Maiale al Latte
Pork braised in milk is an Italian classic.
by Erin Henderson
The Italians have a lovely saying about home cooked meals. Brutti ma buoni means ugly but delicious, and I think that's a very apt description for pork braised in milk. In fact, when I suggested pork braised in milk for a family dinner recently, my sister and brother-in-law looked doubtful. Ever adventurous, they agreed to try it out, but called it, "milk curdled pork." Which is now what the whole family calls it.
Maiale al latte brilliantly utilizes heat and the lactic acid in milk to tenderize tougher cuts of pork. Through time, and science, the heat breaks the milk, leaving pillowy, sweet morsels of curdled deliciousness. Like curds and whey. Which, I guess, is exactly what the sauce is.
You will just have to believe me: pork in milk, just like books and covers, should not be judged by its appearance.
She may be nothing to look at, but one bite, and you'll be hooked.
You may also like: Red Wine Braised Beef
Maiale al Latte
Another upside to this glorious dinner, is it takes next to no effort. A literal one pot wonder to steal the dinner show.
Sage goes beautifully with pork and is usually recommended for this dish. However, I find sage a little too dominating for my tastes, so I prefer rosemary.
Makes: I estimate ½ pound per person. Increase or decrease as you need.
Chef level: easy
Ingredients:
- 2½ pounds pork loin, ideally with a fat cap (not tenderloin)
- Salt and pepper
- Olive oil or bacon fat (I like bacon fat)
- 1 litre whole milk
- 1 fresh sprig rosemary
- 4 large bay leaves
- 10 garlic cloves, peeled and gently crushed but left whole
- 1 lemon peel, stripped with a Y peeler
How to Make It:
- Bring the pork out of the fridge about an hour before cooking so it comes to room temperature.
- Salt and pepper each side of the pork loin.
- In a dutch oven just big enough to comfortably hold the pork, warm the oil or bacon fat over medium heat and sear the pork on all sides, starting with the fat cap, until each side is the colour of caramel.
- Remove the pot from the burner and heat the oven to 275°F
- Pour the milk into the pot, it should come about ½ way up the pork. (The pork should also have the fat-cap facing up.)
- Add in the garlic, herbs, and lemon peel.
- Place parchement paper directly on top of the pork, put a lid on the pot, and place in the oven.
- Braise for about 90 minutes, and then remove the lid and parchment paper, cooking for another 30 minutes or so, until a thermometre registers 170°F.
- Remove from the oven and when the pork is cool enough to handle, cut it into thick slices.
- Remove the peel and herbs from the sauce and discard.
- Spoon the milk and milk curds over the pork and serve.
Wine Pairing:
Try a dry, or even slightly off-dry Pinot Gris from Alsace. The alter ego of Pinot Grigio, Pinot Gris has a lovely oily texture which has the weight to match with the pork and luscious sauce. But it also has the peach and apricot flavours which are a natural compliment to pork, as well.
