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Garlic and Herb Rubbed Crown Roast of Pork

From the book The Christmas Table by Diane Morgan

Serves

8 to 12

Introduction

A crown roast of pork makes a spectacular presentation on a holiday buffet or dining table. Traditionally, the center of the roast is filled with either a bread or rice stuffing. I prefer to roast the pork without stuffing for the same reason I don’t stuff a turkey: the meat will be overcooked by the time the stuffing is cooked through.

I also recommend you brine the pork. When I was developing this recipe, I first roasted the pork without brining it and was sorely disappointed in the blandness of the meat. Brining improves the texture of the pork, making it tender and juicy throughout, plus the flavors of the herbs and spices in the brine penetrate to the center of the roast. Plan ahead because you will need to special-order the roast from a butcher. Let the butcher know how many guests you will be serving to determine what size crown roast you will need. Plan on serving 1 or 2 chops per person.

Ingredients

Roast

	2	turkey-sized plastic oven bags
	1	crown roast of pork (8 to 10 pounds, about 14 to 22 ribs)

Brine

	½	cup Diamond Crystal kosher salt
	½	cup sugar
	3	fresh sage leaves
	3	sprigs fresh thyme
	1	bay leaf
	4	whole cloves
	1	tsp. juniper berries, crushed
	1	tsp. allspice berries, crushed
	½	tsp. peppercorns, crushed
	4	cups cool water
	4	cups ice water

Paste

	4	large cloves garlic, minced
	1	Tbsp. finely chopped fresh sage
	1	Tbsp. finely chopped fresh thyme
	¼	cup extra-virgin olive oil
	2	tsp. kosher or sea salt
	½	tsp. freshly ground pepper

Steps

You need to prepare the juniper brine and start brining the crown roast 24 hours before you plan to start roasting it. Have ready a bowl large enough to hold the roast. Place 1 plastic oven bag inside the second bag to create a double thickness; then place these bags, open wide, in the bowl. Fold back the top one-third of the bags, making a collar (this helps to keep the top of the bag open). Remove the pork from its wrapping. Place the pork inside the double-thick bags, with the rib bones pointing upward, and unfold the collar.
To make the brine, combine the salt, sugar, sage, thyme, bay leaf, cloves, juniper and allspice berries, peppercorns, and cool water in a 3-quart saucepan. Bring to a boil over high heat, stirring to dissolve the salt and sugar. Boil for 3 minutes. Remove from the heat. Add the ice water, stir, and set aside to cool completely.
Pour the cooled brine over the pork. Draw up the top of the inner bag, squeezing out as much air as possible, and secure it closed with a twist tie. Do the same for the outer bag. The pork should be completely submerged in the brine. Place the pork in the refrigerator to brine for 24 hours.
To roast the pork, remove the pork from the refrigerator 1½ hours before you plan to roast it. Set the bowl aside, and place the brined pork, still in its bags, in the sink. Open and discard the bags, brine, and any herbs or spices remaining on the pork. Rinse the pork under cold water and pat thoroughly dry with paper towels. Transfer the pork to a shallow roasting pan.
To make the herb and garlic paste, combine the garlic, sage, thyme, olive oil, salt, and pepper in a small bowl. Rub the paste generously over all the pork, including inside the cavity and between the bones. Set the pork, rib bones down (upside down), in the roasting pan. Set aside to marinate at room temperature for up to 1 hour.
Thirty minutes before you plan to roast the pork, position a rack in the lower third of the oven. Preheat the oven to 450 degrees.
Roast the pork for 15 minutes. Lower the oven temperature to 325 degres and continue roasting the meat for another hour. Check the temperature of the pork. The pork is done when an instant-read thermometer inserted into the thickest part not touching bone registers 145 to 150 degrees. (A 9-pound roast should take about 1¾ hours to reach 145 degrees.) Keep in mind that the temperature of the meat will increase another 5 to 10 degrees as the meat rests before carving. Let the meat rest, tented with foil, for 20 minutes to allow the juices to set.
To serve, place the pork on a warmed platter so the rib bones face upward. Fill the cavity with the wild rice and scatter the remaining wild rice around the base of the roast. Alternatively, serve the wild rice or the bread stuffing on the side, or place the roast on a bed of herbs and fill the cavity with a bouquet of the same herbs. To carve the roast, use a carving fork to steady the roast and cut between the rib bones to separate the chops. Serve 1 or 2 chops per person.

