Preparing, cooking and presenting a crown roast of pork on your dining table is a special event often associated with the Thanksgiving and Christmas holidays. Learning how to order your meat, how to make a stuffing for it, and how to cook it may mean that you do it a time or two to find the perfect recipe for you. A perfectly prepared crown roast is both a visual and gastronomic delight.
Step 1
Order a crown roast from your local supermarket or butcher. A crown roast is made from the rib part of the loin, between the shoulder and the leg, and typically consists of a minimum of 12 ribs. Tell your butcher how many ribs you want to have made into a crown. A rule of thumb is to plan for two ribs per person.
Step 2
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Prepare your roast by seasoning it with salt, pepper or other herbs of your choice. Cover the ends of the ribs with aluminum foil to protect them during the roasting period; because the ribs have been "frenched," there is little meat at the very end of the rib. Place in the roasting pan.
Step 3
Prepare the stuffing of your choice. The stuffing may be a rice stuffing, bread stuffing, corn bread stuffing, chestnut stuffing or any other combination that you prefer, such as a stuffing that includes fruits or nuts. Read your recipe carefully so to know when to place the stuffing in the roast. Some recipes will have you place aluminum foil in the center of the crown for the first half of the roasting time, then place the stuffing in the foil for the second half. Other recipes have you place the stuffing at the beginning and adjust the cooking time. Still other recipes instruct you to cook the stuffing separately and place it in the crown at the time of presentation and serving.
Step 4
Cook the pork for a minimum of 20 minutes per pound. A more accurate way to monitor how your pork is cooking is to use an internal thermometer, which should reach a temperature of at least 150 degrees. The recipe you choose will give you specific directions for how and when to stuff your crown roast and how long to roast.
Step 5
Remove the roast from the oven after the allotted cooking time and allow it to sit for approximately 10 minutes before serving. A meat thermometer will rise to 160 degrees during this time.
Step 6
Remove the aluminum foil from the ribs and place decorative frills on each rib. Your butcher will usually provide the frills with the meat.
Step 7
Present your crown roast on the table before cutting so that your guests can appreciate the roast, the stuffing and the decorative frills. Plan to have your other dishes ready for serving when you bring your crown roast to the table. You will then need to serve the dressing and carve the ribs for your guests to enjoy.
Tips and Warnings
- Pork is a meat that is important to cook thoroughly while at the same time not overcooking or drying out. A meat thermometer is one of the best ways to ensure you do this.
Things You'll Need
- Crown roast of pork
- Ingredients for the stuffing of your choice
- Aluminum foil or commercially sold frills
References
- Pork: Be Inspired; The Cuts: Crown Roast
- Put Pork on Your Fork; How to Prepare a Crown Roast
- "The Joy of Cooking"; Rombauer I.: 1975
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