This crown roast of pork turns any dinner into a festive celebration. It’s juicy and tender with a sweet caramelized glaze and a savory apple-sausage stuffing dotted with cranberries, perfect for sharing with family and friends.
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Holly’s Recipe Highlights
- Flavor: Rich, tender pork paired with a savory-sweet apple sausage stuffing and finished with a tangy caramelized glaze.
- Skill Level: It sounds impressive, but this stuffed crown roast is surprisingly easy to make.
- Recommended Tools: A roasting pan and an instant-read thermometer will help to perfectly cook this roast.
- Serving Suggestions: Serve this holiday pork crown roast with homemade cranberry sauce, mashed potatoes, and a crisp, fresh salad.
Ingredients For The Perfect Holiday Roast
- Pork Crown Roast: Choose a pre-tied roast, ask the butcher to shape and “French” the bones for a tidy presentation, or tie your own. Setting it over a bed of sliced onion will make the heat circulate around the meat for even cooking.
- Apple Sausage Stuffing: Honeycrisp or Gala apples are the best choice as they hold their shape and are sweeter. For the sausage, choose breakfast pork sausage. It adds fat and flavor; mild Italian sausage works too.
- Glaze: This easy glaze mixes tangy mustard, brown sugar, and apple cider vinegar for a balanced coating that beautifully caramelizes on the roast. For more texture, swap the mustard for a grainy Dijon mustard.
How to Make a Pork Crown Roast
- Season the crown roast and set it on a bed of onions.
- Prepare the apple sausage stuffing (full recipe below).
- Fill the roast loosely with stuffing and bake.
- Once the pork reaches temperature, let it rest, glaze it, and return it to the oven to caramelize.
Storing and Freezing Leftovers
- Store leftover pork and stuffing in airtight containers in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.
- Freeze cooked pork slices or stuffing for up to 2 months.
- Reheat pork gently in a covered dish at 300°F to keep it tender. The leftover stuffing reheats well in the oven or air fryer.
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Equipment
Ingredients
For the Pork
- 2 teaspoons kosher salt
- 1 teaspoon black pepper
- 1 crown roast of pork 16-20 ribs, about 8-10 pounds
- 1 large onion sliced
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
For the Stuffing
- 1 pound ground pork breakfast sausage
- 4 tablespoons salted butter
- 4 ribs celery diced
- 1 medium onion diced
- 2 large apples peeled and diced, honey crisp or Gala
- 1 cup fresh cranberries lightly chopped, or frozen cranberries
- 2 teaspoons poultry seasoning
- 1 teaspoon ground sage
- 16 cups dry bread cubes about 2 loaves of bread
- 3 to 4 cups chicken broth more if needed
- salt and pepper to taste
For the Glaze
- 2 tablespoons Dijon mustard or grainy mustard
- 2 tablespoons brown sugar
- 1½ teaspoons apple cider vinegar
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 325°F. Arrange the rack in the oven to the lower third.
- Rub the roast with olive oil, then sprinkle generously with kosher salt and pepper. Rub the seasoning into the meat.
- Arrange sliced onions in the bottom of a roasting pan to create a bed for the roast. Place the crown roast, bone tips up, on top of the onions.
Make the stuffing
- In a large skillet, brown sausage over medium heat until no pink remains. Add the butter, celery, and onion and cook until softened, about 4 minutes. Stir in apples, cranberries, poultry seasoning, and sage. Cook 3 to 5 minutes more or until the apples begin to soften.
- Remove from heat and add the bread cubes. Add chicken broth a little at a time, mixing gently, until stuffing is moist but not soggy. Taste and season with salt and pepper.
- Fill the cavity of the roast with the sausage stuffing; do not overpack.
- Place remaining stuffing in a casserole dish and cover with foil. Bake along with the roast, at 325℉, uncovering for the last 30 minutes of bake time.
Cook the roast
- Wrap each of the tips of the rib bones in foil and loosely cover the stuffing with foil. Roast the crown uncovered for 15 to 20 minutes per pound, or until a thermometer inserted into the center of the meat reads 135°F.
- Remove the roast (and extra stuffing) from the oven and let it rest 20 minutes. Increase the oven temperature to 450°F.
- In a small bowl, whisk together Dijon mustard, brown sugar, and vinegar.
- Brush glaze over the roast and return to oven. Roast an additional 15-20 minutes or until the glaze is caramelized and the internal temperature reaches 140°F.
- Remove roast from the oven and loosely tent with foil. Rest at least 20 minutes before slicing between the ribs to serve.
Notes
Use an instant-read thermometer for best results; this ensures a juicy roast without overcooking.
The stuffing can be made up to 24 hours ahead of time. Gently spoon the stuffing into the cavity; do not pack it in. To make a pan gravy: Scrape up any brown bits in the roasting pan (add a splash of chicken broth to help with this). Transfer the drippings to a liquid measuring cup and add chicken broth to the 2-cup line. In a medium saucepan, melt 4 tablespoons of butter over medium heat. Stir in ¼ cup of all-purpose flour and cook for 3-4 minutes or until the butter lightly browns. Gradually add the broth mixture, whisking until smooth after each addition. Let boil for 3-4 minutes. Taste and season with salt and pepper as needed. For a smoother gravy, strain the broth and drippings before adding to the flour mixture. Leftovers: Keep leftover pork and stuffing in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. Nutrition: Nutrition calculation is based on 8lbs of pork.
The stuffing can be made up to 24 hours ahead of time. Gently spoon the stuffing into the cavity; do not pack it in. To make a pan gravy: Scrape up any brown bits in the roasting pan (add a splash of chicken broth to help with this). Transfer the drippings to a liquid measuring cup and add chicken broth to the 2-cup line. In a medium saucepan, melt 4 tablespoons of butter over medium heat. Stir in ¼ cup of all-purpose flour and cook for 3-4 minutes or until the butter lightly browns. Gradually add the broth mixture, whisking until smooth after each addition. Let boil for 3-4 minutes. Taste and season with salt and pepper as needed. For a smoother gravy, strain the broth and drippings before adding to the flour mixture. Leftovers: Keep leftover pork and stuffing in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. Nutrition: Nutrition calculation is based on 8lbs of pork.
Nutrition Information
Calories: 782 | Carbohydrates: 47g | Protein: 55g | Fat: 41g | Saturated Fat: 11g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 5g | Monounsaturated Fat: 12g | Trans Fat: 0.4g | Cholesterol: 154mg | Sodium: 1381mg | Potassium: 1008mg | Fiber: 5g | Sugar: 12g | Vitamin A: 261IU | Vitamin C: 5mg | Calcium: 171mg | Iron: 5mg
Nutrition information provided is an estimate and will vary based on cooking methods and brands of ingredients used.
Course Entree, Main Course, Pork
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