Herb-Crusted Pork Rib Roast

This is a spectacular cut of meat. Also known as "rack of pork", it is the pork equivalent of the beef "standing rib roast" (source of prime rib and bone-in rib eye). It's incredibly easy to make and I guarantee it will be a huge hit at the dinner table.

For those of you that follow this blog, it will be no shock that I buy this cut at Costco. It's only $3.99 a pound there which compares quite favorably to the $7.99 a pound price point you will find at most grocery stores. During the holiday season, this cut is tarted up and sold as a "Crown Roast of Pork" and the price for that little bit of marketing madness will push it close to $20 a pound. Go buy it at Costco and use the savings to buy yourself a really nice bottle of wine or half-a-tank of gas.

When you serve it, you'll simply slice between the ribs and give each person a "bone-in" cut. The meat cooking next to the bone imparts incredible flavor and the "bone-in" cut makes for a spectacular plate presentation. No wonder that this is a favorite dish for company: it looks great, tastes great, it's easy to cook and easy on the pocketbook.

This is another Frankenrecipe: one I've put together from several different sources. Make sure you use a pan with a roasting rack for this dish...you want it to brown all over while it cooks. It will serve 6-8 people and it's mild flavor makes it pair really well with roasted vegetables (especially those high in sugar content...like roasted carrots: http://terrygruggen.blogspot.com/2011/11/roasted-carrots.html).

Roast Ingredients
1 pork rib roast, 5-7 pounds
1/2 cup Dijon mustard

Herb Rub Ingredients
1/1/2 teaspoons dried sage
1 1/2 teaspoons dried thyme
1 1/2 teaspoons dried rosemary
1 teaspoon granulated garlic
1 teaspoon Kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon fresh cracked pepper

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 450º.
2. Combine rub ingredients in a small bowl and stir well to mix.
3. Rub Dijon mustard over exterior of pork roast, then sprinkle rub generously on top of the mustard coating.
4. Place roast in a roasting rack with the bone side on top (just like the photo above).
5. Put roast in oven and cook for 15 minutes at 450º.
6. Reduce oven temperature to 350º and cook for another 85 minutes.
7. Remove roast from oven, tent loosely with foil and let roast rest for 10 minutes.
8. Remove foil, slice between the rib bones and serve.

Wine pairing: Pinot Noir, Syrah or Merlot