For A Flavor-Packed Prime Rib, Use This Cooking Method (Not Your Oven)

Prime rib is often oven-roasted, and for good reason. It's easy and provides a reliably even cook with a nice crust on top. Most prime rib probably sees the inside of an oven before being served, but if you're making your own, consider the unexpected twist of using a smoker. Smokers are often associated with dense cuts, like brisket and lamb shoulder, but many different proteins can be cooked in one, including prime rib. The ribs are filled with a rich smokiness, the intensity of which depends on a few factors.

Typical smoker methods and fuels are fine for prime rib, but if you're concerned about overwhelming their natural flavor, using less wood and more charcoal can mean less smoke. Cook time is another factor, with low-and-slow cooking resulting in a smokier flavor, though wrapping it in foil at any time will protect the meat from further smokiness. Just be sure the prime rib is cooked to 130 degrees Fahrenheit for a perfect medium rare, as chefs recommend.

The first thing to look for when buying prime rib is always good marbling. These rich veins of fat are an important part of this cut's desired texture and flavor, and in the case of a smoker, they also keep the meat from drying out in the arid, smoky heat. The heavier the marbling, the richer the flavor, and the more difficult to overcook, making it easier for newcomers. And you don't even need an actual smoker to do it.

Known for his distaste for single-use kitchen equipment, celebrity chef Alton Brown is a big fan of a DIY cardboard smoker. The ingenious device needs only a heavy-duty cardboard box, wooden dowels, a hot plate, a cast-iron skillet, and an aluminum pie plate with holes in the bottom. A metal grate can hold the prime rib, and a foil-covered brick on top keeps the contraption secure on any flat, fireproof surface.

If cooking in cardboard is just a little too eccentric for your liking, you can also easily turn a gas grill into a smoker. Place appropriate wood chips in an aluminum pie plate, wrap the whole thing in foil, and poke holes all around it. Place it in a hot grill and close the lid until blue smoke begins to appear, and the grill-smoker is ready to go.