What a succulent a flavorful pork roast this is! As the pork cooks into the milk, the milk morphs into a aromatic and nutty sauce. That’s because springs of fresh sage and rosemary infuses the milk, as does fresh garlic, dried porcini mushrooms and a few other basic pantry ingredients. Served over lemon infused polenta, this dinner is impressive enough for a dinner party and it was definitely a hit!
I’m going to jump right in and say that this dinner is one of my personal bests– and, that this photo doesn’t even do it justice. This recipe is right up there with the Osso Bucco with Risotto Milanese that I made for my husband. I’m just so excited to rave about this recipe– and to share it with you.
Milk-Braised Pork is a regional favorite of Bologna. The ingredients begin with a pork loin roast, whole milk and heavy cream. As the pork cooks into the milk, the milk morphs into a aromatic and nutty sauce. The sauce isn’t what I’d call this gravy, because there’s no flour added. No, no, no. The sauce makes itself as the milk/cream mixture is poured around a pork loin roast and placed into a slow cooker, on low, for two hours.
I love Italian food. A lot. I love pasta, of course, but I’m particularly fond of braised dinners and Italian cuisine has no shortage of braised recipes. What makes this recipe so good? It’s the milk based sauce, and how it tenderizes the pork. Swoon.
My slow cooker is a kitchen tool that doesn’t get as much attention as it deserves, so I was excited to dig it out of storage and to make this.
We begin with a pork loin roast–(not pork tenderloin or pork shoulder roast), patted dry and seasoned with coarse salt and black pepper. This roast weighed just under three pounds, which is perfect for our little dinner party of four.
One of the key ingredients are a combination of fresh rosemary and sage…
The lemon polenta was perfect with this dish– creamy, hot and just the right balance of lemon. I’ve never thought to use buttermilk to make polenta, but I plan to do this again.
Italian Milk-Braised Pork Roast with Porcini Mushrooms & Creamy Lemon Polenta
Ingredients
- 2 ounces salt pork chopped coarse
- 1/2 cup water
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter divided
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 pork loin roast 3 to 4-pound, seasoned with salt and black pepper
- 1 tablespoon fresh garlic minced
- Olive oil for searing
DEGLAZE:
- 1/2 cup dry white wine
- 1 1/2 cups whole milk
- 1/2 cup heavy cream
- 1 ounce dried porcini mushrooms chopped
- 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon anchovy paste
- 1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes decrease by half if you are sensitive to spice
- Zest of 1 lemon minced
- 2 sprigs each fresh rosemary and sage tied with kitchen string
POLENTA:
- 2 cups low-sodium chicken broth
- 2 cups buttermilk
- 1 cup yellow cornmeal
- 1/4 cup Parmesan grated
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 1 tablespoon lemon zest minced
- Heavy cream just a splash, a scant 1/4 cup
- Salt and black pepper to taste
Instructions
- Bring the pork loin to room temperature (about 30 minutes) and pat very dry. Season with coarse salt and black pepper.
- Turn the slow cooker on to low heat. If you don’t own a slow cooker, you could prepare this dish in a Dutch Oven, covered, at 275°F for about 40 to 50 minutes, or until it registers at 145°F.
- Bring salt pork and 1/2 cup water to simmer in Dutch oven over medium heat. Simmer until water evaporates and salt pork begins to sizzle, 5 to 6 minutes. Continue to cook, stirring frequently, until salt pork is lightly browned and fat has rendered, 2 to 3 minutes. Using slotted spoon, discard salt pork, leaving fat in pot.
- Add pork, fat side down, and sear until brown, 3 to 4 minutes. Brown pork on all sides, about 5 minutes more; transfer to a 4- to 6-quart slow cooker. Add garlic to skillet; cook 30 seconds.
- Note: I did drizzle a little olive oil and 1 tablespoon unsalted butter once I really began searing the pork for extra color and caramelization.
- Deglaze skillet with wine,scraping up any brown bits.
- Add milk, cream, porcini, anchovy paste, pepper flakes, baking soda and zest; simmer 3 minutes.
- Pour milk mixture around pork in slow cooker; submerge rosemary and sage.
- Cover slow cooker and cook pork until an instant-read thermometer inserted into the thickest part registers 145°F on low setting, 2 hours.
- Transfer pork to a platter and tent with foil to keep warm. Discard rosemary and sage.
- Purée sauce in slow cooker with a handheld blender until smooth; season with salt and black pepper.
- Note: If you don’t own an immersion blender, you can puree this in a regular blender. Just don’t overfill the blender, and cover the top with a hot towel, to prevent an explosion or burns!
- Slice pork and serve with sauce.
- The sauce is divine! Serve with Creamy Lemon Polenta, for a perfect pairing.
Polenta:
- Boil broth and buttermilk in a saucepan over medium heat.
- Whisk in cornmeal, reduce heat to low, and cook, whisking constantly,
- 5 minutes; remove from heat.
- Stir in Parmesan, butter, a splash of heavy cream and zest; season with salt and pepper.
Karyn says
I am so excited to try your recipe. I've been trying to decide between the C@H and CI recipes,and I think your combination of the two is genius! Thank you so much for testing this out!
Big Dude says
I’ve never prepared or even eaten milk braised meat (that I know of) and this is now the second recipe I have for it. After seeing the great looking meals you make when you say this is one of your three bests, it just must be tried. I like how you took the best from both recipes.
I’m sure I would have done that same southern gravy thing. Our dinner guests all know that being guinea pigs for new dishes often goes with the invite.
Joanne says
Well you know I appreciate/love/amfanaticalabout my Italian food! Such a fabulous comfort meal!
Cathy at Wives with Knives says
This is what I call a proper Sunday dinner. Everything looks delicious and you plated it so beautifully. I have never cooked a pork roast this way and can't wait to try it.
Christine says
This is a fabulous dinner! Gorgeous photos, can't wait to try this on the weekend! Love everything about it!
Ciao Chow Linda says
Oh my gosh. I am just drooling over this meal. My mom used to make a pork roast with milk, but it never looked this good. Then that polenta, with the addition of cream and lemon. Oh my. Pinning for future meals.
gatehouse1 says
As soon as my Cuisine At Home mag came I made this recipe because it sounded so marvelous for winter, and I had heard of Italian milk-braised pork. As it promised, the recipe is simple and uses simple ingredients, but the result is a complex and superb meal. If you do not cook a lot there are some ingredients that may make you wonder, but just do what you are told and hold your nose and jump. You will be rewarded with an almost effortless dazzler. Definitely impressive company fare! Martha
Anonymous says
This recipe is just delicious! I made it for my very particular first-generation Italian Mom & she loved it! Just a little tip, in the recipe card at the end I think you forgot to include the baking soda. I caught that at the right time, though & all turned out well 🙂
admin says
Dear Anonymous:
I'm so pleased that this recipe worked for you. Thank you for bringing to my attention when to add the baking soda. I just edited the recipe. Thanks again!