Recipe: Crown Roast of Pork with Apple Stuffing and Hard Cider Sauce

CROWN ROAST OF PORK WITH APPLE STUFFING AND HARD CIDER SAUCE

"Truly one of the most magnificent of all holiday entrees, a crown roast of pork is surprisingly simple to prepare."

FOR SEASONING THE PORK:
1 (8 1/2 pound, 12-rib) crown roast of pork*
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon sugar
1/2 teaspoon crumbled dried sage
1/2 teaspoon dried rosemary
1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
1/2 teaspoon freshly milled black pepper
FOR THE STUFFING:
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
2 medium celery ribs with leaves, chopped
1/3 cup chopped shallots
2 garlic cloves, minced
2 pounds ground pork**
1 cup unflavored dried bread crumbs
3 large eggs, beaten
1/3 cup chopped fresh parsley
2 teaspoons dried sage
1 teaspoon dried rosemary
1/4 teaspoon ground allspice
2 teaspoons salt
3/4 teaspoon freshly milled black pepper
1 cup (4 ounces) packed coarsely chopped dried apples
FOR THE SAUCE:
1 1/2 cups homemade beef stock or canned low-sodium beef broth
1 cup hard apple cider
2 teaspoons cornstarch
2 tablespoons applejack or Calvados

THE NIGHT BEFORE:
Brush the crown roast inside and out (including the underside) with the oil. Combine the salt, sugar, sage, rosemary, thyme, and pepper, and rub all over the roast. Place the roast in a roasting pan, cover loosely with plastic wrap, and refrigerate overnight.

Remove the meat from the refrigerator 1 hour before roasting.

TO MAKE THE STUFFING:
Make the stuffing just before roasting so it is warmed slightly by the sauteed vegetables. A slightly warm stuffing will cook more quickly and evenly than a chilled one.

In a large skillet, heat the oil over medium heat. Add the celery and cook, stirring often, until softened, about 3 minutes. Add the shallots and garlic and cook, stirring often, until shallots soften, about 2 minutes. Transfer to a large bowl. Add the ground pork, bread crumbs, eggs, parsley, sage, rosemary, allspice, salt, and pepper, and mix well. Mix in the dried apples.

TO STUFF AND ROAST THE PORK:
Position a rack in the bottom third of the oven and preheat to 450 degrees F.

Fill the center of the roast with stuffing. Cover the stuffing with aluminum foil. Cover each bone tip with a small piece of foil.

Roast for 10 minutes. Reduce the oven temperature to 325 degrees F. Cook until a thermometer inserted in the thickest part of the roast, without touching a bone, reads 155 degrees F, about 2 hours, 30 minutes. During the last 15 minutes of cooking time, remove the foil from the stuffing and bone tips to allow them to brown. Using a large spatula to help support the roast, transfer the roast to a serving platter. (The crown roast will usually come from the butcher on some kind of support to help transfer the roast to the serving platter. If not, you can use the flat bottom of a springform or tart pan.) Let stand for 15 minutes before carving.

MEANWHILE, TO MAKE THE SAUCE:
Pour off any drippings from the pan into a glass measuring cup. Skim off and discard any clear fat the rises to the surface. Reserve the dark juices in the cup. Place the roasting pan over two burners on high heat. Add the beef stock, cider, and reserved juices, and bring to a boil, scraping up any browned bits on the bottom of the pan.

In a small bowl, dissolve the cornstarch in the applejack. Whisk into the pan and cook until the sauce is lightly thickened. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Strain through a wire sieve into a small bowl. Pour the sauce into a warmed sauceboat.

TO SERVE:
Using a long, sharp knife, cut the roast into 1-rib servings. Serve with a spoonful of the stuffing, and pass the sauce on the side.

*Order your roast well ahead of time from the butcher. Be flexible about the actual size of the roast - the weight can vary quite a bit from roast to roast, even with the same number of ribs. Allow about 20 minutes per pound, roasting until the meat is cooked to 155 degrees F, and you'll be fine.

**The butcher usually grinds the trimmings from the crown roast to supply the ground pork for the stuffing. If necessary, ask for additional ground pork to make up the 2 pounds total.

MAKE AHEAD:
The seasoned pork roast must be refrigerated overnight before stuffing and roasting.

Makes 10 generous servings
Source: Christmas 101: Celebrate the Holiday Season From Christmas to New Year's by Rick Rodgers