Pork Crown Roast

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.

dish of Pork Crown Roast with cranberries and apples

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.

breakfast sausage , bread cubes , cranberries , apples , seasoning , oil , broth , celery , vinegar , onion , brown sugar , butter , dijon , salt and pepper with labels to make Pork Crown Roast

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.

adding ingredients to pan for stuffing to make Pork Crown Roast

top view of adding tin foil to Pork Crown Roast

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.

Use an instant-read thermometer and pull the roast out at 135°F to prevent overcooking.
Don’t pack the stuffing too tightly; overstuffing will affect the cooking time. So make sure the stuffing is moist but loose.
Make sure the bread cubes are dry so they soak up the broth well. You can use dry bread cubes or make your own by lightly toasting fresh bread if needed.
To keep the bone tips from burning, wrap them in foil before roasting.
Bake extra stuffing separately so it cooks evenly and keeps it from getting soggy. It also gives you those tasty golden edges!
Letting the roast rest twice locks in juices and improves carving. When carving, slice between the ribs for the perfect platter presentation.

plated Pork Crown Roast with stuffind and a dish of the roast in the back

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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image of Everyday Comfort cookbook by Holly Nilsson of Spend With Pennies plus text

Prep Time 20 minutes

Cook Time 2 hours 30 minutes

Rest Time 40 minutes

Total Time 3 hours 30 minutes

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.

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.

Nutrition information provided is an estimate and will vary based on cooking methods and brands of ingredients used.

Course Entree, Main Course, Pork

Cuisine American

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