We went to Aldi’s the other day and happened to find what appeared to be a perfectly cut and Frenched 4-pound pork rib roast for about $12.00.  I decided to prepare it the following night, using a recipe by Frank Stitt from the Food & Wine website. Since I hadn’t intended to write It up for the blog, there are no photos. However, the roast turned out so well, that I decided to post my adaptation of the original recipe, which was influenced by the National Pork Board’s video for cooking this particular cut.

This had to be one of the best pork roasts I’ve ever prepared. The meat was faultlessly cooked, juicy and moist, and its flavors were perfectly complemented by the herb-garlic-and-olive-oil rub.

Herbed Pork Rib Roast (adapted from a recipe by Frank Stitt on Food&Wine.com)

Ingredients:

3 large garlic cloves, minced
3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
2 tablespoons chopped thyme
2 tablespoons chopped rosemary leaves
1 (4-pound) pork rib roast cut from the loin end, chine bone removed
Kosher salt
Freshly ground black pepper

Directions:

1. In a small bowl, blend the garlic with the olive oil, thyme, and rosemary.

2. Rub the herb paste all over the pork roast and let stand at room temperature for 2 hours or refrigerate overnight.

3. Preheat the oven to 375°F. Set the pork in a small roasting pan and season liberally with salt and pepper.

4. Roast the pork for 20 minutes per pound (1 hour and 20 minutes for a 4-pound roast), or until the meat registers between 145°F to 150°F. (Ours took 1½ hours.)

5. Transfer the roast to a carving board and let stand, tented loosely with aluminum foil, for about 10 minutes. Cut between the ribs, transfer the chops to warmed plates, and serve.

Wine Pairing: Pinot Noir, Chardonnay