Bones_ Recipes, History, and Lore - Jennifer McLagan [32]
One 6-rib rack of pork about 3¼ pounds (1.5 kg)
Brine for pork (page 57)
Freshly ground black pepper
2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
1 tablespoon chopped rosemary
1 cup (250 ml) brewed coffee
1 tablespoon dark run
½ cup (125 ml) Pork Stock (page 58) or Poultry Stock (page 130)
¼ cup (60 ml) heavy (35%) whipping cream
1 tablespoon brown sugar
Kosher salt
1 teaspoon cornstarch, optional
1. In a large container, submerge the pork bone ends up in the brine (don’t worry if the bones are not completely covered) and refrigerate for 2 days.
2. One hour before cooking, remove the meat from the brine, and pat dry, brushing off any herbs or spices. Preheat the oven to 400°F (200° C).
3. Season the pork with pepper, then spread the fat side of the meat with the mustard and sprinkle on the chopped rosemary. Put the pork bone side down in a roasting pan. Roast for 15 minutes, then reduce the oven temperature to 325°F (160°C). Roast for another 1½ to 2 hours, or until an instant-read thermometer inserted in the center of the roast, away from the bone, registers 150°F (65°C). Transfer the roast to warm platter and let sit, loosely covered with aluminum foil, for 10 minutes.
4. Pour off any fat in the roasting pan, add the coffee, and bring to a boil, deglazing the pan by scraping up the browned bits from the bottom. Boil to reduce by one-quarter, then strain through a fine sieve into a saucepan.
5. Add the rum, stock, cream, and sugar and boil until slightly thickened. Check the seasoning, adding salt and pepper if necessary. If you want a thicker sauce, mix the cornstarch with 1 tablespoon cold water, whisk into hot sauce, bring to a boil, and simmer for 2 minutes.
6. Slice the rack between the bones into chops and serve with the sauce.
Crown Roast of Pork
A crown roast of pork is the perfect centerpiece for a special occasion. It always elicits oohs and aahs when presented at the table, and it is an ideal roast to serve that way because it is so easy to carve. You do have to invite a good crowd, because the smallest crown roast has 14 ribs; smaller pork racks can’t be shaped into a crown. If there is any left over, though, both the pork and stuffing are delicious cold the next day. Start this recipe three days in advance so that you can brine the roast, which will then be much juicer. After the advance preparation, the roast essentially cooks itself, leaving the cook free to enjoy the celebration.
1 crown roast of pork (14 to 16 ribs), 7 to 8½ pounds (3.15 to 3.8 kg)
Brine for Pork (page 57)
16 pitted prunes, diced
16 dried apricots, quartered
2 cups (500 ml) freshly squeezed orange juice
2 tablespoons (30 g) unsalted butter
1 onion, finely diced
2 celery stalks, thinly sliced
1 tablespoon finely grated fresh ginger
3 garlic cloves, finely diced
1½ pounds (675 g) ground pork
1 cup (120 g) pecans, toasted and chopped
1 cup (80 g) fresh bread crumbs
1 tablespoon kosher salt
Freshly ground black pepper
1 cup (250 ml) Pork Stock (page 58) or strained Court Bouillon (page 60)
1 tablespoon honey
1 tablespoon cornstarch
1. Submerge the pork roast in the brine in a very large nonreactive container. (With a crown roast, all the weight is at the bottom, so it doesn’t usually need to be weighted down; don’t worry if the bones rise up out of the liquid.) Cover and refrigerate for 3 days. Eight hours before you will roast the pork, mix the prunes and apricots in 1 cup (250 ml) of the orange juice and set aside to soak.
2. One hour before cooking the pork, remove it from the brine and pat dry, brushing off any herbs or spices. Set aside on a platter. Preheat the oven to 400°F (200°C).
3. Melt the butter in a large frying pan over medium heat. Add the onion and celery and cook until soft, 5 to 6 minutes. Add t he ginger and garlic and cook for 2 minutes, stirring occasionally Transfer to a large bowl and allow to cool.
4. Add the ground pork, pecans, bread crumbs, and soaked fruit with liquid to the onion mixture. Add 2 teaspoons of the salt and season with pepper, then mix well.