Milk Braised Pork
Today, I’ll be exploring an easy, albeit seemingly unusual, dish that dates back a few centuries, I will be sharing Maiale al Latte, otherwise known as milk-braised pork. It might not be the most glamorous dish that you could make, but the flavor of it is outstanding!
As the pork shoulder slowly braises in milk, that milk slowly caramelizes and form a sauce that might appear to be broken and curdled, but in fact that curdled milk is the best part of the dish!
Still don’t believe me? Well, classic recipes for bolognese sauce call for slowly cooking ground beef, veal, and pork in milk, the purpose is that the enzymes in the milk help to break down the meat even further and make it even more tender.
Starting to believe in this dish now? Alright, then let’s cook!
Maiale al Latte (Milk-Braised Pork)
Servings: 8
4 pounds of boneless pork shoulder, cut into 2-pound pieces.
Salt
3 tablespoons of olive oil
2 bulbs of garlic, halved crosswise
6 cups of whole milk, see note
4 bunches of sage
2 chiles de arbol or 3/4 teaspoon of red pepper flakes
4 2-inch strips of lemon peel
2 tablespoons of chopped parsley
Black pepper
Note: Whole milk really is needed for this recipe, as skim or non-dairy milk will not deliver the same flavor or consistency for the sauce.
Generously salt the pork shoulder all over. Let it sit at room temperature for one hour or, if you have the time, let it sit in the fridge overnight and let it sit at room temperature for one hour before cooking.
Pork shoulder is already established as a very tough cut of meat, it comes from the upper front leg of a pig and therefore does a lot of work during the pig’s life, so this milk-braising process makes even more sense.
Also, the purpose of salting the pork ahead of time is to draw out the moisture from the pork to give us a wonderful crust, and it’s to ensure that the pork is seasoned all the way through. Think of it as a dry brining process.
Preheat the oven to 300 degrees. Heat the olive oil in a large Dutch oven. Add the garlic, cut side down, and cook for about a minute, or until the garlic is golden brown.
That garlic is going to infuse the milk with lots of flavor and you’ll have incredibly soft garlic that you can squeeze over the finished pork, or onto toast.
Remove to a plate, then brown the pork shoulder on all sides, it should take 2-4 minutes per side.
This is not a step that you want to skimp on, as this searing process is what develops flavor on the outside of the pork.
Once the pork is seared on all sides, return the garlic to the pot, and add the milk, sage, chili, and lemon peel then bring to a simmer.
Transfer the pot to the oven, uncovered, and cook, turning the pork every half hour, until the pork is very tender and the milk has reduced and formed curds, it should take 2 1/2-3 hours.
Once cooked, transfer the meat and garlic to a cutting board and let it rest for at least 15 minutes. Resting any kind of meat is crucial because it allows the meat to cool down a bit and allows the juices in the meat to redistribute, so it’ll be juicier and more tender.
(I know how this picture looks, it is definitely not the most visually attracting thing I’ve ever made, but I can guarantee you that the flavor is extraordinary.)
You’ll notice that the milk is quite curdled and broken at this point and might think that it’s ruined, but believe it or not, this is how it’s supposed to be! Those flavorful curds are going to make a wonderful sauce for the pork!
In fact, while eating this dish, I found myself going back for more of those curds.
However, if you’re unsure, then you can blitz the sauce with an immersion blender for a smoother sauce.
Use a spoon to scoop most of the excess fat off the top of the curdled milk, and remove the sage sprigs and lemon peel.
Squeeze the soft garlic into the sauce, and season with salt to taste.
Slice the pork, then place onto a serving platter, topping with the milk sauce, a sprinkle of parsley, and a bit of pepper.
As for serving, a classic way to go is with some creamy polenta to mop up that beautiful sauce and some form of green vegetable like green beans.
And there you have it, a very classic recipe of milk-braised pork that is great as a weekend centerpiece.
The pork is fall-apart tender, there’s a slightly sweet, spicy, herbal note coming from the curdled milk sauce, and it all comes together in perfect harmony!
