Garlic Butter Smoked Prime Rib

Garlic Butter Smoked Prime Rib is the best version of smoked prime rib on the internet. Slathered in an herb infused compound butter and slow smoked to perfection, this prime rib recipe is meat goals! This post is sponsored by MEATER.

GARLIC BUTTER SMOKED PRIME RIB ROAST

I am all about slow smoked hunks of beef, and there is nothing more indulgent or delicious than a slow smoked prime cut of a beef rib roast. I’ve been smoking prime rib roasts for years, but this method quickly shot up to the top of my favorite preparations. The entire roast is enrobed in a seasoned garlic butter to infuse the roast with flavor and slowly baste the exterior of the meat during the smoking process.

The flavors in the seasoned butter are inspired by a “resting butter” I use on grilled steaks. The idea is to enhance the beef’s natural flavor without overpowering those subtle earthy notes in the beef. The butter has fresh garlic, fresh herbs, and salt and pepper. Simple, but absolutely incredible. The garlic and herbs smoke on the outside edges of the prime rib roast and make the most delicious crust ever!

Another bonus from this smoked garlic butter crust is the melted browned butter drippings. I smoke my garlic butter prime rib on a rack above a baking sheet. That way, as the meat smokes and the butter slowly melts, it collects underneath the roast and bubbles and browns. When the roast is finished, I strain that gorgeous butter, season it with a little salt, and use that as a finishing sauce drizzle over the sliced prime rib. Absolutely indulgent.

SMOKING PRIME RIB

To make the best prime rib, I believe you should consider smoking it. I feel like I’ve mastered the cooking process in my viral video for “Smoked Prime Rib” so that’s what I recommend. The process is incredibly simple, and if you are without a smoker, you can still follow the same time and temperature guidelines with great success.

For this recipe, I recommend using a roast between 8-10 pounds. For a roast larger than that, the timing changes a little bit as the roast gets longer, but not necessarily bigger round. Plan 35 minutes per pound at 225 degrees F for smoking a rare roast. 40 minutes per pound at 225 degrees F for smoking a medium roast. Don’t forget to allow at least 30 minutes of rest time and another 15 minutes or so for the high heat sear before serving.

Of course, the most important part of smoking a perfectly pink prime rib roast is cooking to the correct internal temperature. For that, I recommend getting an internal thermometer that you can use to track your prime rib during the entire cooking process. I used the MEATER thermometer to track both the internal temperature of the meat as well as the ambient temperature of my smoker. MEATER also has an amazing feature where it will estimate your total cook time for you by calculating the temperature of your smoker and the temperature of your meat. It removes all of the guess work out of smoking prime rib.

One thing to always remember when cooking a large roast is carryover cooking. That is where your meat continues cooking and rising in temperature even after being removed from the smoker. This is a part of the cooking process where the MEATER thermometer really shines. The MEATER thermometer will actually notify you within the app when your meat is ready to remove from the heat and rest.

For example, if I want my finished prime rib roast to be medium rare (135 degrees F) I will actually pull the prime rib out of the heat at 5-7 degrees F below the finished temperature, when alerted by my MEATER. During the 15-20 minutes after removing the roast from the smoker, it will continue to cook and rise up to the perfect medium rare finish.

GARLIC BUTTER SMOKED PRIME RIB

Garlic Butter Smoked Prime Rib is the best version of smoked prime rib on the internet. Slathered in an herb infused compound butter and slow smoked to perfection, this prime rib recipe is meat goals!

INGREDIENTS 

• ▢1 8-10 pound bone-in prime rib roast
• ▢coarse salt and pepper

GARLIC HERB BUTTER

• ▢16 oz softened butter
• ▢8 cloves garlic (minced)
• ▢2 sprigs rosemary (finely minced)
• ▢2 sprigs thyme (finely minced)
• ▢2 teaspoons salt
• ▢2 teaspoons black pepper

INSTRUCTIONS

• Preheat your smoker to 225 degrees F for indirect cooking using a hardwood like oak or hickory for smoking.
• While the grill is warming up, prepare your roast. Trim any excess fat from the top of the roast down to 1/4 inch thick. Season on all sides with an even sprinkling of salt and pepper.
• In a small bowl combine the softened butter, garlic, herbs, salt, and pepper. Slather the entire roast with the butter mixture.
• Place the roast on a flat rack elevated above a baking sheet, place on the smoker and close the lid. Smoke until the internal temperature of the roast reaches 120 degrees F for Rare or 128 degrees F for Medium. For a rare, bone-in roast, plan on 35 minutes per pound of prime rib.
• Remove the roast to a cutting board and allow to rest for 20 minutes. Strain the butter and drippings from the baking sheet into a separate bowl and set aside.
• While the roast is resting, increase the temperature of your grill to 400 degrees F.
• Once the grill is up to temperature, return the roast to the grill and sear until you reach your desired internal temperature. Pull the roast off at 130 degrees F for rare, 135 for medium rare, 140 for medium. This process should go quickly, so keep an eye on your temperature.
• Remove your roast to the cutting board and let the meat rest for at least 15 minutes before slicing and serving.

NUTRITION

Calories: 5kcal|Carbohydrates: 1g|Protein: 0.2g|Fat: 0.1g|Saturated Fat: 0.02g|Polyunsaturated Fat: 0.01g|Monounsaturated Fat: 0.02g|Cholesterol: 0.1mg|Sodium: 466mg|Potassium: 17mg|Fiber: 0.2g|Sugar: 0.03g|Vitamin A: 13IU|Vitamin C: 1mg|Calcium: 7mg|Iron: 0.1mg