Go Back

Smoked Half Bison Ribeye

Course Main Course
Cuisine American, BBQ
Keyword Bison Ribeye, Smoker
Prep Time 2 hours
Cook Time 6 hours
Rest Time 30 minutes
Total Time 8 hours 30 minutes
Servings 6 + Servings

Ingredients

  • 2.5 lb half bison ribeye
  • 3 tablespoons olive oil
  • 4 tablespoons sea salt
  • 4 tablespoons fresh cracked black pepper
  • 4 tablespoons brown sugar
  • 2 tablespoons paprika
  • 2 tablespoons instant coffee
  • 4 tablespoons dried minced garlic
  • 4 tablespoons dried minced onion
  • hickory wood chips

Instructions

  1. Trim and remove any extra fat from the bison ribeye, leaving a fat cap about ¼ inch thick on the ribeye. Rinse the ribeye in cool water and pat dry.

  2. Coat the ribeye from top to bottom with olive oil. Rub generously with salt, pepper, and brown sugar. Rest for one hour to start bringing the meat to room temperature.

  3. In a small bowl, combine the paprika, dried minced onion, and dried minced garlic. Rub the spice blend evenly over the entirety of the ribeye, including the ends, bottom, and sides. Rest for another 30 minutes to an hour to let the meat rehydrate the dried toppings as it comes to room temperature.

  4. Begin preheating the smoker while the meat is resting. Bring the smoker to 225°F.

  5. Place the seasoned ribeye on a baking sheet with a rack then place into the smoker, fat cap side up. Add 1-2 cups of hickory wood chips to the smoker and close the door or lid tightly. The meat will take the most smoke during the first 30 minutes so do not open during the initial smoking period. Only open occasionally to check the internal temperature of the meat or use a meat thermometer with an instant-read screen that can stay inside the smoker while it cooks for the most accurate results.

  6. Smoke the meat at 225°F for 4-6 hours or until the thermometer reads 125°F for rare (135°F for medium rare) when inserted through the center of the ribeye. The meat will continue to rise in temperature after it has been removed from the smoker.

  7. Remove ribeye from the smoker. Rest the bison ribeye tented under foil for 30 minutes or until the internal temperature reaches 145°F for rare meat (or 155°F if removed at 135°F for medium rare).

  8. Slice and serve right away. More a medium-well to well-done ribeye, sear the sliced meat on both sides for 1-2 minutes. Enjoy!

Recipe Notes

Like The Starving Chef on Facebook and subscribe on YouTube for weekly recipes. You can find this recipe, and many others, with step-by-step pictures on The Starving Chef Blog.