Crown Roast of Pork with Apple and Pork Stuffing and Cider Gravy

For pork:
1 8-pound crown roast of pork (12 ribs)
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 teaspoon salt1 teaspoon sugar
1 teaspoon dried thyme
1/2 teaspoon crumbled dried sage
1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper

For Stuffing:
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 1/4 cups chopped celery
1/3 cup chopped shallots
1 tablespoon minced garlic
2 pounds ground pork
1 cup plain dry breadcrumbs
4 ounces dried apples, chopped
3 large eggs, beaten to blend
1/3 cup chopped fresh parsley
2 teaspoons crumbled dried sage
2 teaspoons salt
3/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
1/4 teaspoon ground allspice
1 1/2 cups canned beef broth

For gravy:
1 cup apple cider
4 teaspoons cornstarch
2 tablespoons applejack brandy or brandy

Stuffing Preparation:

Heat oil in heavy medium skillet over medium heat. Add celery and sauté until tender, about 3 minutes. Add shallots and garlic; sauté until shallots are tender, about 2 minutes. Transfer mixture to large bowl. Mix in all remaining ingredients except beef broth. Add enough broth to moisten stuffing.

Preheat oven to 375°F. Set aside enough stuffing to fill crown roast of pork cavity. Transfer remaining stuffing to 8 1/2 x 4 1/2 x 2 1/2-inch loaf pan. Cover with foil. Bake stuffing in pan alongside roast during last 1 hour of cooking until thermometer inserted into center registers 155°F, about 1 hour.

Invert stuffing in pan onto platter. Slice stuffing and serve with roast.

Make pork:

Position pork atop 9- to 10-inch-diameter tart pan bottom. Transfer to large rimmed baking sheet. Brush pork with oil. Combine salt, sugar, thyme, sage and pepper in small bowl. Rub spice mixture over pork. Cover with plastic and refrigerate overnight.

Position rack in bottom third of oven and preheat to 450°F. Fill pork cavity with enough stuffing to mound in center. Cover tips of pork bones with foil. Roast pork 20 minutes. Reduce temperature to 325°F. Continue roasting until thermometer inserted into center of pork meat registers 150°F, about 1 hour 50 minutes. Remove foil from bones. Continue roasting until thermometer inserted into center of pork and stuffing registers 155°F, about 15 minutes longer. Carefully transfer roast atop tart pan bottom to platter.

Make gravy:

Add 1 cup broth to baking sheet and scrape up browned bits from bottom of baking sheet. Pour juices into 2-cup glass measuring cup; freeze 15 minutes. Spoon fat off top of pan juices. Transfer pan juices to medium saucepan. Add remaining 1/2 cup beef broth and apple cider. Bring to boil. Dissolve cornstarch into applejack in small bowl; whisk into broth mixture. Boil until gravy thickens slightly, about 3 minutes. Season with salt and pepper. Transfer gravy to sauceboat.

Carve roast between bones to separate chops. Serve with stuffing and gravy.