This content is from the book The Christmas Table by Diane Morgan.

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There are 47 comments on this item

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Average Rating 5

46% recommend this recipe

1. by meganfra on Nov 7, 2008 at 8:29 AM PST

i want to eat this!

2. by passion4eating on Nov 7, 2008 at 9:37 AM PST

I think this sounds great. I just ordered some heritage pork and think we are going to have a piggy Thanksgiving this year. These recipes sound great. Thinking about trying the pear one tonight!

3. by K. Cleaver on Nov 7, 2008 at 9:53 AM PST

My husband doesn’t want a turkey for Thanksgiving this year and I think this sounds wonderful to try instead.

4. by Christina on Nov 7, 2008 at 11:10 AM PST

Yummy!

5. by Chelle on Nov 7, 2008 at 12:12 PM PST

This sounds like a great Christmas Day main course. Simple to prepare, yet special.

6. by hollyb on Nov 7, 2008 at 12:14 PM PST

Sounds yummy and looks awesome!

7. by anonymous on Nov 7, 2008 at 1:19 PM PST

i love garlic in anything

8. by Kelly Ann T. on Nov 7, 2008 at 1:42 PM PST

Garlic is so good for you and we this sounds great. I like simple yet elegant dinners. Thank you,

9. by mverno on Nov 7, 2008 at 2:26 PM PST

i love this recipe

10. by mcnerd on Nov 7, 2008 at 2:40 PM PST

I would love to do this roast, but it is way too much for 1 person and I have no dog to share with.

11. by chromiumman on Nov 7, 2008 at 4:28 PM PST

gonna have to try this

12. by Laverne Says on Nov 7, 2008 at 7:27 PM PST

will make this for Christmas

13. by Maprinces3 on Nov 7, 2008 at 7:49 PM PST

Wow, one awesome Christmas dish! Uses two of my favorites Pork and Garlic, besides really bad breath I will be be sure to ask for seconds and even thirds this year!

14. by Charles on Nov 8, 2008 at 12:49 AM PST

this sounds so good and is so not expected at the Thanksgiving table

15. by AsTheNight on Nov 8, 2008 at 5:17 AM PST

Crown Roast of Pork is a lot of work but so worth it in terms of flavor and wow factor. Thanks for sharing this recipe...I’ll have to try the brine.

16. by Jack Palmer on Nov 8, 2008 at 6:07 AM PST

Garlic and pork is a perfect combination,, I can’t wait to put this recipe on my holiday table.. thank you!

17. by dpripps on Nov 8, 2008 at 8:09 AM PST

I’ve always wanted to try the crown roast and this recipe sounds great using the bags!

18. by azdave58 on Nov 8, 2008 at 9:40 AM PST

Looks and sounds scrumptious

19. by peggy1116 on Nov 8, 2008 at 12:34 PM PST

I love pork roast and would love to try this wonderful recipe

20. by pintolinda on Nov 8, 2008 at 12:38 PM PST

This is a good idea! I was just trying to plan a Thanksgiving menu and this is perfect! Thank you for the recipe.

21. by Debbie Murray on Nov 8, 2008 at 4:16 PM PST

This sounds so delicious I can’t wait to try it.

22. by Lisa Vance on Nov 8, 2008 at 6:57 PM PST

I’m trying this one! This sounds delicious!!!

23. by Ashley on Nov 8, 2008 at 10:25 PM PST

this sounds amazing! i will have to try this for thanksgiving or christmas

24. by Christa on Nov 9, 2008 at 5:10 AM PST

I would love to make this with my friend’s heritage pork. She raises Tamworth hogs that are absolutely delicious! I bet I could get the butcher to make up a crown roast....

