Chances are, it’s the Holidays, and you want to make the Roast of all Roasts, Prime Rib on the Big Green Egg! I’ve made many a Prime Rib, ie, standing rib roast, on the Big Green Egg, and here is my fail-proof recipe so you’ll look like a GRILL BOSS this holiday season or whenever you make this recipe.
What I love about this recipe is that it lends herbacious notes of rosemary to the prime rib without being overpowering. Coupled with a horseradish dipping sauce, Prime Rib is the chosen roast of all roasts for Holiday gatherings for a reason- it’s delicious!
I love making french dip sandwiches with the leftovers the next day! Keep some provolone cheese on hand and some crusty french bread and you’ll be excited about eating leftovers for once!
Ingredients for Prime Rib on the Big Green Egg:
Rosemary, bourbon barrel smoked sea salt and pepper, garlic, beef base and olive oil make for a very aromatic rub.
Rub Ingredients:
- 1 tbsp sea salt (I used Bourbon Barrel Smoked Sea Salt which is my fave!!)
- 2 tbsp cracked black pepper (I used Bourbon Barrel smoked pepper)
- 2 tbsp minced garlic
- 1 tbsp beef base
- 2 tbsp fresh rosemary leaves, chopped fine
- 2 tbsp olive oil
Horseradish Dipping Sauce:
- 1/2 cup sour cream
- 4 tbsp prepared horseradish
- 3 tbsp milk
- 2 tbsp mayonnaise
- 3 pinches sea salt
- dash fresh cracked pepper
Mix together and refrigerate until ready to serve. This makes enough for leftovers the next day.
Where to Buy Prime Rib
Many grocery stores run specials around the holidays for Prime Rib. However, for special occasions I like to buy American Wagyu from Snake River Farms OR Organic grassfed Prime Rib from Crowd Cow.
Instructions:
Ready for some heat!
- Set the meat out for at least 30 minutes before putting on the grill so it has time to get closer to room temperature.
- Go ahead and heat up your grill for indirect cooking at 325 degrees. As I used the Big Green Egg, I inverted the plate setter so the legs were facing up, then put an aluminum pan on it to catch the drippings. The meat rested on the grates.
- (The plate setter (also known as the Conveggtor is used for cooking indirect on the egg. If you are using a gas or charcoal grill, you will need to create an indirect cooking zone by leaving one burner on and putting the meat on the indirect (burner off) side. The same applies for charcoal where the charcoal will be on one side of the grill and you will put the roast on the indirect side, ie, not on top of the coals.)
- Mix the rub ingredients together and rub into the meat well so all parts are well coated. If you like, you can trim some of the fat on the meat so that there are more places for the rub to adhere.
- Put the meat on the grill with the bones on the bottom and the fat cap on the top.
- Use a meat thermometer so that you can watch the internal temperature of the meat. Roast your meat at 325 degrees until the internal temperature reaches 125 degrees (this will be medium rare). Keep in mind that the meat will continue to cook after you take if off the grill. For a 6 lb rib roast, this will take about 1.5-2 hours.
- I recommend using the Thermapen to check internal temps as a full-proof method for measuring temperature.
- The Meater WIFI enabled Thermometer is another great option for monitoring temperature in real time via an app on your phone that will give guidance on optimal internal temps while also notifying you when your meat is done! This is a great tool for multi-tasking cooks who might accidentally overcook things! The meater will NOT let that happen! This tool is also great for the BBQ techies who want to monitor and download their cooks to chart their progress.
- Tent your roast for 15-20 minutes so the juices can reabsorb. I served mine with a creamy horseradish dipping sauce that also went well with the French Dip Sandwiches I made with the leftovers the next day.
Substitutions:
Let’s face it, Prime Rib is an investment. If you are looking for something a bit more economical, a filet or tri tip is an excellent alternative. Try my Filet Mignon -How to Grill recipe, or my Brisket Style Tri Tip as alternatives to Prime Rib. You can also look at all my GRILLED BEEF recipes for inspiration!
Variations: Use the BGE Rotisserie for Smoke Roasted Prime Rib
Now that Big Green Egg has come out with the Rotisserie, this is an excellent time to try Rotisseri-ed Prime Rib! This will give you your al pastor experience and makes for fun conversation at the dinner table! I did this for Christmas 2022 and it was a raving success! The main thing you want to consider for using the Rotisserie for your Prime Rib on the Big Green Egg:
- Use the same recipe – the only difference here is that you will not be using the eggspander so you will have more direct contact with the heat
- Truss the meat with twine to ensure the bone doesn’t detach while roasting
- Add your favorite wood chips
- Don’t let the fire get too hot when using the rotisserie- I recommend no hotter than 300 to ensure it doesn’t get burned on the outside or cook to quickly
- The Meater is perfect for this because you can monitor the ambient and internal temp of the meat so you can ensure you don’t overcook it.
