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Slow-Roasted Bone-In Pork Rib Roast

By Andrew Janjigian

Published on September 25, 2013

Time

3½ to 4½ hours, plus 6 hours salting and 30 minutes resting

Yield

Serves 6 to 8

Slow-Roasted Bone-In Pork Rib Roast

Ingredients

5 pound pork rib roast, center-cut, bone-in2 tablespoons packed dark brown sugar 1 tablespoon kosher salt 1 ½ teaspoons pepper

Before You Begin

This recipe requires refrigerating the salted meat for at least 6 hours before cooking. For easier carving, ask the butcher to remove the chine bone. For other tips on shopping for the pork rib roast, see related content. Monitoring the roast with an oven probe thermometer is best. If you use an instant-read thermometer, open the oven door as infrequently as possible and remove the roast from the oven while taking its temperature. We like to serve this recipe with our Port Wine-Cherry Sauce. The sauce may be prepared in advance or while the roast rests in step 3.

Instructions

  1. Using sharp knife, remove roast from bones, running knife down length of bones and following contours as closely as possible. Reserve bones. Combine sugar and salt in small bowl. Pat roast dry with paper towels. If necessary, trim thick spots of surface fat layer to about 1/4-inch thickness. Using sharp knife, cut slits, spaced 1 inch apart and in crosshatch pattern, in surface fat layer, being careful not to cut into meat. Rub roast evenly with sugar mixture. Wrap roast and ribs in plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 6 hours or up to 24 hours.
  2. Adjust oven rack to lower-middle position and heat oven to 250 degrees. Sprinkle roast evenly with pepper. Place roast back on ribs so bones fit where they were cut; tie roast to bones with lengths of kitchen twine between ribs. Transfer roast, fat side up, to wire rack set in rimmed baking sheet. Roast until meat registers 145 degrees, 3 to 4 hours.
  3. Remove roast from oven (leave roast on sheet), tent loosely with aluminum foil, and let rest for 30 minutes.
  4. Adjust oven rack 8 inches from broiler element and heat broiler. Return roast to oven and broil until top of roast is well browned and crispy, 2 to 6 minutes.
  5. Transfer roast to carving board; cut twine and remove meat from ribs. Slice meat into 3/4-inch-thick slices and serve, passing sauce separately.

Slow-Roasted Bone-In Pork Rib Roast

Save

Time

3½ to 4½ hours, plus 6 hours salting and 30 minutes resting

Yield

Serves 6 to 8

Ingredients

5 pound pork rib roast, center-cut, bone-in
2 tablespoons packed dark brown sugar
1 tablespoon kosher salt
1 ½ teaspoons pepper

Test Kitchen Techniques

Ingredients

5 pound pork rib roast, center-cut, bone-in
2 tablespoons packed dark brown sugar
1 tablespoon kosher salt
1 ½ teaspoons pepper

Test Kitchen Techniques

Ingredients

5 pound pork rib roast, center-cut, bone-in
2 tablespoons packed dark brown sugar
1 tablespoon kosher salt
1 ½ teaspoons pepper

Test Kitchen Techniques

Why This Recipe Works

We cure our pork rib roast overnight with a salt and sugar rub, which seasons it well and gives it a mahogany appearance. We then cook it slowly, to help keep it as moist and juicy as possible. To dress it up for a holiday feast, we pair it with a rich, elegant sauce.

Before You Begin

This recipe requires refrigerating the salted meat for at least 6 hours before cooking. For easier carving, ask the butcher to remove the chine bone. For other tips on shopping for the pork rib roast, see related content. Monitoring the roast with an oven probe thermometer is best. If you use an instant-read thermometer, open the oven door as infrequently as possible and remove the roast from the oven while taking its temperature. We like to serve this recipe with our Port Wine-Cherry Sauce. The sauce may be prepared in advance or while the roast rests in step 3.

Instructions

  1. Using sharp knife, remove roast from bones, running knife down length of bones and following contours as closely as possible. Reserve bones. Combine sugar and salt in small bowl. Pat roast dry with paper towels. If necessary, trim thick spots of surface fat layer to about 1/4-inch thickness. Using sharp knife, cut slits, spaced 1 inch apart and in crosshatch pattern, in surface fat layer, being careful not to cut into meat. Rub roast evenly with sugar mixture. Wrap roast and ribs in plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 6 hours or up to 24 hours.
  2. Adjust oven rack to lower-middle position and heat oven to 250 degrees. Sprinkle roast evenly with pepper. Place roast back on ribs so bones fit where they were cut; tie roast to bones with lengths of kitchen twine between ribs. Transfer roast, fat side up, to wire rack set in rimmed baking sheet. Roast until meat registers 145 degrees, 3 to 4 hours.
  3. Remove roast from oven (leave roast on sheet), tent loosely with aluminum foil, and let rest for 30 minutes.
  4. Adjust oven rack 8 inches from broiler element and heat broiler. Return roast to oven and broil until top of roast is well browned and crispy, 2 to 6 minutes.
  5. Transfer roast to carving board; cut twine and remove meat from ribs. Slice meat into 3/4-inch-thick slices and serve, passing sauce separately.

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