Crown Roast of Pork with Onion and Bread-Crumb Stuffing
Makes 10 to 12 servings
For stuffing
2 pound onions, finely chopped (6 cups)
2-1/2 teaspoons salt
1-1/2 sticks (3/4 cup) unsalted butter
2 tablespoons chopped fresh sage
1 tablespoon chopped fresh marjoram
1 teaspoon black pepper
1-1/2 tablespoons cider vinegar
1/2 cup dry white wine
1 (1-pound) piece fresh Pullman loaf, pain de mie, or country loaf, cut into 1-inch cubes, then pulsed to coarse crumbs in a food processor
3/4 lb ground pork (usually comes with crown roast, see below)
1 cup finely chopped celery
For roast
1 teaspoon finely chopped fresh sage
1 teaspoon finely chopped fresh marjoram or thyme
2 teaspoons salt
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
1 (9- to 10-lb) crown roast of pork, rib ends frenched (ground pork reserved for stuffing, above)
1 1/2 cups water
For sauce
1/2 cup dry white wine
1 1/2 cups reduced-sodium chicken broth
2 teaspoons cornstarch, dissolved in 2 tablespoons water
2 tablespoons cold unsalted butter
Special equipment: an instant-read thermometer
Make stuffing: Cook onions with 1 1/2 teaspoons salt in 3/4 stick butter in
a 12-inch heavy skillet over moderate heat, covered, stirring occasionally,
until tender, about 10 minutes. Continue to cook, uncovered, stirring
frequently, until onions are pale golden, about 10 minutes more. Add sage,
marjoram, and pepper and cook, stirring, 5 minutes. Add vinegar and wine and boil, stirring occasionally, until liquid is evaporated, then remove from
heat.
Meanwhile, cook bread crumbs and remaining teaspoon salt in remaining 3/4
stick butter in a 12-inch nonstick skillet over moderately low heat,
stirring, until golden and crisp, 15 to 20 minutes.
Reserve 1 cup onion mixture, covered and chilled, for sauce. Transfer
remaining mixture to a large bowl and stir in ground pork, celery, and
crumbs.
Cook roast and stuffing: Put 1 oven rack in lower third of oven and another
on bottom of oven and preheat oven to 350°F.
Stir together sage, marjoram, salt, and pepper in a small bowl, then rub
over outside and bottom of roast. Put roast in a small flameproof roasting
pan and mound 2 cups stuffing loosely in center, then add water to pan.
Transfer remaining stuffing to a buttered 2-quart baking dish and chill
until ready to bake.
Roast pork in lower third of oven, covering stuffing and tips of ribs with a
sheet of foil after about 30 minutes and adding more water if pan becomes
dry, until thermometer inserted 2 inches into center of meat (do not touch
bones) registers 155°F, 2 1/4 to 2 3/4 hours total.
Bake remaining stuffing (next to or under roast, starting 30 minutes before
roast is done), covered with foil, 30 minutes. Increase oven temperature to
425°F (after removing roast from oven) and continue to bake stuffing,
uncovered, until top is crisp, 15 to 20 minutes more.
Transfer pork to a platter and let stand 30 minutes.
Make sauce while pork stands: Transfer pan juices from roasting pan to a
gravy separator or a glass measure and skim off fat. Straddle roasting pan
across 2 burners, then add wine to pan and boil over high heat, stirring and
scraping up brown bits, until reduced by about half, about 5 minutes. Add
reserved onion mixture, broth, pan juices, and any juices on platter from
roast and bring to a simmer. Restir cornstarch mixture and add to pan,
whisking, then simmer 2 minutes. Add butter and swirl pan until
incorporated. Season with salt and pepper.
Carve pork and serve with stuffing and sauce.