbling (and if you take it past medium done when you cook it, it won’t be fit to eat). 

I DID go with the bone-in Prime Rib . Not only does the bone help to keep the moisture in the meat, but anytime you cook meat on the bone, it will add more flavor. 

A word to the wise… don’t skimp on the seasonings.  

I’m not about to inject a Prime Rib because I want the internal flavor from the fat and the bone to create that beefy taste that good prime rib should have, but I did season the outside heavily.  

First, I rubbed the outside with a little Olive Oil and then use a combination of The BBQ Rub, Coarse Ground Black Pepper, Kosher Salt, and Montreal Steak Seasoning.  This made a beautiful, crusty, delicious bark on the outside.

Once you get your Prime Rib rubbed down, the next part is a cake walk. 

I got my smoker to 275 degrees and add a little wood. I use Cherry wood for a mild smoke flavor.  A hardwood like Hickory or Oak can be used in moderation but too much smoke will over power the meat.  If you’re going to go with something heavy only use a few chunks.

I also added a quartered sweet onion to my fire as well… just cause I like the flavor it gives meat - and I really like the way smoking onions smell. 

The Prime Rib cooks at about 20 minutes per pound. 

And I made sure I monitored the internal temp really closely… I did not want to overcook my Prime Rib. (this is when a Stoker comes in real handy). 

Once the internal temp hit 135 degrees, I pulled the prime rib off the smoker and let it rest.  Large cuts of meat will always gain 5-10 degrees after being taken off the smoker.  

And once I pulled it off, my Prime Rib was a perfect medium rare (140 internal) in about 15 minutes.  

At that point, it was time to eat. 

I thought Jack Binions’ Steak House had a killer prime rib, but prime rib on the smoker is as good – if not better – than any of the expensive, fancy steak houses I have ever been to. 

So if you are looking for something to impress, you might want to try slow-smoking a prime rib. It really don’t get much easier - or much better - than that.

And sign-up for my weekly BBQ Newsletter @ www.howtobbqright.com

Or just check-out my BBQ website full of recipes, videos and a ton of information to help you improve anything you smoke or grill…   www.howtobbqright.com

Malcom Reed
Killer Hogs BBQ Team
HowtoBBQright.com