Photo: Victor Protasio; Prop Styling: Kay E. Clarke; Food Styling: Chelsea Zimmer
Even your mother-in-law will request the recipe for this wonderful holiday roast. Save yourself some prep time and ask the butcher to prep and tie the meat for you, or do it yourself at home with our detailed instructions. Either way, let the roast chill uncovered overnight to allow the surface to dry so that a nice crust forms as the meat cooks. This crown roast of pork not only makes a delicious centerpiece for your holiday table, it will pair with just about any side dish you’re serving.
How to Make It
Step 1
Trim fat on roast to 1⁄4 inch thick. Place roast on work surface, meat side down with ribs curved up. Cut 1 1⁄2-inch-long slits (about 3⁄4 inch deep) between rib bones on bony side of roast. Stand rack with ribs pointed up and slits facing away from you. Curve rack so that ends meet and form a crown. Tie roast with kitchen twine at bottom, in middle, and around bones to secure. (You can ask a butcher to do this step.) Wrap top of each rib bone, individually, with aluminum foil to prevent burning.
Step 2
Stir together mustard, garlic, thyme, rosemary, salt, oil, pepper, and sugar in a small bowl. Rub mixture on roast, working it into slits and avoiding frenched bones. Place roast on a rack set in a foil-lined rimmed baking sheet. Chill, uncovered, 8 hours or up to overnight.
Step 3
Remove roast from refrigerator, and let stand at room temperature 1 hour. Preheat oven to 450°F with oven rack in lower third of oven. Bake roast in preheated oven 15 minutes. Reduce oven temperature to 325°F, and continue baking until a thermometer inserted into thickest part of rib registers 135°F for medium, 1 hour and 50 minutes to 2 hours and 10 minutes. Remove roast from oven; tent with foil. Let rest 30 minutes (internal temperature will rise to 145°F as the meat rests). Remove kitchen twine and foil caps before slicing between bones and serving.
