Crown Roast of Pork with Fennel-Apple Stuffing & Cider-Bourbon Sauce

Ingredients

• ¹/₃ cup sour cream
• 1 medium fennel bulb, cut into medium dice (about 3 cups)
• 1 tsp. kosher salt; more to taste
• ½ tsp. freshly ground black pepper; more to taste
• 2 Tbs. bourbon
• 2 Tbs. apple cider
• 2 Tbs. chopped fresh marjoram
• + 16 more ingredients
• • 1 Tbs. chopped fresh sage
  • 2 tsp. fennel seeds, lightly chopped or pulsed in a spice grinder
  • ½ tsp. ground allspice
  • 2 to 2-½ cups low-salt chicken broth
  • 16-rib crown roast of pork (8-½ to 9-½ lb.), chine bone removed and bones frenched; see sidebar below for more information
  • Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
  • 1 quart apple cider
  • 2 cups bourbon
  • Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
  • 1 lb. Tuscan bread (or similar crusty artisan-style bread), cut into ½-inch cubes (8 to 9 cups)
  • 2 medium-small yellow onions, cut into small dice (about 2 cups)
  • 4 medium Granny Smith apples, peeled, cored, and cut into ½-inch pieces (about 4 cups)
  • 2 cups low-salt chicken broth
  • 2-½ oz. (5 Tbs.) unsalted butter
  • 1 Tbs. cider vinegar; more to taste
  • 8 oz. bacon (8 to 10 slices), cut crosswise into ½-inch-wide strips

Put the cider, bourbon, and chicken broth in a 3- to 4-quart (preferably 8-inch-wide) saucepan and bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce the heat to maintain a very brisk simmer and cook until the sauce has reduced to 1-1/4 cups, about 1 hour. Set aside until the roast is done.

View full recipe at Fine Cooking