Herbed Pork Rib Roast in Convection

We are so used to cooking boneless cuts of meat that roasting large cuts of bone-in meat can be daunting. However, bone-in meats actually have better flavor and texture and, when cooked in Convection, retain more of their natural juices.

There are several ways this cut can be prepared for roasting. The meat can be left on the bone as is, or the butcher can remove the meat from the bone and tie it back into place for you. Another option is to have the individual bones “frenched,” removing the meat and fat from the lower part of the bone; this makes for an exquisite presentation, but make sure the chine bone has been removed for easy carving.

I had the butcher remove the meat from the bone and tie it back into place, making it very easy to slice the meat. The key to good results is using convection at a lower cooking temperature. In this recipe, I cooked the roast at 325F until it almost reached the internal target temperature of 140F, then I increased the oven temperature to 375F to complete the cooking.

INGREDIENTS

1 4 - 5lb pork rib roast, separated and tied back to the bone

3 springs of fresh thyme

½ tsp mixed Italian seasoning

1 tsp Kosher salt

1 tbsp vegetable oil

PREPARATION

Remove the meat from the refrigerator a few hours before cooking. Insert the thyme sprigs between the meat and the bone and rub with the remaining seasonings. Add the oil until just before the roast goes into the oven. Place the roast in a shallow pan, cover the meat loosely, and set it in a cool spot in the kitchen.

Because the meat is being cooked on its rack of bones, it only needs to be placed on a rack if you use a deeper roasting pan. Remember, when cooking in Convection, it’s important to elevate the meat to allow the heated air to circulate around the food.

Heat the oven in the Convection Roast or Convection Bake mode to 325 degrees. Brush the meat with vegetable oil, insert the oven meat probe or a wireless meat probe into the meat on the diagonal, making sure it doesn’t touch the bone, and place it into the oven.

Keep an eye on the internal temperature, and when it reaches 135F, increase the oven temperature to 375F or 400F (for larger ovens) to crisp and brown the roast. When the meat reaches the target internal temperature, remove it from the oven and set it aside, loosely covered with foil, to rest for at least 20 minutes.