Smoked Crown Roast
Category
Dinner
Servings
16
Prep Time
780 minutes
Cook Time
180 minutes
This elegant Smoked Crown Roast is a fitting dish for a special gathering or holiday meal. The classic, savory flavors will delight any guest and make the occasion a memorable one. Cut from a bone rack of pork that is trimmed, or frenched, to expose the ends of the bones, the crown roast is the ultimate centerpiece for your meal. Brined with ancho chiles and cloves for a smoky-spicy flavor, the roast is smoked low and slow until tender and succulent.
Ingredients
-
2 cups Apple Juice
-
12 lb. Crown Roast of Pork, tied
-
2 gallons Pork Brine, chilled
-
to taste Cracked Black Pepper
-
to taste Kosher Salt
-
4 cups Water
Directions
How to Make a Pork Brine
Ingredients:
2 gallons Hot Water
2 Dried Ancho Chiles
12 oz. Sea Salt
4 oz. Mixed Peppercorns
2 oz. Garlic Cloves, smashed
1 Red Onion, peeled and cut into 1-inch pieces
1 tbsp Crushed Red Pepper Flakes
20 Whole Cloves
To make the brine:
In a large stockpot (large enough to hold 2 gallons of water), mix the hot water, ancho chiles, salt, peppercorns, garlic, red onion, red pepper, and cloves. Put the pot on the stove over medium heat and bring the mixture to a slow simmer. Do not let the water come to a boil. Let the ingredients steep in the simmering water for 10 to 15 minutes.
Take the brine off the stove, allow it to cool slightly, then refrigerate it until it is completely chilled. We recommend preparing the brine in the morning and then it will be completely chilled and ready in the evening.
Best Wood Pellets for Roasted Pork
For this recipe, the savory aromas of Hickory Hardwood go quite nicely with the spicy heat from the seasonings that are used in the brine.
The day before you plan to serve your roast, submerge the pork roast in the cold pork brine and allow it to marinate in the refrigerator overnight, or for at least 12 hours
The next day, remove the roast and pat dry with paper towels. Wrap the exposed ends of the roast bones with aluminum foil and let the roast sit for one hour at room temperature, then coat the roast inside and out with salt and pepper.
While the roast is resting, fire up your Louisiana Grills pellet grill and preheat to 225°F. If using a gas or charcoal grill, set it up for low indirect heat.
Fill 2 small aluminum pans with the apple juice and water. Once the grill reaches 225°F transfer juice pans to left and right sides of the grill, and place roast in the center, directly on the grate. Close the lid and cook for 2 hours.
Remove the roast from the grill and let it rest for 20 minutes before carving. The roast will carve easily into individual chops by cutting between the bones along the angle of the bone.
Special Tools
Aluminum Foil
Deep Aluminum Pans
Large stockpot
Paper Towel
Temperature Probe
Tips:
Don’t have time to make the brine? Inject the pork with a mixture of chicken broth, chipotle chili pepper sauce, and melted butter the night before and let it rest in the refrigerator.