This smoked prime rib is a beef roast coated in garlic and herb butter, then slow smoked to tender, melt-in-your mouth perfection. The ultimate meal for a special occasion.
Preheat an electric smoker to 250 degrees F. Load the smoker with cherry or apple wood.
Place the butter, garlic, thyme, rosemary, salt and pepper in a bowl. Stir to combine.
Rub the butter all over the roast. Place the roast in a disposable aluminum pan.
Place the roast in the smoker. Cook until a thermometer registers desired level of doneness (I like to cook to 125 degrees F).
Remove the roast from the smoker and cover with foil. Let stand for 15 minutes. The roast will continue to cook during this time and the temperature will rise another 5 degrees.
Remove the bones from the roast. Cut into slices and serve immediately with the pan drippings.
Notes
Smoke your prime rib in a disposable aluminum pan. This helps to keep clean up to a minimum. The pan also collects all the buttery juices that come off the meat, which you can spoon onto your prime rib before serving.
Purchase bone-in prime rib. It's more flavorful and the bones serve as a built-in roasting rack for the meat.
You'll want to ask your butcher for a three bone prime rib roast to get around 6 pounds of meat.