Showstopper Grilled Crown Pork Roast

There is nothing more spectacular than presenting a luscious Grilled Crown Pork Roast at a dinner party. It looks incredible, smells amazing, and will have everyone applauding as you display the main course. It is surprisingly simple to make, your grill (or oven) does the bulk of the work while you sit back and take the credit!

The holiday season is here, a wonderful and crazy time of the year. Blustery cold winds outside and the cheery fire popping on the hearth warming the house and our souls. Family coming together from all over the country and friends dropping by for parties. Children trying hard to behave, their excitement growing as the days count down. Songs linger in our minds leaving us humming fragments as we work in the kitchen creating magical memories with every meal we make and cookie we decorate.

Crown pork roast ready to cook on the grill

Each year we work hard to plan the big family meals. There is never enough room in the oven with huge turkeys and roasts needing hours to cook, challenging us to figure out how to get everything cooked and on the table hot. We juggle the dishes going in and out of the oven, using the microwave to reheat after they have been sitting on the counter waiting for the main course to finish. If we could free up the oven, everything would be easier. That’s where our grills come into play.

Using the barbecue in place of the oven is an obvious solution but it can be intimidating to trust our huge birds and expensive roasts to a piece of equipment that is used primarily for grilling hot dogs and hamburgers in the summer. It is one of my favorite tools for cooking all year long and the flavor it adds to meats makes everything taste better.

Roasted crown pork roast with clean frenched bones

Gas grilling’s consistent heat is the best at creating an environment remarkably close to what we are used to with the oven. Consistent heat is the trick to perfectly cooked larger cuts of meat. And be sure to use a good instant read thermometer to know exactly when the meat is at the perfect temperature.

It is always a good idea to calibrate your thermometer by inserting it into a pot of boiling water. Water boils at 212°F (100°C) at sea level. If your thermometer registers other than that temperature, you will need to adjust the final cooking temperature by the difference to get the same results.

To make it easy to get the roast on and off the grill as well as capturing the delicious juices as it cooks, I cook it in a grill-proof roasting pan instead of directly on the grates. Cooking it over low heat (about 250°F; 121°C) will help keep it moist and tender. You may need to adjust the burners occasionally as it cooks, but resist the urge to lift the lid and peek. Instead listen for the sizzling sound and you’ll know the roast is happily cooking away.

A crown pork roast is one of the most impressive dinners we can serve and it is big enough to feed a crowd. Made by rolling a long rack of ribs into a circle, their frenched (cleaned) bones creating the characteristic points associated with royalty and earning its regal name. A typical roast will have about 18 ribs and each rib makes a generous serving. This will feed a substantial gathering and still leave you with delicious leftovers. A crown pork roast makes any party even more special.

Call your butcher at least a couple of weeks in advance to order this roast. They will need some time to get the pork rib rack(s), clean the tops of the ribs (called Frenching) and get it tied up. Ordering in advance is especially courteous during the busy holiday season. If you have time, dry brining it for several hours or overnight in the refrigerator will add a lot of flavor.

If you want to add stuffing for an even more elegant and dramatic presentation, you can use a traditional bread dressing, one made with rice and fruit, a bread and sausage blend, or homemade cranberry sauce. Cook the stuffing separately and spoon it into the center after the roast comes off the grill before you cover it and let it rest.

This beautiful Grilled Crown Pork Roast that it deserves to be presented whole to the crowd, earning you a round of delighted applause. You will definitely feel regal as you carve chop after chop from the roast and your guests will be delighted as they hungrily wait for their plates to be filled with the delicious feast you’ve prepared.

I hope you give this recipe a try and that 2025 is a year filled with joy, magic, and incredible food for each and every one of you. Happy Holidays one and all!

If you try this recipe, let me know! Please leave a star rating in the recipe card, comment below, and don’t forget to snap a pic and tag it @theheritagecook on Instagram! Seeing your creations makes my day and I love hearing from you!

Ingredients needed for Grilled Crown Pork Roast:

• Pork Roast: crown pork roast, paprika, onion powder, garlic powder, chili powder, salt, pepper
• Optional Additions: stuffing, cranberry sauce, sweet potatoes, orange slices

PRO Tip:

Call your butcher at least a couple of weeks in advance to order this roast. They will need some time to get the pork rib rack(s), clean the tops of the ribs (called Frenching) and get it tied up. Ordering in advance is especially courteous during the busy holiday season.

PRO Tip:

If you prefer, you can cook this crown pork roast in the oven at 250°F (121°C) to the required temperature of 140°F (60°C). The flavor will still be wonderful, just missing that glorious smoky goodness from the grill. But you can use smoked paprika or chipotle powder in your dry rub to add a smoky note to approximate the grill flavors.

How to make Grilled Crown Pork Roast:

1. Mix your dry rub ingredients together and rub it over the whole roast and let sit at room temperature for 45 to 60 minutes. Brush the underside (meaty end) with oil and set in a heavy-duty roasting pan. Be sure it fits in the grill – it’s a big and tall roast!
2. Preheat your grill to 400°F (204°C), take off the warming rack. Set the roasting pan with the pork roast on the grill, close the lid, and reduce the heat under the pan to medium or medium-low to hold the temperature at about 300°F (149°C). Adjust burners as needed.
3. Cook the roast for 12 to 15 minutes per pound until an instant-read thermometer reads about 140°F (60°C). My 18 rib roast took about 2 hours. If you want to use a sauce, brush it on when there is about 20 minutes left in the cook time.
4. Pull off the grill and transfer the roast to a cutting board with a moat to catch the juices, add stuffing if using, and lightly cover with foil. Leave 20 to 30 minutes to rest.
5. If you are adding stuffing, you can pile it in the center for presentation, then scoop it into a dish before carving. Remove the foil plug if there is one (it will be hot) and cut down between each rib. Serve 1 to 2 ribs per person with your side dishes. Enjoy!