- Finish Caveman style- in order to get a bit of crust, I finished caveman style at the end. I adjusted the rotisserie so I could slide the prime rib all the way to the end and then finished with a nice sear directly on coals so that I could get a bit of crust. Be careful not to overcook when doing this process!
BGE came out with their Rotisserie in late 2022 and it was a perfect timing to roast a Prime Rib on the Rotisserie for the Holidays!
Tools Needed:
-
Meat Thermometer– I recommend using a Thermapen OR a Meater Wifi Enabled Meat thermometer (this code will give you a 10% discount)
-
Conveggtor
-
Foil pan or cast iron skillet for catching drippings
Tips for Making:
You can optionally remove the Prime rib and crank the heat on the Egg to sear the outside of the Prime Rib to get crispy edges. This step is not needed as the rub in this recipe provides a nice crust, however if you are looking for even more browning on the outside you can finish with a nice sear. You will need to remove the prime rib at about 5 degrees lower than you want, get the heat up on your Egg to about 475 and then sear the edges directly on the grates with the conveggtor removed for a few minutes each side. Be careful not to overcook!
Want more Grilled Beef Recipes or more Big Green Recipes inspiration? Check out our grilled beef recipes page and our complete guide, soup to nuts, to cooking on the Big Green Egg in our Big Green Egg Series. And don’t forget to leave a comment below and follow me on instagram and share your cook with me!
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Standing Rib Roast – Prime Rib on the Big Green Egg
Description
There's nothing quite like a standing rib roast or Prime Rib smoke roasted on your Big Green Egg, grill or smoker for the Holidays! Follow these steps to for Prime Rib smoking success!
Ingredients
- 6lb standing rib roast
Rub:
- 1 tbsp sea salt (I used Bourbon Barrel Smoked Sea Salt which is my fave!!)
- 2 tbsp cracked black pepper (I used Bourbon Barrel smoked pepper)
- 2 tbsp minced garlic
- 1 tbsp beef base
- 2 tbsp fresh rosemary leaves, chopped fine
- 2 tbsp olive oil
Horseradish Dipping Sauce; this is a slight adaptation of Meathead’s “Secretariat Sauce”.
- 1/2 cup sour cream
- 4 tbsp prepared horseradish
- 3 tbsp milk
- 2 tbsp mayonnaise
- 3 pinches sea salt
Mix together and refrigerate until ready to serve. This makes enough for leftovers the next day.
Instructions
- Set the meat out for at least 30 minutes before putting on the grill so it has time to get closer to room temperature.
- Go ahead and heat up your grill for indirect cooking at 325 degrees. As I used the Big Green Egg, I inverted the plate setter so the legs were facing up, then put an aluminum pan on it to catch the drippings. The meat rested on the grates.
- (The plate setter is used for cooking indirect on the egg. If you are using a gas or charcoal grill, you will need to create an indirect cooking zone by leaving one burner on and putting the meat on the indirect (burner off) side. The same applies for charcoal where the charcoal will be on one side of the grill and you will put the roast on the indirect side, ie, not on top of the coals.)
- Mix the rub ingredients together and rub into the meat well so all parts are well coated. If you like, you can trim some of the fat on the meat so that there are more places for the rub to adhere.
- Put the meat on the grill with the bones on the bottom and the fat cap on the top.
- Use a meat thermometer so that you can watch the internal temperature of the meat. Roast your meat at 325 degrees until the internal temperature reaches 130 degrees (this will be medium rare). Keep in mind that the meat will continue to cook after you take if off the grill. For a 6 lb rib roast, this will take about 1.5-2 hours. I recommend using the Thermapen to check internal temps as a full-proof method for measuring temperature.
- Tent your roast for 15-20 minutes so the juices can reabsorb. I served mine with a creamy horseradish dipping sauce that also went well with the French Dip Sandwiches I made with the leftovers the next day.
- You can use the drippings to make gravy but I was happy with the dipping sauce for this recipe. I paired it with roasted asparagus and blue cheese mashed potatoes for a killer Holiday meal. Serve this for your next special occasion or when the family comes to town and you won’t be disappointed.
