Tuscan Crown Roast Pork

By tulawdog

Ingredients

• 3 pounds (1.3 kilograms) bone-in pork loin/rib roast
• 3 About 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
• Salt and pepper
• 2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
• Zest of 1 small lemon, finely grated
• 5 sage leaves, finely chopped
• 1 cup (250 milliliters) water or white wine

Preparation

Step 1

Remove the pork from the fridge and let come to room temperature about at hour before preparing. In the meantime, cut along the bone as if you were going to cut the bone off completely, but leave about an inch still attached. Rub the pork all over with olive oil to coat. Season with salt and pepper. Combine the finely chopped garlic, lemon zest, and herbs and rub this all over the incision made between the bone and the meat, patting down the herbs. Make a 1 inch incision between each rib bone and thread kitchen string/ butcher's twine through these incisions to tie the roast tightly and hold it together. Place the roast on a metal cooling rack, inserted inside a deep baking tray, skin-side up. Pour water in the bottom of the tray (if you prefer, you can use white wine, and in this case, pour it all over the roast and let it drip into the tray). Roast for 3 1/2 to 4 hours at 195º F (90º C) -- if you have a meat thermometer, you're looking for the interior to be about 150º F (65º C). Remove from the oven, turn up the heat to 430º F (220° C) and cook another 5 minutes to crisp the skin. Rest for at least 15 minutes, uncovered, before slicing into thick slices and serving. This is wonderful with roast potatoes (possibly roasted in the pan juices under the pork) or sautéed greens.