Roast pork is an elegant dinner, perfect for special occasions, but easy enough to make for a special Sunday supper. The green peppercorn sauce is delicious and easy to prepare while the pork is resting.
For years and years our Christmas dinner was completely, traditionally English. Prime Rib, creamed horseradish, (the straight stuff too) Yorkshire pudding, creamed spinach, mashed potatoes, finished off with an English Trifle. One year we added several extra guests to the list and my Mom, who has never subscribed to the “family hold back” adage, decided to bring in two main courses for Christmas dinner.
Mom came up with a second Scandinavian Christmas menu featuring Roast Pork with Green Peppercorn Sauce, homemade spiced apples, and a delicious Braised Purple Cabbage. No, we’re not Scandinavian!
The Rack of Pork ended up beating the Prime Rib out by nose. I’m generally disappointed with pork loin because it’s been bred and trimmed to be so lean, it’s lost a lot of its flavor.
Pork roast has a nice layer of fat on top, keeping it moist.
You can remove it after roasting if you’re so inclined. I choose not to “French” the bones, which means scraping them to make them look pretty. This recipe comes from Ina Garten, The Barefoot Contessa.
How to prepare pork roast
You can have the butcher trim the bones. Remove some of the fat if you’d like. But I like to keep bit on to keep the meat moist. Prepare mustard and fennel rub and fennel rub. Spread the mustard over the rack and allow to sit overnight or at room temperature for a few hours.
Rack Of Pork With Green Peppercorn Sauce
Ingredients
- 6 pounds rack of pork bone in, (between 5-7 lbs).
- 2 Tablespoons olive oil
- 4 teaspoons Dijon mustard divided
- 4 teaspoons whole grain mustard divided
- 1 teaspoon ground fennel seed
- Kosher salt
- Freshly ground black pepper
Green Peppercorn Sauce
- 3 Tablespoons flour
- 1 cup white wine
- 3 cups chicken stock
- 1/4 cup green peppercorns in brine drained
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Allow the pork to come to room temperature for 30 minutes. Place the pork, fat side up in a roasting pan just large enough to hold it comfortably.
- In a small bowl, whisk together the olive oil, 2 teaspoons of each mustard, the ground fennel, 2 teaspoons salt and 1/2 teaspoons black pepper. Rub the mixture on top of the pork and roast for 1 to 1 1/4 hours, until the internal temperature reaches 140 degrees F.
- Remove from the oven and transfer to a cutting board and cover tightly with foil for 20 minutes, while you make the sauce.
Green Peppercorn Sauce
- For the sauce, remove all but 1/4 fat from the roasting pan. If there isn't 1/4 cup, add enough butter to the pan to make 1/4 cup total.
- Over medium heat, whisk the flour into the fat and cook for 1 minute.
- Add the wine and scrape up all the brown bits from the bottom of the pan. Add the chicken stock, remaining 2 teaspoons of each mustard, the green peppercorns, 2 teaspoons salt and 1/2 teaspoons black pepper.
- Bring to a boil, then lower the heat to a simmer for 5 to 10 minutes, until the sauce is reduced and slightly thickened.
Nutrition
Here’s the recipe for green peppercorn sauce!
Green Peppercorn Sauce
Ingredients
- 3 Tablespoons flour
- 1 cup white wine
- 3 cups chicken stock
- 1/4 cup green peppercorns in brine drained
Instructions
- For the sauce, remove all but 1/4 fat from the roasting pan. If there isn't 1/4 cup, add enough butter to the pan to make 1/4 cup total.
- Over medium heat, whisk the flour into the fat and cook for 1 minute.
- Add the wine and scrape up all the brown bits from the bottom of the pan. Add the chicken stock, remaining 2 teaspoons of each mustard, the green peppercorns, 2 teaspoons salt and 1/2 teaspoons black pepper.
- Bring to a boil, then lower the heat to a simmer for 5 to 10 minutes, until the sauce is reduced and slightly thickened.
Dave BEnson says
I can attest to this absolutely delicious dish. While, I am Cynthis’s cousin family bias does not come into play. WHile I am a capable in the kitchen Cyn is a wizard, no one likes prime rib more than myself, but this dish is my favorite @ xmas dinner. The entire meal Cyn performs should experienced by everyone I would most likely kill if necessary for this prork roast with green peppercorn sauce (I am Scandanavian) Cy’s mom my Aunt Jonne is also a fantastic cook.
love you Cyn
Dave
Cynthia says
Thanks cuz! That rack of pork will always be a Christmas staple!
Lauren says
This looks great, rack of pork is getting popular but the peppercorn sauce makes this stand out!
Cynthia says
The peppercorn sauce is outstanding!
Taylor Kiser says
I can see why this rack of pork was the winner! Looks so tender and with that green peppercorn sauce – I’m drooling over here!
Cynthia says
It is so tender, and you’re right, the green peppercorn sauce kills it!