Here’s a showstopper for your holiday get togethers: Magic Crown Roast of Pork! 

Someone holding a plate of magic crown roast of pork.

It’s November, which means it’s time to start thinking about Thanksgiving Dinner. (And no, it’s not too early to start planning. It’s never too early to think about delicious stuff we can stuff into our faces.) Turkey remains the traditional star of the feast (there’s a good reason why we affectionately call the holiday “Turkey Day”), and I never get tired of making—and eating!— Butterflied Big Bird. But if you’re sick of Thanksgiving turkey, I’ve got just the thing: Magic Crown Roast of Pork.

A close up of someone holding a plate of magic crown roast of pork.

This fancy-schmantzy meat-tastic centerpiece will elicit plenty of oohs and aahs when you bring it to your Thanksgiving table—and you won’t even need to tell your guests how easy it is to make! The two secrets to success? My Magic Mushroom Powder seasoning and J. Kenji Lopez-Alt’s reverse-sear technique, which will help you cook your pork to the perfect temperature!

If you’re a long-time Nomster, you know that my Magic Mushroom Powder is an umami-packed seasoning salt that I created using pulverized dried porcini mushrooms, salt, thyme, and pepper. The recipe can be found in our first cookbook and on this blog, and I use it in place of salt in many savory dishes. Best of all, it pairs perfectly with roast pork.

Bonus: For those of you who are feeling too lazy to whip up your own batch of Magic Mushroom Powder, you can buy little tins of my ’shroomy seasoning salt at select Whole Foods stores this holiday season!

Scooping out magic mushroom powder by Nom Nom Paleo.

Note: If your hunk of meat is a different size than the 10-pound roast specified below, simply adjust the amount of Magic Mushroom Powder you use. Here’s the formula: For every pound of pork, season with about ¼ tablespoon (or ¾ teaspoon) of the powder. For example, an 8 pound crown roast will require about 2 tablespoons of Magic Mushroom Powder.

Okay—time to pretend that you spent hours slaving in the kitchen instead of filing your nails as you watch the latest televised shenanigans of your favorite real housewives!

Time to make Magic Crown Roast of Pork!

Serves 12

Ingredients:

  • 1 (10-pound) crown roast of pork, tied and Frenched by your butcher
  • 2½ tablespoons Magic Mushroom Powder (homemade or purchased at select Whole Foods Market stores)
  • 1 bunch curly parsley (optional)

Equipment:

Method:

Pat the roast dry with paper towels. Sprinkle the Magic Mushroom Powder all over the meat, getting in all the nooks and crannies.

Someone seasoning Magic Crown Roast of Pork with Magic Mushroom Powder.

You can keep the seasoned roast in the refrigerator, lightly covered in plastic wrap, for up to 3 days before you cook the pork.

Covering a plate of raw and seasoned Magic Crown Roast of Pork with plastic wrap.

When you’re ready to cook, set the oven to 250°F with the rack in the middle position. Pat the pork dry with paper towels, and place the seasoned roast on a stainless steel wire rack on top of a rimmed baking sheet.

Someone placing the Magic Crown Roast of Pork on a wire rack on a sheet pan.

Pop it in the hot oven.

Putting the Magic Crown Roast of Pork into the oven.

Cook the pork crown roast for 2 to 2½ hours or until the center of the meatiest part registers 140°F on an instant-read thermometer.

Someone measuring the temperature of Magic Crown Roast of Pork with an instant read thermometer.

Take the pork out of the oven and crank up the oven to broil. Once the broiling element is hot, place the roast back in the oven and broil the roast until golden brown, about 10 to 15 minutes. Rotate the roast a couple of times during the broiling process to make sure the roast is evenly browned.

Rotating the Magic Crown Roast of Pork in the oven for even browning.

When the roast is ready, take it out of the oven and let it rest for at least 20 minutes.

Someone taking the Magic Crown Roast of Pork out of the oven.

Plate and garnish with curly parsley…

Someone garnishing a plate of Magic Crown Roast of Pork with curly parsley.

…or just slice in between the bones and serve as individual chops. Dig in!

Someone slicing off piece of the Magic Crown Roast of Pork.

Psst! The whole point of making a crown roast is to show it off before slicing it!

A plate full of dishes for a Thanksgiving feast.

