How to Smoke Prime Rib Bones for Rich Beef Stock

Traeger Prime Rib Bones

When I roast prime rib for holidays or special dinners, I look for a bone-in roast and ask the butcher to cut and tie it back so it stays shaped while cooking. After the roast, those bones still hold plenty of beefy meat and flavor. Smoking the bones concentrates that flavor, caramelizes the exterior, and turns what would be scraps into a full, delicious serving.

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

• Perfect for leftovers — Prime rib bones are an economical way to stretch a roast into another meal without losing flavor.
• Hands-off cooking — The recipe mostly requires patience, not effort. Low-and-slow smoking delivers the reward with minimal active time.
• Adaptable flavors — The classic BBQ profile used here is flexible: swap in an Asian-style rub and sauce for a different direction.
• Choose your finish — Keep them with a crisp bark for chewing meat off the bones, or wrap in foil with a bit of beef broth for fall-off-the-bone tenderness.

Recipe Shopping List

You can usually make smoked prime rib bones from the leftovers of a bone-in rib roast. If you need to pick items up, here are the essentials. For exact quantities see the recipe card further below.

• Prime rib bones — Leftover bones from a bone-in rib roast. Use as many as you have: 4–6 bones serves a small group.
• SPG (salt, pepper, garlic) blend — A smoky SPG is ideal for beef. Use your favorite salt-pepper-garlic mix if you don’t have a custom blend.
• Barbecue sauce — Use your preferred bottle or a simple homemade sauce to glaze in the final stage of smoking.

How To Make This Recipe

Below is an overview of the smoking process so you know what to expect. Scroll to the recipe card for exact ingredient amounts and a concise step-by-step list to follow while cooking.

I usually smoke these the day after the prime rib dinner, but you can do them the same day or a day or two later as the bones hold up well when refrigerated.

1. Preheat — Heat your smoker or grill to 250°F (121°C). This temperature gives you a good balance of bark formation and internal warming without drying the meat.
2. Season — Pat the bones dry and generously season all sides with your SPG blend. Let them rest at room temperature for a short while if you have the time.
3. Smoke — Arrange the bones on the grates and smoke for about 2 hours total. Turn every 30–45 minutes so they develop an even crust and smoke ring.
4. Glaze — In the final 30 minutes, brush the exposed meat with a liberal coat of barbecue sauce. Do not flip after glazing to avoid sticking and tearing the sauce layer.
5. Optional tender finish — For extremely tender meat, after glazing wrap each bone tightly in foil with a splash of beef broth, beer, or cider and return to the smoker for another hour or until the meat reaches your preferred fall-off-the-bone texture.
6. Rest and serve — Remove from the smoker, rest briefly, slice between bones into individual ribs, and serve with extra BBQ sauce on the side.

Recipe FAQ

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