Smoked Prime Rib

Method

1. At least 12 hours before cooking, and ideally 24, pat the roast dry and season generously with the kosher salt and half the black pepper on all sides, then refrigerate uncovered - this dry brine deeply seasons the meat and dries the surface for better browning.
2. Remove the roast from the refrigerator 1.5 to 2 hours before cooking to take the chill off.
3. Mix the olive oil with the remaining black pepper, garlic powder, rosemary, thyme, and smashed garlic cloves into a rough paste, then rub it all over the roast, pressing it into the surface and fat cap.
4. Preheat your smoker to 225F for indirect heat and place a drip pan with the beef broth underneath the roasting area to catch drippings and add moisture.
5. Add 2 to 3 chunks of oak or hickory wood, place the roast bone-side down (using the bones as a natural roasting rack), and insert a thermometer into the very center of the roast, away from any bone.
6. Smoke undisturbed, checking only occasionally, until the internal temperature reaches 115F for medium-rare, which typically takes 3 to 3.5 hours for a roast this size - begin checking at the 2.5 hour mark since carryover and the coming sear will add more heat.
7. Remove the roast from the smoker and let it rest, loosely tented with foil, while you bring the smoker or a separate grill up to very high heat, at least 500F, or heat a cast-iron skillet with a thin layer of oil until smoking hot.
8. Sear the roast on all sides for 60 to 90 seconds per side, including the ends, until a deep, dark brown crust forms all over; work quickly since the meat is already near its target temperature.
9. Check the final internal temperature - it should read 125F to 130F for medium-rare after the sear; pull it immediately if it is climbing faster than expected.
10. Rest for 15 to 20 minutes before carving between the bones into thick slices, or slicing the boneless portion across the grain into 3/4-inch steaks.