It, as you all have heard by now a million times, was Husband’s birthday last weekend. We had a group of our best pals over to the house and I cooked up a veritable feast of his favorite foods: meat wrapped around potatoes, stinky cheese, meat in a layer dip, more stinky cheese, and this gorgeous prime rib.

It was divine. Juicy. Perfect on soft little rolls with horseradish mayo: prime rib sliders, if you will.

For those of you who think prime rib is a little early-bird special, think again. It’s tender, cuts like butter (if you get good quality meat, that is), and completely easy to make at home where you don’t have to dine among the blue-haired crowd. It’s not terribly expensive, either. I was able to find a 6-pound roast for $5.99 per pound with a little research. That’s what you’d pay for good ground beef! (Note: what I’m referring to as “prime rib” is often found in the grocery store as “rib roast” or “standing rib roast.” For a true “Prime” roast, you may have to order directly from a butcher for a cut that is indeed Prime grade beef, and it may carry a heftier price tag.)

Want to give it a shot? Here we go.

First of all, take your roast out of the fridge. It needs to come to room temperature, so let it sit on the counter for about 3 hours before you begin to cook it. If you like your meat really rare–like bloody, cold, and still mooing, you may skip this step.

Next, grab some stuff you probably already have on hand: salt, pepper, olive oil, dijon mustard and prepared horseradish (of the cream variety or regular–doesn’t matter).

Coarsely grind 1/4 cup of pepper and add 1/4 cup of coarse salt into a bowl. Mix together.

Next, add 1/3 cup each olive oil, dijon and horseradish. If you add the olive oil first your measuring cup will be nice and slick so the next two ingredients won’t stick. Makes life easier.

Stir it all together, give it a taste, and use your own judgement to adjust flavors from there. Cover and stick in the fridge until the roast is ready to go.

Once the roast has come to room temperature, rinse it, pat very dry with paper towels, and coat all over with the dijon/horsey mixture. Place in a roasting pan with a rack if you’re using “rib roast” (no bones), or without a rack if you’re using “standing rib roast.” In the latter case, the ribs are removed and tied underneath the meat, so they act as a natural roasting rack.

Roast at 350°  for 1 1/2 to 2 hours until an instant-read thermometer measures 120° for rare or 125° for medium rare. Remove from oven and let the meat rest for 20 minutes before carving.

I sliced it up into little chunks and served it with soft rolls and horseradish mayo. Folks scarfed ‘em down. I may have had two. Or three. Or five.

Traditionally, however, prime rib is served with a side of horseradish and some of the jus from the roast. But you’re more creative than that. I know it.

Make this for your honey sometime soon. He’ll never stop thanking you.

-RDG

Horseradish and Dijon Prime Rib

• 1 6-pound rib roast or standing rib roast, rinsed, patted dry, and brought to room temperature
• 1/4 cup freshly ground pepper
• 1/4 cup coarse salt, such as sea salt or kosher salt
• 1/3 cup olive oil
• 1/3 cup dijon mustard
• 1/3 cup prepared horseradish

Preheat oven to 350. Combine last 5 ingredients in a small bowl and mix well. Coat entire roast with the mixture and lay in a roasting pan (with rack if using rib roast, without a rack using standing rib roast). Roast for 1 1/2 to 2 hours, or until an instant-read thermometer measures 120° for rare or 125° for medium rare. Remove from oven and let the meat rest for 20 minutes before carving.