There is nothing quite like a crown roast of pork—the king of roasts—to grace your holiday table with some serious grandeur. Opulent and majestic, this roast is aptly named, and the holidays are a perfect time for some splendor.
Find a nice, high-quality crown roast of pork, and you’ll need to do little more than give it a generous seasoning before roasting it off. That said, the very shape of the meat cries out for stuffing. And there are few stuffings more special than a classic oyster stuffing.
Oysters just might be one of America’s first “delicacies”; recipes in cookbooks for the elite go back as far as the 17th century. Though oysters have unquestionably been a food long associated with blue-blood diners (especially in Europe), in America they’ve also been well in reach of the masses, widely available in rich supply up and down our bountiful coasts.
In a way, oyster stuffing is a gilded-age marriage of both the patrician and the plebian. Paired with the royally hearty sustenance of roasted pork, oyster stuffing provides a rich foil. But this oyster stuffing can in fact easily stand alone. Bake it in a casserole dish until golden-brown and crisp, and pair it with any bird—chicken, turkey, or (if you’re being period-appropriate) go with a game bird like pheasant. It will be a classic American feast, no top-hat required.
Crown Roast of Pork with Oyster Stuffing
Serves 8 to 10
1 (10-pound) crown roast pork loin
3 garlic cloves, 1 halved, 2 finely chopped
1 tablespoon plus ¼ teaspoon kosher salt
1 tablespoon plus ¼ teaspoon black pepper
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
4 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 large leek or 2 small leeks, halved lengthwise, rinsed, and thinly sliced crosswise
1 celery rib, finely chopped
1 teaspoon chopped fresh thyme
1 teaspoon chopped fresh chives
1/8 teaspoon grated nutmeg
1/3 cup white wine
5 ounces day-old bread (4 slices), cut into ¼-inch cubes
14 oysters, shucked (or one 8-ounce can fresh oysters), oyster juices reserved
1 large egg, lightly beaten
1. Rub the pork all over with the halved garlic clove. Season all over with 1 tablespoon salt and 1 tablespoon pepper. Rub with olive oil. Cover meat with plastic wrap and refrigerate at least 2 hours or overnight. Let meat come to room temperature before cooking.
2. To make the stuffing, melt the butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the leeks and celery, and cook until soft and golden, about 5 minutes. Add the remaining 2 garlic cloves and to the skillet; cook until fragrant, 1 minute. Stir in the thyme, chives, 1/4 teaspoon salt, and nutmeg. Pour in the wine, bring to a simmer, and let evaporate for 2 minutes.
3. In a large bowl, stir together the bread, leek mixture, oysters, 3 tablespoons of the oyster juices, and the egg.
4. Preheat the oven to 450° F. Cover the tips of the pork with aluminum foil and transfer the roast to a large roasting pan. Mound the stuffing into the center of the crown. Roast 20 minutes; lower heat to 325° F, and cook until an instant-read thermometer inserted in the meat reads 135° F, about 1 hour 40 minutes (or could be longer). If the stuffing starts to burn before the meat is cooked, place a piece of foil over it. When the meat hits 135 degrees F. remove foil from bones and continue cooking until the thermometer reads 140° F, about 12 minutes more. (This is for medium pork. If you prefer it more cooked, give it more time in the oven; medium-well would be about 150° -155° F)
5. Transfer the meat to a cutting board, tent with aluminum foil, and let rest for 15 minutes. (Meat will continue to cook somewhat as it rests.) Transfer stuffing to a platter; slice meat and arrange over stuffing. Pour pan juices over meat if you like (and you should, they are wonderful).
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