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How to Smoke a Prime Rib | Master the Low and Slow Method (Inspired by Snake River Farms)

Dave from Snake River Farms shows how a low and slow smoke brings out the marbling in an American Wagyu prime rib, delivering an edge-to-edge pink center and a beautifully seasoned crust.

Watch: How to Smoke a Prime Rib | Master the Low and Slow Method by Snake River Farms

Schedule this cook to the minute

Set your serving time and the calculator plans the cook backward for you.

What you’ll need

  • 1 bone-in prime rib roast (about 5 lbs, Snake River Farms American Wagyu)
  • Light coating of cooking oil
  • Snake River Farms Rosemary Roast Seasoning (generous coating, all sides)

How to make it

  1. Pat the prime rib dry, then rub it lightly with oil so the seasoning adheres well.
  2. Generously coat the entire roast, including the sides, with Rosemary Roast Seasoning.
  3. Set a pellet smoker (Green Mountain Grill used here) to 225-250°F and place the seasoned roast inside.
  4. Smoke low and slow, allowing roughly 40 minutes per pound at 225°F – about 3 hours 20 minutes for a 5 lb roast – checking internal temp periodically rather than relying solely on time.
  5. Pull the roast once it reaches about 120-125°F internally for a medium-rare finish.
  6. Let the prime rib rest for about 20 minutes before removing the butcher's twine and slicing to serve.

Frequently asked questions

What temperature should I smoke a prime rib at?

Keep your smoker between 225-250°F for a slow, even cook that gives the roast a pink color all the way to the edge.

How long does it take to smoke a prime rib?

Plan on about 40 minutes per pound at 225°F, so a 5 lb roast takes roughly 3 hours 20 minutes, but always confirm doneness with a meat thermometer.

What internal temperature is medium-rare for prime rib?

Pull the roast at about 120-125°F internally for a medium-rare result after resting.

Do I need to rest the prime rib before slicing?

Yes, let it rest about 20 minutes after smoking so the juices redistribute before you remove the twine and carve.

How much prime rib / standing rib roast do I need to buy and cook?

Cooking this for a crowd? Set your headcount and get the raw weight to buy.

🍽️ How much prime rib / standing rib roast do I need?
Enter your headcount - we work backward through trim and cook loss to the raw weight to buy.
Fine-tune trim & cook loss
Buy about
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After trimming: - · on the plate cooked: -
Lost to trim: - · lost to the cook: -
💲 Which form is the better deal?
Same cook, different buys - cheaper per pound usually means more knife work. Typical prices are used until you enter your store's.
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Prime rib is a rich centerpiece. Bone-in, plan on about 1 lb of raw roast per person; boneless, about 3/4 lb. It renders off some fat and moisture in the cook, so figure roughly 1/2 lb of cooked meat per person - a little less if it is a holiday spread with lots of sides. Grade note: 'prime rib' names the cut, not the grade - a USDA Choice standing rib roast cooks exactly the same; Prime grade buys more marbling, not different timing.
🐄 Got trimmed fat? Don't toss it. Render that trim into beef tallow - gold for cooking, seasoning cast iron, candles, even skincare.
🐄 Save your trim - make tallow. The fat you trim off a prime rib roast is prime tallow material. Render it into beef tallow, great for seasoning cast iron, candles, even skincare. See the guide →

Written by John Kirker, who built the first meat smoking calculator in 2011. Times come from cooks we have actually run and logged; temperature and feel decide the finish, never the clock alone.

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