Crown Pork Roast Recipe – Fennel Star Anise Brined Frenched Crown

Difficulty:

1/5

Serves:

12 PEOPLE

Prep Time:

45 minutes

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Crown Pork Roast Recipe

Crown Pork Roast transforms 8-pound frenched rack into dramatic standing crown brined 24 hours in onion-garlic-rosemary stock then coated in fennel-coriander-star anise rub with orange-ginger zest — roasted low-slow to 140°F juicy perfection yielding 12 dramatic bone-handled chops. From A IS FOR APPLE “Pork and Pineapple,” hosted by Leah Wildman, this holiday showstopper delivers spice-perfumed crackling skin encasing pillow-soft pork while brine’s brown sugar balance prevents dryness through marathon roast.

The Inspiration

Crown Pork Roast elevates pork rack artistry to architectural masterpiece — 24-hour brine tenderizes through osmotic equilibrium while aromatics infuse cellularly, creating flavor canvas for spice rub’s symphony where fennel seeds’ anise perfume meets coriander’s citrus lift and star anise’s licorice depth.

From Renaissance banquet tables to modern holiday centerpieces, crown roasts symbolize abundance — here, coffee grinder spice precision ensures even distribution while orange-ginger zest provides bright counterpoint to pork richness. Wildman emphasizes brine cooling (bacterial control), excess moisture patting (rub adhesion), and 20-minute tented rest (juice redistribution). Episode’s pork-pineapple theme finds savory expression through fruitless execution emphasizing meat purity; 8-pound crown serves 12 generously with each chop featuring bone handle. Recipe scales down to half-racks for families; doubles impossible due to oven constraints but halves perfectly.

Ingredients

2 tablespoons (30ml) fennel seeds
2 teaspoons (10ml) whole coriander seeds
2 star anise
1 tablespoon (15ml) minced fresh ginger
Zest from 2 oranges
Salt and cracked pepper to taste

Brine

2 quarts (4 liter) water
1 large Spanish onion peeled
1 cup (250ml) kosher salt
½ cup (125ml) brown sugar
1 head of garlic cut in half crosswise
1 tablespoon (15ml) whole peppercorns
2 bay leaves
3 sprigs of fresh rosemary
1 full crown rack of pork bones Frenched about 8 lbs (3.6kg)

Method

Place 4 cups (1 liter) of the water in a large pot. Roughly dice the onion ½ inch (1.2cm) squares and add to the pot. Add the salt, sugar, garlic, peppercorns, bay leaves, rosemary and bring to a boil over high heat.
Remove from heat and add the remaining 3 liters (3.17quarts) of water. Cool completely.
Add the pork to the brine and refrigerate 24 hours.
Remove the pork from brine (discarding brine), rinse and pat dry. Cover the bones individually with foil.
In a coffee mill add the fennel seeds, coriander seeds, pepper and star anise. Grind to a powder.
Place in a bowl.
To the bowl of ground spices add the zest of 2 oranges and the minced ginger. Mix to combine.
Rub the roast all over with spices.
Preheat oven to 325F (176°C)
Place the roast in a large roasting pan. Cover the bones with tinfoil.
Place in the oven and roast for 3 1/2 hours or until when a thermometer inserted in the thickest portion reads 140F (60°C).
Remove and tent with foil. Allow the meat to rest covered for 20 minutes.
Slice roast in between the bones.

Serving Suggestions

Present Crown Pork Roast standing dramatically on charger with carved chops fanned around base, garnishing pomegranate jewels and watercress for holiday theater, or slice individually over parsnip-persimmon puree absorbing pan juices — episode’s pork-pineapple theme begs grilled pineapple rings glazed with rub sugars providing sweet contrast while quince mostarda cuts richness precisely. Banquet progression starts crown presentation then individual service; New Year’s feasts demand gold leaf bone tips.

Pair Alsace Pinot Gris matching spice perfume or Barolo embracing structure; deconstruct into ragu where chopped meat simmers in tomato-onion-olive sauce for pasta blankets. Family adaptation halves rack perfectly in smaller roasters; sous-vide 130°F then spice crust elevates precision further.

Final Thoughts

Crown Pork Roast recipe from A IS FOR APPLE “Pork and Pineapple,” hosted by Leah Wildman, transforms 8-pound frenched rack into holiday masterpiece brined 24 hours in onion-garlic-rosemary-brown sugar stock then coated in fennel-coriander-star anise rub with orange-ginger zest — 325°F v-rack roast hits 140°F rosy perfection yielding 12 bone-handled chops perfect for Christmas, Easter, or banquet centerpieces where foil-wrapped bone tips prevent charring while brine moisture retention guarantees pillow-soft texture. Coffee grinder spice precision and surface dehydration technique ensure even crust development contrasting juicy interior, scaling from family half-racks to full spectacle entertaining 12+ guests effortlessly with pan juices providing essential gravy base.

Find more recipes from A is for Apple here!