PRO Tip:

Measure the height of the roast while it is in the roasting pan to be sure it fits in your grill. And if you are using your oven you may need to take out a rack to be sure you have the clearance required.

Recommended Tools (affiliate links; no extra cost to you):

• Heavy-duty roasting pan
• Instant-read thermometer
• Cutting board with a moat
• Chef’s knife

Gluten-Free Tips:

If you are cooking for anyone with gluten-sensitivity or Celiac, watch the spices you use (I like Penzey’s and McCormick brands). Consider making a rice and sausage stuffing with some dried cranberries for a festive, light side dish. Don’t use any wooden utensils or cutting boards to eliminate potential cross-contamination.

You will get the best and most consistent results by using a digital kitchen scale and weighing your ingredients, especially when you are baking.

All recommended ingredients are gluten-free as of the writing of this article. Always check to be sure the products haven’t changed and are still safe to consume.

Continue to Content

Yield: 10 to 12 servings; 1 to 2 ribs per person

Grilled Crown Pork Roast (GF)

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There is nothing more spectacular than presenting a luscious Grilled Crown Pork Roast at a dinner party. It looks incredible, smells amazing, and will have everyone applauding as you display the main course before slicing and serving. It is surprisingly simple to make, your grill (or oven) does the bulk of the work while you sit back and take the credit!

Prep Time 20 minutes

Cook Time 2 hours

Additional Time 30 minutes

Total Time 2 hours 50 minutes

Ingredients

Pork Roast

• 1 crown pork roast (bone-in pork loin rib rack rolled and tied)

Simple Dry Rub

• 1/4 cup paprika
• 1 tbsp onion powder
• 1 tbsp garlic powder
• 1 tbsp chili powder
• 1 tbsp kosher or sea salt
• 1 tbsp freshly ground black pepper
• 1 tbsp thyme leaves

Optional Additions

• BBQ sauce (gluten-free if needed)
• Bread or rice stuffing
• Homemade cranberry sauce
• Maple roasted sweet potatoes
• Orange or tangerine slices for garnishes

Instructions

Prepare the Roast: Remove roast from the refrigerator and set it on a cutting board, bones up. If there is a space in the center, roll up a ball of aluminum foil and insert it in the middle to help the roast hold its shape during cooking. This will also help hold the stuffing if you decide to add it. Brush the underside (meaty end) with a little oil and place, bones up, in a heavy-duty roasting pan.

Make the Rub: In a medium bowl, combine the rub ingredients, mixing until thoroughly combined.

Spread the dry rub mixture over the roast, concentrating it on the inside surfaces, and let sit at room temperature for 45 minutes to an hour for the most even cooking.

Grill the Roast: Remove the warming rack from your grill and preheat to about 400°F (204°C). Set the roast (in its roasting pan) on the grill in the center, pushing it to the back of the grill and close the lid. Reduce the heat to medium or medium-low to hold the temperature about 300°F (149°C), adjusting the burners as needed. If you prefer to use your oven, preheat it to 400°F (204°C) then reduce the temperature to
300°F (149°C) and roast as directed.

Cook the roast for 12 to 15 minutes a pound or until it reaches about 140°F (60°C) on an instant read thermometer inserted into the center of the meat without touching a bone. My 18-rib roast took about 2 hours. When there is about 20 minutes left of cooking time, brush the entire roast with BBQ sauce, if desired. This will glaze the meat and add another layer of flavor.

Pull the roast off the grill, transfer to a cutting board designed for roasts (with a moat to catch the juices) and lightly cover with foil. Leave it for 20 to 30 minutes before carving. The temperature will rise as it rests and the juices will be reabsorbed into the center. You want it to be about 140°F (60°C) to 145°F (63°C), the meat moist, and with a little pale pinkness is perfect.

To Serve: If you are adding stuffing, you can spoon it into the center or the roast for presentation, then scoop it out before carving. Use tongs or a fork to remove the foil ball and using a very sharp knife, cut down between each rib.

Serve 1 to 2 ribs per person with some of the stuffing, sweet potatoes, and cranberry sauce if desired.

Enjoy!

Recipe found at www.theheritagecook.com

Notes

If you prefer, you can cook this crown pork roast in the oven at 250°F (121°C) to the required temperature of 140°F (60°C). The flavor will still be wonderful, just missing the smoky goodness from the grill. But you can use smoked paprika or chipotle powder in your dry rub to add a smoky note to approximate the grill flavors.

You will get the best results by using a digital kitchen scale and weighing your ingredients, especially when you are baking.

All recommended ingredients are gluten-free as of the writing of this article. Always check to be sure the products haven’t changed and are still safe to consume.

Nutrition Information:

Yield:

12

Serving Size:

1
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 130Total Fat: 3gSaturated Fat: 1gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 2gCholesterol: 6mgSodium: 685mgCarbohydrates: 23gFiber: 3gSugar: 11gProtein: 4g

The nutritional information for recipes on this site is calculated by online tools and is merely an estimate. If you need nutritional calculations for medical reasons, please use a source that you trust.

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