Crown Roast of Pork with Calvados Sauce

Season the roast on all sides with the 3 tablespoons salt and the 1 1/2 tablespoons pepper. Place the roast in a large roasting pan and let stand at room temperature for 1 hour.

Preheat an oven to 400°.

Place a large ball of aluminum foil in the center of the roast, adjusting the roast to form a circle. Place the apples around the roast. Transfer to the oven and roast for 1 hour, basting the meat with the pan juices every 15 minutes. Reduce the oven temperature to 350° and continue roasting until an instant-read thermometer inserted into the center of the meat, away from the bone, registers 140°, 15 to 30 minutes more.

Transfer the roast to a carving board, cover loosely with foil and let rest for 15 to 20 minutes before carving. Transfer the apples to a warmed platter.

Meanwhile, pour the pan dripping into a bowl, skim off the fat and reserve the juices. Set the roasting pan over medium heat and melt the butter. Add the shallots and thyme and cook until the shallots are tender, about 5 minutes. Add the apple brandy and stir to scrape up the browned bits from the pan bottom. Add the reserved juices, the broth and demi-glace and stir until the demi-glace is dissolved. Bring to a simmer and cook until the sauce is slightly reduced, 3 to 5 minutes. Whisk in the the cream and season with salt and pepper. Strain the sauce into a sauceboat.

Carve the roast between the bones and arrange on the platter alongside the apples. Pour some of the sauce over the meat and pass the rest at the table.