Garlic and Herb-Rubbed Pork Crown Roast
User Reviews
5
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Prep Time
40 mins
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Cook Time
3 hrs
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Total Time
3 hrs 40 mins
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Servings
12 servings
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Calories
606 kcal
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Course
Main Course
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Cuisine
American
Garlic and Herb-Rubbed Pork Crown Roast
Description
The recipe begins by preparing a spiced juniper brine composed of kosher salt, sugar, sage, thyme, bay leaf, cloves, crushed juniper berries, allspice, and peppercorns dissolved in boiling water and cooled with ice. The large pork crown roast is placed in double-layered, food-safe plastic oven bags inside a large bowl for brining, held upright with ribs pointing upwards and covered with the prepared brine for 24 hours. This step tenderizes and flavors the roast deeply.
After brining, the pork is seasoned with a garlic and herb paste made from minced garlic, chopped sage and thyme, olive oil, kosher salt, and fresh black pepper. This paste enhances the roast’s aromatic profile and creates a flavorful crust. The roast is then prepared for cooking according to the timing intended.
Serving the roast often includes traditional sides like wild rice mixed with roasted chestnuts and cranberries, complementing the rich pork with textural and taste contrasts. The recipe emphasizes attention to butchering and precise preparation to obtain a high-quality roast.
Practical tips include using food-safe plastic oven bags designed for roasting and crushing whole spices with a mortar and pestle, spice grinder, or alternative methods to release their flavors. These details ensure food safety and maximum seasoning impact.
Ingredients
- One (8- to 10-pound) pork crown roast about 14 to 22 ribs
For the juniper brine
- 1/2 cup kosher salt
- 1/2 cup sugar
- 3 sage leaves
- 3 prigs thyme
- 1 bay leaf
- 4 clove whole
- 1 teaspoon juniper berries crushed
- 1 teaspoon allspice berries crushed
- 1/2 teaspoon peppercorns crushed
- 4 cups water cool
- 4 cups water ice
For the herb and garlic paste
- 4 large cloves garlic minced
- 1 tablespoon sage leaves finely chopped
- 1 tablespoon thyme leaves finely chopped
- 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
- 2 teaspoons kosher salt or sea salt
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper freshly ground
- wild rice roasted chestnuts
- chestnuts
- cranberries
Instructions
Planning ahead
- You need to prepare the juniper brine and start brining the crown roast of pork 24 hours before you plan to start roasting it. Have ready a bowl large enough to hold the roast. Place one 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 crown roast of pork from its wrapping. Place the pork inside the double-thick bags, with the rib bones pointing upward, and unfold the collar.
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 crown roast of 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.
Make the roast
- Remove the crown roast from the refrigerator 1 1/2 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 crown roast under cold water and pat thoroughly dry with paper towels. Transfer to a shallow roasting pan.
- Make the herb and garlic paste by combining the garlic, sage, thyme, olive oil, salt, and pepper in a small bowl. Rub the herb paste generously over all the crown roast, including inside the cavity and between the bones. Set the crown roast, 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°F (230°C).
Cook the crown roast
- Roast the crown roast for 15 minutes. Lower the oven temperature to 325°F (160°C) and continue roasting the meat for 1 hour. Check the temperature of the crown roast. The crown roast is done when an instant-read thermometer inserted into the thickest part not touching bone registers 145° to 150°F (63° to 66°C). (A 9-pound crown roast should take about 1 3/4 hours to reach 145°F [63°C]). Keep in mind that the temperature of the meat will increase another 5° to 10°F as the meat rests before carving. Let the meat rest, tented with foil, for 20 minutes to allow the juices to set.
Serve the roast
- Place the pork crown roast 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 crown 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.
Notes
- Ask your butcher for a pork crown roast to access this classic, special cut of pork ribs for an impressive meal.
- Use food-safe, oven-safe plastic bags designed for roasting (such as turkey-size Reynolds bags) to hold the roast during brining; avoid regular garbage bags.
- Crush whole spices for the brine with a mortar and pestle or spice grinder; alternatively, seal in a sturdy plastic bag and pound with a saucepan bottom.
Nutrition Information
Show DetailsNutrition Facts
Serving: 12servings
Amount Per Serving
Calories 606 kcal
% Daily Value*
| Serving | 1serving | |
| Calories | 606kcal | 30% |
| Carbohydrates | 10g | 3% |
| Protein | 74g | 148% |
| Fat | 28g | 43% |
| Saturated Fat | 9g | 45% |
| Monounsaturated Fat | 13g | 65% |
| Trans Fat | 1g | 50% |
| Cholesterol | 228mg | 76% |
| Sodium | 5275mg | 220% |
| Fiber | 1g | 4% |
| Sugar | 8g | 16% |
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.
User Reviews
Overall Rating
5
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