This stuffed crown roast of pork is succulent, savory and certain to impress. It's elegant enough to serve as a holiday centerpiece yet simple enough to make for Sunday supper.
Stuffed Crown Roast of Pork
Updated on Nov. 20, 2024
Sure, a stuffed crown roast of pork is a spectacular dish. But we’ll let you in on a little secret: It’s actually quite easy to make. The hardest part of this recipe might be procuring this cut of pork; you’ll likely need to special order it from your butcher. But once you have it on hand, prepping and cooking a crown roast of pork is truly a breeze.
While a quality pork roast is flavorful on its own, adding savory sausage-and-vegetable stuffing takes it over the top. This recipe is elegant enough for a special occasion like a large family gathering or holiday meal—especially if you’re looking for Christmas mains that aren’t ham. It makes enough to serve a small crowd (this particular recipe yields 16 servings) and just looks absolutely stunning as the centerpiece on your holiday table.
How do you assemble a crown roast of pork with stuffing?
You can assemble a crown roast of pork at home or ask your butcher for help. The crown roast is essentially a bone-in pork loin (aka pork rib roast or rack of pork) that has been formed into a circle, or a “crown.” The butcher usually frenches the roast, scraping the meat and fat away from the bone to give it a cleaner look.
If you want to form the crown yourself, it’s easiest to shape the meat into a circle using two separate bone-in loins. You’ll want at least eight ribs per rack. The crown can be formed in three easy steps.
- French the bones: If the butcher hasn’t already cleaned the bones, use a knife to remove the meat between the ribs, similar to a frenched rack of lamb.
- Curve the roast: Stand each roast so that the frenched bones point upward. Position the racks so they face each other with the bones on the outside. Gently curve the two racks toward each other. You may need to make small slits in the meat between the bones to help the rack bend.
- Tie the roast: Encircle the thickest part of the loin with string and tie it into a knot. Then, encircle it with another length of string and tie it just below the exposed bones. It’s helpful to have someone hold the two racks together in a circle while you tie the string, but you can use a skewer to help if you’re doing it solo.
Ingredients for Stuffed Crown Roast of Pork
- Pork crown roast: A pork crown roast is simply a bone-in pork loin formed into a circle with the bones pointing upward. This cut of pork runs along the back of the pig from the shoulders to the hip, and is juicy and flavorful. A typical crown roast is made from two racks of eight ribs, although you can make it with a larger rack if you like.
- Canola oil: A neutral oil like canola oil helps the meat brown evenly and prevents the roast from sticking to the pan.
- Italian sausage: Bulk Italian sausage is the star of the stuffing. It’s typically flavored with fennel seed and anise, and may also include garlic, parsley, oregano, salt or pepper.
- Onions: Nearly any type of onion will work in this stuffing. Choose from pantry-friendly white, yellow or red onions (with red offering the strongest onion flavor). Or use shallots, which have a milder flavor.
- Celery: Along with its slightly sweet and bitter flavor, celery adds texture to the stuffing. Celery is a versatile vegetable (and you can store celery for several weeks in the crisper drawer), so it’s a great ingredient to have on hand in your refrigerator.
- Carrots: Carrots add texture and sweetness to the stuffing.
- Potatoes: To ensure the stuffing cooks evenly, be sure to cook the potatoes before adding them to the stuffing.
- Garlic cloves: Minced garlic cloves add depth and enhance the stuffing’s savory flavor.
- Fresh parsley: For the biggest punch of flavor, we like to use fresh parsley in this recipe. However, you can substitute dried parsley in a pinch. Using our fresh to dried herb conversion, you would need just shy of 2 tablespoons of dried parsley to replace the 1/3 cup of fresh parsley.
- Fennel seed: The slightly sweet licorice flavor of crushed fennel seed pairs especially well with pork.
Directions
Step 1: Bake the pork roast
Rub one tablespoon of oil over the entire roast. Place the crown roast on a rack in a shallow roasting pan.
Cover the rib ends with aluminum foil. Bake it, uncovered, at 325°F for 1 hour and 45 minutes.
Editor’s Tip: The aluminum foil helps to prevent the bones from browning as the crown roast cooks.
Step 2: Make the stuffing
For the stuffing, in a large skillet, cook the sausage over medium heat until it’s no longer pink. Drain off the fat and set the sausage aside.
In the same skillet, saute the onions, carrots, celery and garlic in the remaining canola oil until tender.
Stir in the potatoes, parsley, fennel, salt, pepper and reserved sausage. Carefully spoon the stuffing into the center of the crown roast.
Step 3: Continue baking
Bake the stuffed roast for one hour longer or until a thermometer reads 160° and the meat juices run clear. Replace the foil with decorative frills if desired. Remove the stuffing from the center of the roast and transfer it to a serving bowl.
Slice the roast between the ribs to serve.
Editor’s Tip: The right internal temperature of pork chops (and other cuts of pork) is 145°. However, stuffed meat and poultry need to be cooked until the stuffing reaches an internal temperature of 160°. We recommend using an instant-read thermometer to ensure your meat reaches the correct food-safe temperature.
