Recipe: Classic Pork Crown Roast
Merry almost Christmas! Its December, and Binya is getting ready to celebrate Christmas as we’re sure you are too! This has been quite the year, and to close it out with a much needed treat, we’ve come to you with a beautiful Christmas platter, and an equally beautiful dish to serve it on!
Pork crown roasts are a classic and have been around for as long as we can remember. They aren’t named as the staple dish of Christmas, but we’re hoping to change that this year. This succulent pork dish will, without a doubt, wow your family and friends, and make your mouth water every time you think about it too!
This recipe was found from: https://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/food-network-kitchen/classic-pork-crown-roast-7503257
What You’ll Need:
One 16- to 18-bone crown roast of pork (about 10 pounds) (see Cook's Note)
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
2 teaspoons fennel seeds
1 teaspoon whole allspice
1 teaspoon whole black peppercorns
1/2 teaspoon juniper berries
1 small bay leaf
1/4 cup olive oil
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1 tablespoon chopped fresh sage
1 teaspoon fresh thyme leaves, chopped
6 Granny Smith apples, peeled, cored and cut into 8 wedges each
2 large red onions, peeled and cut into 8 wedges each
1 stick (8 tablespoons) unsalted butter, melted
1 cup dry white wine
2 cups apple cider
To Combine:
Put the pork on a rimmed baking sheet and sprinkle all over with 1 tablespoon salt and several grinds of pepper; set aside.
Put the fennel, allspice, whole peppercorns and juniper berries in a small skillet over medium heat and cook until the fennel begins to turn slightly golden, about 5 minutes.
Transfer the toasted spices to a blender, add the bay leaf and blend until coarsely ground. Add the olive oil and 1 tablespoon salt and process until a coarse paste forms, about 1 minute. Spread the paste over the pork, making sure to get it into all the nooks and crannies; use a spatula to scrape up all the paste from the blender. Cover the pork with plastic wrap and refrigerate at least 8 hours and up to 24 hours.
When ready to cook the pork, preheat the oven to 450 degrees F.
Put the pork on a rack set in a large roasting pan and cook for 20 minutes. Lower the oven temperature to 350 degrees F and continue to cook until an instant-read thermometer registers 135 degrees F, about another 1 1/2 hours.
Meanwhile, combine the sugar, sage, thyme, apples, onions and 6 tablespoons of the butter in a large bowl until well coated. Heat a large skillet over high heat until very hot, about 3 minutes. Add half of the apple and onion mixture and cook, stirring occasionally, until the apples and onions are dark golden all over but the apples are still firm, 2 to 3 minutes. Transfer to a rimmed baking sheet and spread into a single layer to cool, using a heatproof spatula to scrape all the remaining sugar from the skillet over the apples and onions. Repeat with the remaining apple and onion mixture.
Return the skillet to high heat and add the wine. Cook until syrupy and reduced to about 2 tablespoons, about 4 minutes. Add the cider and cook until thickened and glossy, about 8 minutes; you should have about 1/3 cup of glaze. Swirl in the remaining 2 tablespoons butter and set aside.
Once the pork reaches 135 degrees F, increase the oven temperature to 450 degrees F and brush the pork all over with half the glaze. Return to the oven and cook for 5 minutes. Brush with the remaining glaze and continue to cook until the internal temperature registers 145 degrees F, about another 5 minutes. Transfer to a serving platter and let rest for 30 minutes. Serve with the apples and onions.
This recipe is undoubtedly the perfect gift to give to your family this year. After all, the season of giving is here. Not only will you go back for seconds, but the festive Christmas platter its served on will have everyone complimenting your impeccable taste, for both food and kitchenware.
