How To Cook A Christmas Crown Roast

What you serve for Christmas dinner is special and takes thought to prepare and serve. A crown roast is a gorgeous presentation that will stun all your guests as the main centerpiece — and it's quite tasty as well. It's so impressive that it looks intimidating to prepare, but trust us, it's relatively easy to make at home.

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A crown roast is made up of pork chops that have not yet been individually cut and are still attached to the whole pork loin. When purchasing a crown roast, ask your butcher to form it for you. Plan on about one rib and a half per person — or two if you want leftovers. You can even get those fancy paper hats to go on each rib if you want.

Start with an 8- to 9-pound crown roast that has been Frenched and prepped by the butcher. Combine the seasonings: 1 tablespoon fresh thyme, 1 tablespoon fresh sage, 2 teaspoons salt, and ½ teaspoon black pepper. Rub the roast all over with the seasonings and let the roast sit at room temperature for about 1 hour.

Place the roast in shallow roasting pan and fill the center with prepared stuffing. Cover the tips with foil to avoid burning, add 1 cup of water to the bottom of the roasting pan, and roast in a 350-degree oven. Cover the stuffing with foil after about 30 minutes. Roast until a thermometer registers about 150 degrees, about 2 to 2 ½ hours. Let the pork rest for 20 minutes before carving. To carve, cut down through each rib to detach each of the pork chops.

Dazzle your guests this year with a spectacular crown roast as the centerpiece of your holiday table. Everyone will enjoy the presentation and the juicy pork chops.  

For more holiday cheer, visit The Daily Meal's Ultimate Guide to Christmas!

Emily Jacobs is the Recipe editor at The Daily Meal. Follow her on Twitter @EmilyRecipes.