Want more grilled beef recipes? Check out these posts!
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Great looking cow, grrrl! I’m more than happy to be one of your BBQ perfectionists. 🙂
I’ve never “done” a standing rib roast. I’m afraid I’ll ruin a very expensive piece of meat. Happy New Year Robyn.
Looks perfect Robyn, we had it as well for Christmas and it’s hard to beat
Wow, looks awesome. I will try this recipe soon on My BGE. Happy New Year to you Scott and the Babies!!
Hey Robyn, that prime rib looks flawless, I can almost SEE how tender it is in that first picture. Looks like you have that Egg mastered.
That rib roast looks wonderful! I used Meathead’s rub on a prime rib yesterday and it was outstanding.
Looks great!! I did a seven bone on my Weber Performer that turned out pretty darn good. I used a bit of hickory and had no complaints.
GREAT Job Robyn ….. look forward to seeing what else you cook thoughout the year on the BGE !!!!
Happy New Year ….
Thanks Mark!! I think I’m finally tuning it in!!
Thanks Dave! Happy 2012 and lots of great grilling in the new year!!
Thanks Chris!! I think that I’m finally getting it tuned in. Happy 2012!
Thx John! Happy 2012!
is the BGE your smoker of choice or do you use other grills for cooking prime rib? This cook looks good!
Hi Fred. I used the BGE because it maintains temp so well but I’m sure you could easily use any other type of grill – charcoal kettle or even gas as long as you have it on indirect.
Robyn, you’ve done it again! Prime rib, bleu cheese mashed potatoes? Wow! You really hooked me when you talked about the french dip sandwiches though. I can’t think of a better leftover meal than that! (I’m with you on using the drippings. As much as I would love to use them, they do tend to get a bit smoky if “someone” insists on adding wood chips to every fire.) Never considered beef base for the rub. Well done, lady!
Thanks for the kind comments Marilyn. 🙂 The idea for the beef base came from Adam Perry Lang and Chris Lilly also does this for his brisket. Truly I have not always been a big fan of Prime Rib but mine turned out so great I think it has changed my mind. I hope you had an awesome holiday! 🙂
Your standing rib roast looks so moist and tender. I started to cook one for Christmas and wound up going with a beef tenderloin. I’m thinking I am going to try this for Easter!
Robyn did you do any kind of sear after the roast? Or did yours develop a crust as is?
Hi Kerry. I did not do any searing, it developed a crust on its own without needing a sear. You will dig the recipe.
Robyn you’re right! I did, it did, and it was delish! Can’t wait to wow some guests. Thanks!
Hi Kerry, I’m glad you liked it! I used the leftovers to make french dip sandwiches, the recipe is also on my site. They were also a HUGE hit!!
We cooked a 5.5 prim rib on the grill today as a pre lube for Christmas day dinner. Used a rub similar to yours and on a rotisserie for about two hours. Used the drippings to make a gravey for garlic mashed potatoes and fresh cut green beens. My wife and I was so impressed that we will do this ever 2 or 3 months. Doing a 18 lb for Christmas as we will have all the kids and grand kids over for dinner. Can’t wait!
Wow Bill! Sounds fantastic! I bet it was excellent on a rotisserie! this post is making me hungry!
OK. I just followed this recipe to the nth degree and it looks like I just ruined a $115.00 worth of rib roast. The six pound roast was at room temp when started on the green egg and temp was maintained at 325. At about one and a half hours internal temp was exactly 130. Tented the roast for 30 minutes. The entire 1/4 of the bottom of the roast (bone side) is raw!!! Never seen this before. When I say raw I mean bleeding, too raw to carve. I guess I’ll stick the pieces in the oven to see if they can be salvaged. This our Easter meal and my wife is about ready to kill me over this.
Hi Garry,
That is odd I’ve never gotten bad experiences with this recipe but there is always a first I guess. How did you set up your charcoal- did you use a placesetter? Just trying to figure out what variables could have made this happen….
Followed this recipe yesterday and it worked out perfect. Cooked a 4.25 lb prime rib on my big green egg. At 325 degrees it took 2 hours for the internal temp to reach 130. Tented in foil for 15 minutes. ..it was a delicious medium rare!
So glad you enjoyed Kreston!
I really like what you guys are up too. This type of clever work and exposure!
Keep up the awesome works guys I’ve included you guys to my blogroll.