Charcoal-Grill-Roasted Bone-In Pork Rib Roast

A boneless pork roast sure is convenient. But is something important lost when those bones are cut away? We went out to the grill (and into the lab) to find out.

A cookbook recipe exclusively for ATK Essential members from The Complete Summer Cookbook

YIELD 6 to 8

TIME 2 hours, plus 6 hours salting, 2 hours soaking, and 30 minutes resting

The Complete Summer CookbookA cookbook recipe exclusively for ATK Essential members from The Complete Summer Cookbook

Why This Recipe Works

Gather Your Ingredients

Key Equipment

Key Equipment - The Best Chimney Starters

Before You Begin

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If you buy a blade-end roast (sometimes called a “rib-end”), tie it into a uniform shape with kitchen twine at 1-inch intervals; this step is unnecessary with a center-cut roast. For easier carving, ask the butcher to remove the tip of the chine bone and to cut the remainder of the chine bone between the ribs. For instructions on carving the roast, see step-by-step below. We like to serve this with our Orange Salsa with Cuban Flavors.

Instructions

1.

Pat roast dry with paper towels. If necessary, trim thick spots of surface fat layer to about ¼-inch thickness. Using sharp knife, cut slits in surface fat layer, spaced 1 inch apart, in crosshatch pattern, being careful not to cut into meat. Sprinkle roast evenly with salt. Wrap with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 6 hours, up to 24 hours.

2.

One to 2 hours before grilling, submerge wood chunk in bowl of water to soak.

3.

Open bottom grill vents fully. Light large chimney starter filled with charcoal (6 quarts, about 100 briquettes) and allow to burn until coals are fully ignited and partially covered with thin layer of ash, about 20 minutes. Empty coals into grill to cover one-third of grill with coals steeply banked against side of grill. Place wood chunk on top of coals, position cooking grate, cover, and heat until grate is hot and wood is smoking, about 5 minutes. Scrape grate clean with grill brush.

4.

Sprinkle roast evenly with pepper. Place roast on grate with meat near, but not over, coals and bones facing away from coals. Open top vents halfway and cover grill, positioning vents over meat. (Initial grill temperature should be about 425 degrees.) Grill roast until instant-read thermometer inserted into thickest part of meat registers 140 degrees, 1¼ to 1½ hours.

5.

Transfer roast to carving board, tent loosely with foil, and let rest for 30 minutes (internal temperature should rise to about 150 degrees). Carve into thick slices by cutting between ribs. Serve.

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