Crown Roast of Pork with Apple-Cranberry Stuffing

Ingredients

• 2 teaspoons salt 
• 1 teaspoon pepper 
• 1 teaspoon sage dried crushed
• 1 teaspoon thyme leaves dried
• 8 lb bone center-cut pork rib roast 
• 0.5 cup butter 
• 0.8 cup onion chopped
• 0.5 cup celery stalks chopped
• 8 cups unseasoned bread cubes soft
• 0.5 cup cranberries dried
• 1.5 teaspoons thyme sprigs dried fresh chopped
• 0.5 teaspoon salt 
• 0.1 teaspoon pepper 
• 2 cups apples chopped
• 0.5 cup chicken broth (from 32-oz carton)

Equipment

• bowl
• frying pan
• oven
• roasting pan
• kitchen thermometer
• aluminum foil

Directions

1. Heat oven to 325°F. In small bowl, mix 2 teaspoons salt, 1 teaspoon pepper, sage and dried thyme; rub over pork.
2. Place pork, bone ends up, on rack in shallow roasting pan. Wrap bone ends with foil to prevent excessive browning. Insert meat thermometer so tip is in thickest part of pork and does not touch bone or rest in fat.
3. Place a small heatproof bowl or crumpled foil in crown to hold its shape. Do not add water.
4. Roast uncovered 2 hours 40 minutes to 3 hours 20 minutes or until thermometer reads 165°F.
5. In 10-inch skillet, melt butter over medium heat. Cook onion and celery in butter about 2 minutes, stirring occasionally, until crisp-tender; remove from heat. In large bowl, thoroughly mix onion mixture and remaining stuffing ingredients except broth.
6. Add broth; toss. One hour before pork is done, fill center of crown with stuffing. Cover stuffing only with foil during first 30 minutes.
7. When pork is done, place on warm platter, cover with tent of foil and let stand 15 to 20 minutes or until thermometer reads 170°F. (Temperature will continue to rise about 5°F and pork with be easier to carve as juices set up.)
8. Remove foil; place paper frills on bone ends if desired. To serve, spoon stuffing into bowl and cut pork between ribs.