25. by nicnac on Nov 9, 2008 at 5:47 AM PST

I loved the step by step instructions in a language I can understand, no assumtions made. This sounds like something I could try to make without being an expert cook.

26. by gibson777 on Nov 9, 2008 at 11:43 AM PST

I would love to try this entree. It sounds absolutely wonderful.

27. by kaylee8 on Nov 9, 2008 at 11:55 AM PST

This sounds yummy and a great alternative to the more traditional Christmas ham!

28. by anonymous on Nov 9, 2008 at 1:16 PM PST

This recipe was very good. Perfect instructions.

29. by Heather B on Nov 9, 2008 at 1:56 PM PST

sounds DELISH!!!

30. by nesta67 on Nov 9, 2008 at 7:21 PM PST

Sounds great!

31. by jessica a on Nov 9, 2008 at 8:13 PM PST

This sounds yummy and it looks like i could make it! imjessica(at)mail(dot)com

32. by soonergal11 on Nov 9, 2008 at 8:13 PM PST

I will making this recips soon! Thanks!

33. by anonymous on Nov 10, 2008 at 3:29 AM PST

count me in please

34. by heyhiggy on Nov 10, 2008 at 4:53 AM PST

Looks so good, I would like to try it

35. by dddiva on Nov 10, 2008 at 5:04 AM PST

Sounds delicous and easy enough for a special dinner.

36. by garrettsambo on Nov 10, 2008 at 6:30 AM PST

This would be a great centerpiece for a holiday meal. garrettsambo@aol.com

37. by Amy on Nov 10, 2008 at 7:53 AM PST

Yum! Sounds wonderful!

38. by Heather on Nov 10, 2008 at 7:55 AM PST

This sounds so delicious!

39. by taraR on Nov 10, 2008 at 8:30 AM PST

This one is going to on my menu! Sounds delicious

40. by klp1965 on Nov 10, 2008 at 8:32 AM PST

this sounds soooooooooooooooo delicious :)

41. by bndraldy on Nov 10, 2008 at 8:38 AM PST

I thought this would be a complicated recipe, but it is actually quite simple. I hope my butcher will be able to get me a good roast. Thanks for the opportunity to participate in this giveaway!

42. by anonymous on Nov 10, 2008 at 8:56 AM PST

This sounds wonderful...I’ll have to try it sometime when the family comes over. They will be impressed!
mjf926 at gmail dot com

43. by anonymous on Nov 10, 2008 at 9:39 AM PST

That sounds delicious! Now I’m hungry:)

44. by onlybellinagirl on Nov 10, 2008 at 9:59 AM PST

mmmmmmmmm, sounds very good!!!

45. by Lagniappe on Nov 10, 2008 at 10:07 AM PST

Garlic and Herb Rubbed Crown Roast of Pork - just the title starts up the salivary glands. The garlic, sage, and thyme paste won me hands down!

46. by ekarlins on Nov 11, 2008 at 7:48 PM PST

I usually prefer a dry brine to a wet brine. I find when you salt and season a few days early that penetrates the meat and provides flavor without making it watery like a wet brine can do. Have you had the experience of a wet brine making the pork taste watery instead of tasting like pork?

47. by anonymous on Jan 4, 2010 at 8:35 AM PST

Making this dish has always been on my mind for a long time and it always seems such a daunting task. I got extremely nervous when I did a research and reading about roasting a crown pork, but after reading Diana’s instruction, I decided to go with it. I am extremely happy to report that this recipe is wonderful, to say the least! I had left over for 3 days and the pork was still juicy, tender and very flavorful - that is something rare for me, when roasting/ cooking pork!

Do give this recipe a try, I’m sure you’ll be happy that your guests, family members, friends, strangers, etc. will fall in love with you!

Thank you Diana for sharing such great recipe!

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