RIB-IN PORK ROAST

Steps:

• 1. Soak Roast in brine. If I have time, I always brine soak all meats prior to cooking. Soak for about 2 hours in Frig. add ice cubes if desired. Remove and rinse roast of the brine solution. Rub with a pork rub or like me make you own rub.This is where you can develop your own rub. I add orregano, time, marjoram, ginger, small pinch of ground red pepper,paprica, salt, pepper, garlic powder (liberal), last but not least is brown sugar (I use 2 or 3 times more than the other rub ingredients) the brown sugar seems to work wonders on pork. I generaly add equal amounts of each item except the red pepper and of course brown sugar. be careful with the salt if you are using other parts of recepie which contain salt such broths or stocks. I am flexible with these ingredients add ingredients or increase amounts as your tastes dictate. Rubs are fun to make and your imagination and your taste is the rule. You can make a large batch of the rub...just don't contaminate the rub mix by dipping hands from roast into the mix; better to pour or sprinkle on meat and then rub in.
• 2. A quick note about the Roast. Ask the Butcher for a pork rib roast not by pounds but the number of ribs you want. Ask for him to brake the joints please. This makes it easier to carve when serving. I use a 6-rib roast for the two of us and we have left overs for one more meal. ...Rub the Roast and cover in the container you will be cooking in and place in the frige over night or rub early in morning to cook for supper. My wife and I eat our evening meal between four and five oclock so i start the rub the night before to give time. Note... I make diagonal cuts on roast to help the rub marinate better.
• 3. Prepare the other ingredients: quartered potatoes(golds) or small or new potatoes if you like, 3 large Carrots (min) chopped, 2 to 3 onions choped or quartered, celary stalks 4 or 5 whole under roast in roasted pan or dutch oven. (keeps roast clear of pan bottom. Two containers (14 oz) vegetable broth, 4 large whole cloves of garlic (remove before serving). lastly place a few sprigs of fresh rosemary on top of roast (remove also at end of cook time). Add water to be sure that half of the roasting pan or pot is filled. I like to keep the veggies covered during cooking.
• 4. Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees. I cook in a cast iron covered dutch oven, a turkey roasting pan with cover may work as well. Cooking time is depending on size. I cook a 6 rib roast for 2 1/2 to 3 hours. Check periodically for liquid cook-down. Don't let the veggies become exposed above liquid level or the veggies will dry roast. When done, (meat can be pulled from roast with fork easily), remove roast and vegies from the pot and plate seperately, then add 1 tablespoon of corn starch to the liguid and stirm on stove top till it thickens slighly for a wonderful gravy.
• 5. Full disclosure - I had one failure with this meal. I got a piece of meat that would not cook tender. I recooked for another hour to no avail. Sometimes during the butchering meat may be affected due to high adrenalin levels at slaughterinig times and the meat is filled with enzymes that make it inpossble to cook tender. Food scientest may know more than i about this but my experience has shown for me this is the case. Perhaps that pork came from a bewy bad widdle piggy... Oh well I hope you enjoy this one pot meal as much as my wife and I have.
• 6. Serving notes: All ingredients for a full and balanced meal are in the pot, but when plating, I like to place the potatoes on the plate and press down with a fork add butter to melt and then add the gravy over the potatoes and single plated rib. Plate the carrots and onions separately in their own spot on the plate. Looks good...taste good.