We celebrated Christmas in high fashion this year with a Pork Crown Roast made from fresh American Guinea Hog grown on our farm. Scott's not just a fine knifemaker, he's also one heck of cook, especially when mama McGhee is the sous-chef and the McGhee clan has his back.
Prep Time: 9 months if you grow the Guinea Hog; 2 hours if you start with a butchered rib cage
Cook Time: 2 hours
Crown Roast Ingredients
Full rib cage and loin of an American Guinea Hog
Kosher Salt
Black Pepper
Chipotle Pepper
Scott broke the hog into pieces with his daily carry knife, then trimmed the ribs to equal length with a reciprocating saw. The saw was fitted with a 10-inch Milwaukee Torch blade that cut through the bones in a smooth manner much like a meat saw . . . even through the spine.
Then he separated the joints of the vertebra so the ribs could be displayed in a crown.
To further define the crown, Scott trimmed the rib tips with his daily carry.
Next, Scott and Peggy seasoned the meat to taste with
Kosher Salt, Black Pepper, and Chipotle Pepper . . .
. . . tied the two pork rib roasts together . . .
. . . and made a beautiful presentation.
The crown was baked in the oven for 1 hour at 275 degrees . . .
. . . then tented in foil and returned to the oven until the internal temperature was 180 degrees.
While the pork was finishing up, Papa McGhee and the girls made paper hats for the crowns.
And Scott made the stuffing and glaze.
Stuffing
1 lb Guinea Hog sausage
1 diced apple
1 large can of mushrooms
1-2 cups apple cider
2-3 pieces of dried toast
2-3 pieces of leftover biscuits
Cooked to perfection, the crown rib roast was garnished with sage and brandied peaches . . .
. . . glazed with apple cider and juice from the pork . . .
. . . browned with a torch for presentation . . .
. . . and filled with a sweet pork stuffing for maximum flavor.
The roast was spectacular all by itself but the homemade paper hats were the crowning touch.
Absolutely fabulous!
Merry Christmas from Scott, Lydia, and the entire McGhee clan.
Hope your holidays are grand!
