Barrel House Cooker Smoked Prime Rib Roast

Take the best part of the cow, smoke it slow and low, then crank up the heat to create a smoked prime rib roast with an herbaceous crust.

Disclosure: Barrel House Cooker sponsored this post. Opinions are my own.

A prime rib roast is basically an uncarved collection of tomahawk ribeye steaks – the most flavorful, marbled part of the cow.

You can’t go wrong by keeping things simple with just salt and pepper, but it’s fun to play with new flavors. In the recipe below, I used some whole spices along with sea salt. By grinding the whole spices just before rubbing the meat, you get flavor freshness, creating a really tasty crust.

Apply the rub to the prime rib roast and let it roast overnight. This will help the fat render and crisp up. This is the same technique I use for my crispy grilled chicken wings. Be sure to rest the roast on a baking rack set on a rimmed baking sheet. This way if there are any juices, they don’t drip all into your fridge.

This is a big hunk of meat, so the Barrel House Cooker E-Z-Load Turkey Hanger works much better than the hooks. Pierce the meat through the hanger, and screw the cross bars onto the second thread from the bottom. Create an X to balance the meat.

When cooking ribeyes, the reverse sear method yields juicy beef with a crispy crust. I use the same technique with a prime rib roast.

The Barrel House Cooker smokes at around 250-300F degrees when you set it to your elevation setting. You’ll keep it at this temp for the first part of the cook. Add a cherry or hickory wood chunk for added smokiness. Just one will do. You don’t want to overpower the beef.

One important tip for big, fatty cuts of meat is to use the lower portion of the cooker to collect the drippings. Just add a grill grate to that level, and place a pie tin inside. This will keep the drippings from burning on the coals.

Be sure to use a thermometer probe to keep track of your meat temp. As soon as it reaches 100F degrees, it’s time to change things up to create a crust.

Slide those bottom vents wide open and crack the lid. This will allow more air to flow through the cooker, raising the heat.

Keep on smoking until the meat reaches your desired doneness. I pull it off at 135F for medium rare. If you prefer more doneness, keep on cooking. Just remember the temperature will raise 5-10 degrees after you remove it from the cooker.

Let the smoked prime rib roast rest in a rimmed pan and tent with foil to keep it warm. Resting allows the juices to redistribute.

If you want an impressive presentation, carve off one bone per person. To serve more realistic-sized portions, slice the bones off the entire smoked prime rib roast, and then carve the roast into 1/2-inch-thick slices and slice in half again.

And don’t forget the bones. They are a delectable meal all by themselves.