How to Carve Crown Roast of Pork
Though it might look daunting, carving a crown roast of pork is actually quite easy! Simply use a sharp chef’s knife to slice the crown roast between the bones, separating it into bone-in pork chops.
To really impress your dinner guests, carve the crown roast at the table. If the idea of slicing in front of a crowd makes you break into a sweat, be sure to at least present the crown to your guests before returning to the kitchen to carve the roast without an audience.
Stuffed Crown Roast of Pork Variations
- Add a spice rub: For extra flavor, coat your roast with a dry spice rub like our all-purpose meat seasoning.
- Use herbs: Dry or fresh herbs also work well as a rub. Use a dried herb blend like Italian seasoning or herbes de Provence. Or make your own herb blend using fresh or dried herbs like parsley, sage, rosemary or thyme.
- Skip the crown: The crown makes for a spectacular presentation, but there’s no need to take the extra step if you don’t want to. You can make an herb-crusted pork loin by placing the roast, fat side up, on a rack set in a shallow roasting pan. Bake it, uncovered, at 350° for 1 hour and 30 minutes to 1 hour and 45 minutes or until a thermometer inserted into the thinnest part of the roast reads 145°. The stuffing can be baked separately or set around the edges of the pork as it roasts.
How to Store Stuffed Crown Roast of Pork
You can store leftover crown roast of pork in an airtight container in the refrigerator. For food safety, be sure to refrigerate the leftovers within two hours of cooking.
How long does roast pork last?
Crown roast of pork will last for up to four days in the refrigerator. For longer storage, it can be frozen for up to three months. Slice the roast and store the portions in the freezer in freezer-safe containers. Thaw the pork in the refrigerator overnight before reheating it.
How do you reheat crown roast of pork?
For the best results, we recommend reheating crown roast of pork leftovers in the oven. To reheat, place the pork on a rimmed baking sheet and cover it with foil. Reheat it in a 375° oven until the internal temperature reaches 165°.
Stuffed Crown Roast of Pork Tips
How do you keep crown roast of pork from drying out in the oven?
The key to preventing crown roast of pork from drying out is to avoid overcooking it. Cooking at a low temperature for a long period of time helps to ensure even cooking. Although pork is typically cooked to a minimum temperature of 145°, stuffed pork must be cooked until the stuffing reaches an internal temperature of 160° for food safety reasons.
What can you serve with a crown roast of pork?
When it comes to sides for a stuffed crown roast of pork, you have a lot of options. For veggie sides, think scalloped sweet potatoes, Parmesan-roasted broccoli or air-fryer zucchini. If you’re looking for sides that have a touch of sweetness, try our candied carrots or spicy applesauce. And, of course, side salad recipes are always a good choice, as is a basket of easy yeast rolls.
Crown Roast of Pork with Stuffing
Prep Time
10 min
Cook Time
2 hours 45 min
Yield
16 servings
Ingredients
- 1 pork crown roast (16 ribs and about 8 pounds)
- 2 teaspoons salt, divided
- 3/4 teaspoon pepper, divided
- 5 tablespoons canola oil, divided
- 2 cups chicken broth
- 1-1/4 pounds bulk Italian sausage
- 3 cups finely chopped onions
- 2 cups finely chopped carrots
- 2 cups finely chopped celery
- 2 garlic cloves, minced
- 4 cups diced cooked peeled potatoes
- 1/3 cup minced fresh parsley
- 1 teaspoon fennel seed, crushed
Directions
- Preheat oven to 325°. Rub entire roast with 1 teaspoon salt and 1/2 teaspoon pepper; brush 3 tablespoons oil. Place roast in a shallow roasting pan. Cover rib ends with aluminum foil to keep from burning. Pour chicken broth into roasting pan. Bake, uncovered, for 1-3/4 hours.
- Meanwhile for stuffing, in a large skillet, cook and crumble sausage over medium heat until no longer pink; drain and set aside. In the same skillet, cook and stir onions, carrots, celery in remaining oil until tender, 5-7 minutes; add garlic and cook 1 minute longer. Stir in the potatoes, parsley, fennel, remaining 1 teaspoon salt, remaining 1/4 teaspoon pepper and reserved sausage. Carefully spoon into center or roast; place any remaining stuffing in a greased baking dish; cover.
- Bake until stuffing is heated through and a thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the roast reads 145° and meat juices run clear, about hour longer. Remove foil from rib ends. Slice roast; if desired, thicken pan juices and serve with stuffing and pork.
Nutrition Facts
10 ounce-weight: 399 calories, 23g fat (7g saturated fat), 90mg cholesterol, 583mg sodium, 12g carbohydrate (3g sugars, 2g fiber), 34g protein.
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I make this roast every Christmas, much to the delight of family and friends. The recipe was passed down from my mother, so I've been using it for years. The succulent stuffing is oh-so-tasty!
—Martha Forte, East Setauket, New York
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