Pork Crown Roast

I have always wanted to make a Crown Roast and decided that this Christmas would be the perfect time! I was scared though and had no idea where to start. I did a Google search and found a couple of recipes that I liked that seemed simple. I decided to go with Tyler Florence's recipe on Food Network and it was the perfect choice!

Now this is not a roast that you can just go and grab at the grocery store, it needs to be pre ordered and takes a couple of days notice for your butcher to prepare. I live in Utah and got my meat from Harmons Grocery Store. They charge $3.99/lb which was the cheapest I could find. They did an amazing job at preparing the roast for me and all I had to do was season it and cook it. I had 8 people that I was serving and asked for an 8-9 pound roast. I ended up with an 11 pound roast and this was plenty! Everyone went home with leftovers!

This recipe calls for the stuffing to be prepared in the roast which I did not do. I have issues with cooking stuffing in meat, so I did it on the side. I served with a brown gravy as well.

The roast was amazing! It was juicy, it had amazing flavor and the right amount of herbs. The roast did taste a lot like a pork chop so I'm not sure that it was worth the money considering pork chops are way cheaper. But it was cool to say that I cooked it and I would do it again!

Ingredients

• 1/2 bunch thyme, leaves only
• 1/2 bunch fresh sage, leaves only
• 2 cloves garlic, gently smashed and paper removed
• kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
• Extra-virgin olive oil
• 10 pounds pork rib roast (about 12 to 14 ribs)
• Apple Pecan Stuffing, recipe follows
• Watercress, for garnish, optional
• Special equipment: roasting pan fitted with roasting rack

Directions

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Set rack on the bottom third of the oven so the roast will fit completely inside.

In a small mixing bowl or mortar and pestle, combine thyme, sage, garlic, and salt and pepper, to taste, and mash to break up herbs and garlic. Add oil, about 1 cup, and combine with pestle.

Take crown roast of pork and if your butcher hasn't already prepared it, clean the bones of meat with a boning knife (French them) and make a small cut into the meat in between each rib so you can wrap it into a circle easily; save the scraps. Rub the pork all over with the herb mixture. With the ribs on the outside, wrap the rack around onto itself so the ends meet and secure with kitchen twine so it holds its crown shape. *Cook's note: if you are doing this by yourself, using a skewer to help hold its shape while you wrap the kitchen twine around the roast.

Place in a roasting pan. Add the scraps into the bottom of the pan alongside the roast. This will help add flavor to your sauce. Set aside to bring the pork to room temperature prior to cooking.

Fill the cavity with Apple Pecan Stuffing.

Cover the stuffing and the tips of the rib bones with foil then place the whole roast in the oven and bake for 2 hours and 20 minutes, an instant-read thermometer inserted near the bone should register 150 degrees F when done. About 30 to 45 minutes prior to doneness, remove the foil to brown the stuffing and create a crust. Remove from the oven, loosely cover with foil and allow to rest for 30 minutes before cutting. Serve with Apple Pecan Stuffing and Gravy. Garnish with watercress if desired

Stuffing Recipe