Here’s a showstopper for your holiday get togethers: Magic Crown Roast of Pork!
It’s November, which means it’s time to start thinking about Thanksgiving Dinner. (And no, it’s not too early to start planning. It’s never too early to think about delicious stuff we can stuff into our faces.) Turkey remains the traditional star of the feast (there’s a good reason why we affectionately call the holiday “Turkey Day”), and I never get tired of making—and eating!— Butterflied Big Bird. But if you’re sick of Thanksgiving turkey, I’ve got just the thing: Magic Crown Roast of Pork.
This fancy-schmantzy meat-tastic centerpiece will elicit plenty of oohs and aahs when you bring it to your Thanksgiving table—and you won’t even need to tell your guests how easy it is to make! The two secrets to success? My Magic Mushroom Powder seasoning and J. Kenji Lopez-Alt’s reverse-sear technique, which will help you cook your pork to the perfect temperature!
If you’re a long-time Nomster, you know that my Magic Mushroom Powder is an umami-packed seasoning salt that I created using pulverized dried porcini mushrooms, salt, thyme, and pepper. The recipe can be found in our first cookbook and on this blog, and I use it in place of salt in many savory dishes. Best of all, it pairs perfectly with roast pork.
Bonus: For those of you who are feeling too lazy to whip up your own batch of Magic Mushroom Powder, you can buy little tins of my ’shroomy seasoning salt at select Whole Foods stores this holiday season!
Note: If your hunk of meat is a different size than the 10-pound roast specified below, simply adjust the amount of Magic Mushroom Powder you use. Here’s the formula: For every pound of pork, season with about ¼ tablespoon (or ¾ teaspoon) of the powder. For example, an 8 pound crown roast will require about 2 tablespoons of Magic Mushroom Powder.
Okay—time to pretend that you spent hours slaving in the kitchen instead of filing your nails as you watch the latest televised shenanigans of your favorite real housewives!
Time to make Magic Crown Roast of Pork!
Serves 12
Ingredients:
- 1 (10-pound) crown roast of pork, tied and Frenched by your butcher
- 2½ tablespoons Magic Mushroom Powder (homemade or purchased at select Whole Foods Market stores)
- 1 bunch curly parsley (optional)
Equipment:
- Measuring spoons
- Rimmed baking sheet
- Stainless steel wire rack
- Instant-read thermometer
- Cutting board
- Chef’s knife
Method:
Pat the roast dry with paper towels. Sprinkle the Magic Mushroom Powder all over the meat, getting in all the nooks and crannies.
You can keep the seasoned roast in the refrigerator, lightly covered in plastic wrap, for up to 3 days before you cook the pork.
When you’re ready to cook, set the oven to 250°F with the rack in the middle position. Pat the pork dry with paper towels, and place the seasoned roast on a stainless steel wire rack on top of a rimmed baking sheet.
Pop it in the hot oven.
Cook the pork crown roast for 2 to 2½ hours or until the center of the meatiest part registers 140°F on an instant-read thermometer.
Take the pork out of the oven and crank up the oven to broil. Once the broiling element is hot, place the roast back in the oven and broil the roast until golden brown, about 10 to 15 minutes. Rotate the roast a couple of times during the broiling process to make sure the roast is evenly browned.
When the roast is ready, take it out of the oven and let it rest for at least 20 minutes.
Plate and garnish with curly parsley…
…or just slice in between the bones and serve as individual chops. Dig in!
Psst! The whole point of making a crown roast is to show it off before slicing it!
Psst! This recipe is included in my newly updated FREE Nomtastic Thanksgiving e-book for subscribers to my weekly email newsletter! If you haven’t already subscribed, do it now, and you’ll get access to a complete Paleo Thanksgiving primer featuring step-by-step recipes, a shopping list, countdown planner, and more. And if you’re already a subscriber, check your emails (including your Promotions and Junk folders if you don’t see it right away) for a downloadable link to the e-book!
Looking for more recipe ideas? Head on over to my Recipe Index. You’ll also find exclusive recipes on my iPhone and iPad app, and in my cookbooks, Nom Nom Paleo: Food for Humans (Andrews McMeel Publishing 2013), Ready or Not! (Andrews McMeel Publishing 2017), and Nom Nom Paleo: Let’s Go! (Andrews McMeel Publishing 2021).
PRINTER-FRIENDLY RECIPE CARD
Magic Crown Roast of Pork
Ingredients
- 1 10-pound crown roast of pork, tied and Frenched by your butcher
- 2½ tablespoons Magic Mushroom Powder homemade or sold at select Whole Foods Market stores
- 1 bunch curly parsley optional
Instructions
- Pat the roast dry with paper towels. Sprinkle the Magic Mushroom Powder all over the meat, getting in all the nooks and crannies.
- You can keep the seasoned roast in the refrigerator, lightly covered in plastic wrap, for up to 3 days before you cook the pork.
- When you’re ready to cook, set the oven to 250°F with the rack in the middle position. Pat the pork dry with paper towels, and place the seasoned roast on a stainless steel wire rack on top of a rimmed baking sheet.
- Pop it in the oven.
- Cook the pork crown roast for 2 to 2½ hours or until the center of the meatiest part registers 140°F on an instant-read thermometer.
- Take the pork out of the oven and crank up the oven to broil. Once the broiling element is hot, place the roast back in the oven and broil the roast until golden brown, about 10 to 15 minutes. Rotate the roast a couple of times during the broiling process to make sure the roast is evenly browned.
- When the roast is ready, take it out of the oven and let it rest for at least 20 minutes.
- Plate and garnish with curly parsley or just slice in between the bones and serve as individual chops. Dig in!
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
I’m going to try this with a boneless pork tenderloin. I’m thinking the cook time will be slightly longer since the roast will be whole, but that is what probe thermometers are for!
Yes! Definitely go by the correct internal temperature!
A pork tenderloin is a ultra-lean, 1-pound piece of pork — this recipe would not be good for that. Maybe you’re meaning a pork loin roast?
It’ll work if you monitor the internal temp carefully! I bet it will be done in about 30-45 min or so.
Yep, you’re right. I meant a loin roast. Same primal as the original recipe just without the rib bones.
Our 11 pound crown roast has been in the oven for three hours – only up to 115 internal temp. We raised the temp after an hour an a half and it was only at 100 – dinner was supposed to be ready in 10 – looks like at least another hour….what gives?
Oh no! Does your oven run lower than the stated temperature?
We have never known it to, it finally got done, it was delicious. This was the first time we tried the magic mushroom powder as well. So amazing. We cooked it for almost 4 hours (I kept bumping the heat and finally up to 350). Really perfectly done, and everyone was good and hungry!
Phew! I’m sorry it took so long, but I’m glad it was delicious!