Recipes Herbed Pork Rib Roast 4.0 (1,473) 4 Reviews Frank Stitt, the chef and owner of Bottega and Highlands Bar and Grill in Birmingham, Alabama, adores this versatile cut of pork. It can be sliced into chops and cooked individually or roasted whole and carved at the table. By Frank Stitt Frank Stitt F&W Star Chef » See All F&W Chef Superstars Restaurants: Bottega, Chez Fonfon, Highlands Bar and Grill (Birmingham, AL) What are you most famous for? Braises, long-simmered stews, whether it’s with lamb, rabbit, guinea hen or beef cheeks. What’s your current food obsession? Using the whole animal, incorporating everything from the cheeks to the tail. You can work directly with the farmer. It helps them out. Best new store-bought ingredient? There’s a wonderful lemon vinegar called Huilerie Beaujolaise. It has a sweetness and tartness. I’m really excited about that. I use that vinegar for everything from dressing crab to making reductions for seafood to making vinaigrettes for vegetables. What ingredient will people be talking about in five years? Local honey and local eggs. We’re going to have more beekeepers and we’re going to be talking about different varieties of hens, whether it’s an Araucana or whether it’s a Rhode Island Red, and which one makes the best eggs. What will we always find in your fridge? There are always farm eggs. There’s always Dijon mustard and Hellmann’s mayonnaise and Champagne. Parmigiano-Reggiano, cured meats. Fra’ Mani—their salumetti piccolo is a current favorite. What’s your favorite snack? Some of our egg salad. Often I’ll put that on a Bays English muffin. Who is your food mentor? Richard Olney. I was so fascinated by his writing and his knowledge about food, wine and cooking, as well as the message about the importance of studying the history and the traditions of a dish. The more you study, the more you can incorporate a spirit of a dish. Favorite cookbook of all time? All of Elizabeth David’s books and Richard Olney’s books. Simple French Food is one that I go back to for the inspiration. What is the most cherished souvenir you've brought back from a trip? Ingredients from Slow Food, the Salone del Gusto, some different olive oils, vinegars and also smuggled truffles. What’s the best bang-for-your-buck ingredient, and how do you use it? Calabrian chiles. The ones that I like are these very small, round, red chiles that are packed in olive oil. They often will have the stem on. When you chop or crush them and add them to, say, goat cheese or mozzarella or a crostini or a vinaigrette, there is this wonderful flavor—not just the heat—but this flavor of pimento. Food & Wine's Editorial Guidelines Updated on March 8, 2017 Print Rate It Share Share Tweet Pin Email Photo: © Tina Rupp Active Time: 10 mins Total Time: 3 hrs 15 mins Yield: 6 Ingredients 3 garlic cloves, minced 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil 1 tablespoon chopped thyme 1 tablespoon chopped rosemary leaves One 4-pound pork rib roast cut from the loin end, chine bone removed Salt and freshly ground pepper Directions In a small bowl, blend the garlic with the olive oil, thyme and rosemary. Rub the herb paste all over the pork roast and let stand at room temperature for 2 hours or refrigerate overnight. Preheat the oven to 500°. Set the pork in a small roasting pan and season with salt and pepper. Roast the pork for 15 minutes, then reduce the oven temperature to 325°. Continue roasting the pork for 40 minutes longer, or until an instant-read thermometer inserted in the thickest part of the meat registers 155°. Transfer the pork to a carving board and let stand for about 10 minutes. Cut between the ribs, transfer the chops to plates and serve. Serve With Grits and grilled eggplant. Suggested Pairing A creamy Chardonnay with hints of fruit and oak or a light-bodied red. Rate it Print