Serves 6 to 8. Published September 1, 2002.
The roasting time is determined in part by the shape of the roast; a long, thin roast will cook faster than a roast with a large circumference. Though not traditionally served, the ribs are rich with flavor. If you'd like to serve them or enjoy them for yourself, increase the oven temperature to 375 degrees, untie the roast and remove the loin as directed, then scrape off the excess garlic-rosemary paste from the ribs, set them on a rimmed baking sheet, and return them to the oven for about 20 minutes, until they are brown and crisp. Slice in between bones and serve.
Ingredients
| Roast | |
| 2 | cups kosher salt or 1 cup table salt |
| 2 1/3 | cups packed dark brown sugar (16 ounces) |
| 10 | large cloves garlic , lightly crushed and peeled |
| 5 | sprigs fresh rosemary (each about 6 inches long) |
| 1 | bone-in, center-cut, 4-pound pork rib roast , prepared according to first two illustrations below |
Garlic-Rosemary Paste | |
| 8 - 10 | cloves garlic , pressed through garlic press or minced to paste (1 1/2 tablespoons) |
| 1 1/2 | tablespoons minced fresh rosemary |
| 1 | teaspoon ground black pepper |
| 1 | tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil |
| 1/8 | teaspoon kosher salt or pinch table salt |
Jus | |
| 1 | cup dry white wine |
| 1 | teaspoon ground black pepper |
| 1 | medium shallot , minced (about 3 tablespoons) |
| 1 1/2 | teaspoons minced fresh rosemary |
| 1 3/4 | cups low-sodium chicken broth |
| 2 | tablespoons unsalted butter , cut into 4 pieces and softened |
Instructions
1. TO BRINE THE ROAST: Dissolve salt and brown sugar in 1 1/2 quarts hot tap water in large stockpot or clean bucket. Stir in garlic and rosemary; add 2 1/2 quarts cold water and submerge meat and bones in brine. Refrigerate until fully seasoned, about 3 hours. Rinse meat and ribs under cold water and dry thoroughly with paper towels.
2. FOR THE GARLIC-ROSEMARY RUB: While roast brines, mix together garlic, rosemary, pepper, olive oil, and salt in small bowl to form paste; set aside.
3. TO PREPARE THE ROAST: When roast is done brining, adjust oven rack to middle position and heat oven to 325 degrees. Heat heavy-bottomed 12-inch nonreactive skillet over medium heat until hot, about 4 minutes. Place roast fat-side down in skillet and cook until well-browned, about 8 minutes. Transfer roast browned-side up to cutting board and set aside to cool. Pour off fat from skillet and add wine; increase heat to high and bring to boil, scraping skillet with wooden spoon until browned bits are loosened, about 1 minute. Set skillet with wine aside.
4. Following "Adding the Paste" illustrations below, make lengthwise incision in pork loin, rub with one-third of garlic-rosemary paste, rub remaining paste on cut side of ribs, and tie meat back to ribs. Sprinkle browned side of roast with 1 teaspoon pepper and set roast rib-side down in flameproof roasting pan. Pour reserved wine and browned bits from skillet in roasting pan. Roast, basting loin with pan drippings every 20 minutes, until center of loin registers about 135 degrees on instant-read thermometer, 65 to 80 minutes. (If wine evaporates, add about 1/2 cup water to roasting pan to prevent scorching.) Transfer roast to carving board and tent loosely with foil; let stand until center of loin registers about 145 degrees on instant-read thermometer, about 15 minutes.
5. While roast rests, spoon off most of fat from roasting pan and place over 2 burners at high heat. Add shallot and rosemary; using wooden spoon, scrape up browned bits and boil liquid until reduced by half and shallot has softened, about 2 minutes. Add chicken broth and continue to cook, stirring occasionally, until reduced by half, about 8 minutes. Add any accumulated pork juices and cook 1 minute longer. Off heat, whisk in butter; strain jus into gravy boat.
6. Cut twine on roast and remove meat from bones. Set meat browned-side up on board and cut into 1/4-inch-thick slices. Serve immediately, passing jus separately.
1 tablespoon olive oil
Table salt and ground black pepper
2. PREPARE THE FENNEL: Trim fennel bulbs of stalks and fronds; finely chop 2 teaspoons fronds. Cut each bulb lengthwise into eighths. Toss fennel with 1 tablespoon olive oil in medium bowl and season generously with salt and pepper.
3. FOR THE GARLIC-ROSEMARY RUB: While roast brines, mix together garlic, rosemary, fennel seeds, chopped fennel fronds, pepper, olive oil, and salt in small bowl to form paste; set aside.
Variation: Tuscan-style garlic-rosemary roast pork loin with roasted potatoes
| 3/4 | cup dry white wine |
| 2 | pounds medium red potatoes , 2 1/2-inch diameter, (about 14 potatoes total), quartered |
| 2 | tablespoons olive oil |
| Table salt and ground black pepper |
5. When pork has roasted 15 minutes, toss potatoes with olive oil in medium bowl and season generously with salt and pepper. Baste pork. After pork has roasted 30 minutes, add potatoes to roasting pan; stir to coat potatoes with pan juices. Continue to roast pork (basting every 20 minutes) until center of loin registers about 135 degrees on instant-read thermometer, 65 to 80 minutes. (If wine evaporates, add about 1/2 cup water to roasting pan to prevent scorching.) Transfer roast to carving board and tent loosely with foil; let stand until center of loin registers about 145 degrees on instant-read thermometer, about 15 minutes. Turn potato pieces with wide metal spatula and spread them in even layer. Increase oven temperature to 400 degrees and return potatoes to oven; continue to roast until tender and browned, 5 to 15 minutes longer.
Preparing the Roast and Adding the Paste
Position roast so bones are perpendicular to cutting board. Starting from far end and working toward you make series of small, easy strokes with boning knife.
Gradually cut along curved rib bones down to backbone until meat is free of bones.
Adding the Paste #1: With fat side of roast down, slice through center of entire length of meat, stopping 1 inch shy of edge. Spread meat flat.
Adding the Paste #2: Rub one-third of rosemary mixture in even layer on one side of cut, leaving 1/2 inch on each end bare.
Adding the Paste #3: Spread remaining rosemary mixture evenly along bones from where meat was cut, leaving 1/2 inch on each end bare.
Adding the Paste #4: Fold meat back together and tie meat on bones exactly from where it was cut with 7 individual lengths of twine.
