I am seriously intimidated by cooking large cuts of meat indoors. My intimidation definitely comes from my lack of experience. With only two adults at home… a roast is a serious dinner party gamble or left-over meal commitment. We do a lot of barbecuing, pan-cooking, soups/stews, and meatless meals, but it is time…
I realize that I could have started with a pot roast roast, roast chicken, or roast beef, but in honor of supper club and our new dining room table, I decided to conquer a crown roast of pork. I called a local butcher a few days in advance to prepare the crown roast, and had a great experience in St. Louis with Kenrick’s Meat Market.
What a beautiful and impressive presentation of a tasty cut of meat! The crown roast was surprisingly easy to prepare and a great choice for a dinner party. The majority of my work in the kitchen was actually done a few hours before our guests even arrived!
In addition to the beautiful presentation and fairly easy prep work, this pork was delicious!
The pork was flavorful and tender and the pureed pan sauce was perfect.
Confession of a *wannabe* foodie… I am paranoid to serve under-cooked meat, but I am also paranoid to serve overcooked meat. Use a thermometer to keep an eye on the internal temperature of the pork and trust that the pork is done once it reaches 140 to 145 degrees F.
PORK CROWN ROAST WITH CRANBERRY, APPLE & CORNBREAD STUFFING
Adapted from The Food Network
Serves 12-15
PORK INGREDIENTS:
10 lb pork crown roast (prepared by butcher)
2 Tbsp minced garlic (6 cloves)
1 Tbsp finely chopped rosemary
1 Tbsp finely chopped sage
1 Tbsp finely chopped thyme
½ tsp crushed red pepper
½ tsp ground pepper
½ cup olive oil
salt
SAUCE INGREDIENTS:
10 lb pork crown roast
4 cloves of garlic (smashed)
2 ribs of celery, diced
1 onion, diced
1 carrot, diced
½ fennel bulb, diced
4-5 cups chicken stock
2 cups dry white wine (I used a Sauvignon Blanc)
2 bay leaves
Salt
PREP:
Preheat the oven to 450 degrees F.
Arranged the pork crown roast in a roasting pan large enough that the meat does not touch the sides. Generously sprinkle the roast with salt, including the sides.
In a small bowl mix together the finely chopped garlic, rosemary, sage, thyme, red pepper and olive oil.
Coat the roast with the with the herb and olive oil mixture (including the center).
Arrange the garlic, diced vegetables, and bay leaves around the outside of the roast. Pour 4 cups of chicken stock and the wine over the vegetables.
Stuff the top of the crown roast with your favorite stuffing. I highly recommend the Cranberry, Apple and Cornbread Stuffing.
Insert a meat thermometer into the thickest part of the roast and place the pork in the oven. Cook for 30 minutes, then turn the oven down to 325 degrees F and cook for an additional 2-2½ hours, until the internal temperature of the pork reaches 140-145 degrees.
Remove the pork from the oven and carefully remove the roast from the pan (a sturdy spatula and tongs worked well). Place the roasting pan, with the remaining vegetables and pan juices, on the stove over medium high heat and bring to a boil for 5-10 minutes. Blend the remaining sauce until smooth and season to taste with additional salt and pepper.