A Very Nomtastic Paleo Thanksgiving by Michelle Tam https://nomnompaleo.comPsst! This recipe is included in my newly updated FREE Nomtastic Thanksgiving e-book for subscribers to my weekly email newsletter! If you haven’t already subscribed, do it now, and you’ll get access to a complete Paleo Thanksgiving primer featuring step-by-step recipes, a shopping list, countdown planner, and more. And if you’re already a subscriber, check your emails (including your Promotions and Junk folders if you don’t see it right away) for a downloadable link to the e-book!


Looking for more recipe ideas? Head on over to my Recipe Index. You’ll also find exclusive recipes on my iPhone and iPad app, and in my cookbooks, Nom Nom Paleo: Food for Humans (Andrews McMeel Publishing 2013), Ready or Not! (Andrews McMeel Publishing 2017), and Nom Nom Paleo: Let’s Go! (Andrews McMeel Publishing 2021).


 PRINTER-FRIENDLY RECIPE CARD

Magic Crown Roast of Pork

5 from 5 votes
Prep Time10 minutes
Cook Time2 hours 30 minutes
Total Time1 day 2 hours 40 minutes
Servings 12 servings
Tired of turkey? This fancy-looking meaty centerpiece will elicit oohs and aahs when you bring it to the Thanksgiving table—and you won’t even need to tell your guests how easy it is to make! The two secret weapons: my Magic Mushroom Powder seasoning and J. Kenji Lopez-Alt’s reverse-sear technique to cook your pork to the perfect temperature!

Ingredients  

  • 1 10-pound crown roast of pork, tied and Frenched by your butcher
  • 2½  tablespoons Magic Mushroom Powder homemade or sold at select Whole Foods Market stores
  • 1 bunch curly parsley optional
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Instructions 

  • Pat the roast dry with paper towels. Sprinkle the Magic Mushroom Powder all over the meat, getting in all the nooks and crannies.
  • You can keep the seasoned roast in the refrigerator, lightly covered in plastic wrap, for up to 3 days before you cook the pork.
  • When you’re ready to cook, set the oven to 250°F with the rack in the middle position. Pat the pork dry with paper towels, and place the seasoned roast on a stainless steel wire rack on top of a rimmed baking sheet.
  • Pop it in the oven.
  • Cook the pork crown roast for 2 to 2½ hours or until the center of the meatiest part registers 140°F on an instant-read thermometer.
  • Take the pork out of the oven and crank up the oven to broil. Once the broiling element is hot, place the roast back in the oven and broil the roast until golden brown, about 10 to 15 minutes. Rotate the roast a couple of times during the broiling process to make sure the roast is evenly browned.
  • When the roast is ready, take it out of the oven and let it rest for at least 20 minutes.
  • Plate and garnish with curly parsley or just slice in between the bones and serve as individual chops. Dig in!

Notes

Psst! The whole point of making a crown roast is to show it off before slicing it!
Most butchers and grocery stores will carry crown roast of pork for the holidays. Any other time? Call a few days ahead to pre-order it.

Nutrition

Calories: 464kcal | Carbohydrates: 1g | Protein: 51g | Fat: 28g

Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.

Like this? Leave a comment below!

About Michelle Tam

Hello! My name is Michelle Tam, and I love to eat. I think about food all the time. It borders on obsession. I’ve always loved the sights and smells of the kitchen. My mother was (and is) an excellent cook, and as a kid, I was her little shadow as she prepared supper each night. From her, I gained a deep, abiding love for magically transforming pantry items into mouth-watering family meals.

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9 Comments

  1. I’m going to try this with a boneless pork tenderloin. I’m thinking the cook time will be slightly longer since the roast will be whole, but that is what probe thermometers are for!

    1. A pork tenderloin is a ultra-lean, 1-pound piece of pork — this recipe would not be good for that. Maybe you’re meaning a pork loin roast?

  2. Our 11 pound crown roast has been in the oven for three hours – only up to 115 internal temp. We raised the temp after an hour an a half and it was only at 100 – dinner was supposed to be ready in 10 – looks like at least another hour….what gives?

      1. We have never known it to, it finally got done, it was delicious. This was the first time we tried the magic mushroom powder as well. So amazing. We cooked it for almost 4 hours (I kept bumping the heat and finally up to 350). Really perfectly done, and everyone was good and hungry!