If you’re serving crown roast of pork this holiday season, try roasting it upside down, said Melissa Clark in The New York Times. That keeps the tips of the bones from blackening and allows the fat on the bottom of the roast to brown and crisp. Bring it to the table right side up. This time of year, “you want something with stage presence.”
Crown roast of pork with lemon and fennel
- 1½ tsp fennel seeds
- rosemary leaves from 2 sprigs
- 5 garlic cloves, coarsely chopped
- ¼ cup sage leaves
- zest of 1 lemon
- 1 tsp fennel pollen (optional)
- 1 tbsp kosher salt
- 5 tbsp olive oil
- one 10- to 12-rib crown roast of pork
- 1 tsp black pepper
In a skillet, toast fennel seeds until fragrant, 1 to 2 minutes.
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Place toasted fennel seeds, rosemary, garlic, sage, lemon zest, fennel pollen, and pinch of salt in a blender. Run blender briefly to chop herbs, add oil, and blend until mixture becomes a paste.
Wipe pork with paper towels. Season evenly with 1 tbsp salt and the pepper. Smear herb paste all over meat, including the crown’s middle and the crevices between chops. Let marinate at least 2 hours at room temperature, or longer in refrigerator. (Overnight is ideal.) Have meat at room temperature before roasting.
Heat oven to 450. Place roast upside down in large roasting pan (rack optional). Roast 20 minutes, then reduce heat to 350 and continue roasting until meat hits 145 degrees on an instant-read thermometer, about 1½ to 2 hours longer. Let rest 10 minutes before carving. Serves 10 to 12.
