Turkey is the gold standard for Thanksgiving, but it's always good to change your routine. I've served capon, goose and duck, but this year the It meat on every restaurant menu is pork.

Crown roast of pork makes a spectacular holiday meal. The roast is a 14-rib piece of meat – a butcher will tie two rib racks end to end to produce the crown. Make sure the butcher frenches the bones (detaches the meat and fat) for you.

I like to slow-roast the meat to keep it tender and juicy. I cook the stuffing separately because I've found that when I stuff the roast, it not only takes longer to cook but the meat and stuffing both suffer.

Story continues below advertisement