The milk-braised pork roast is a delicate and appetizing main course, perfect for Sunday lunch or a special occasion. With its combination of tender pork and creamy milk sauce, this dish will impress with minimal expense. But there’s more: the milk-braised loin can be prepared in different ways to meet every need; for traditionalists, a cast iron or earthenware pot is the ideal choice. The long slow cooking allows the flavors to blend harmoniously. However, if you’re in a hurry, don’t despair! You can also make a tasty milk-braised pork roast using a pressure cooker, significantly reducing cooking time without sacrificing flavor. In this article, I’ll show you both options and provide tips and tricks to get the most out of this classic Italian dish. Whether you’re an experienced cook or a kitchen beginner, the milk-braised loin is a simple and sure-to-succeed roast!
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- Difficulty: Easy
- Cost: Economical
- Preparation time: 10 Minutes
- Portions: 6 people
- Cooking methods: Stovetop
- Cuisine: Italian
- Seasonality: All seasons
Ingredients for Milk-Braised Pork Roast
If you are celiac, remember to check that the cornstarch is labeled “gluten-free.”
- 2.2 lbs pork loin
- 4 cups milk (2 cups if using a pressure cooker)
- 1 clove garlic
- 1/2 onion (small)
- 1 carrot
- 1 sprig rosemary
- 5 leaves sage
- 1 tsp fennel seeds (optional)
- 1 tsp salt
- 0.5 oz butter
- 3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
- to taste pepper
- 2 tsp cornstarch
Tools
If you don’t have a cast iron pot or pressure cooker, you can use a non-stick pot with a thick bottom.
- 1 Pot cast iron with lid
- 1 Immersion Blender
- 1 Small Pot
How to Prepare Milk-Braised Loin in Traditional or Pressure Cooker
To prepare the milk-braised pork roast, start by tying the pork roast and seasoning it with salt and pepper. Adjust according to the size of your pot and, if necessary, cut it in half (1).
In a 7-liter pressure cooker or a cast iron pot, pour the olive oil and melt the butter in it (2), then add the peeled garlic, large pieces of onion, and carrot, and brown over low heat for about a minute (3).
Then place the meat in the pot (4), browning it on all sides for about 5 minutes (5). Then cover with milk and add sage, rosemary, fennel seeds, and a pinch of salt (6).
If using the pressure cooker, close with the lid and wait for the whistle: from that moment, reduce the heat to medium to obtain a regular whistle and cook for 40 minutes (7).
If using a cast iron pot, cover it with its lid and cook the pork roast for about 1 hour and 15 minutes, turning it occasionally and ensuring the milk does not overflow during cooking.
After the cooking time, turn off the heat, open the pressure cooker valve and let the steam escape completely until the red button goes down. Open it carefully and pierce the pork roast with a fork to check the cooking (8): if reddish liquid still comes out, close the pot again and cook for another 5 minutes from the whistle.
Otherwise, transfer the roast to a plate and let it rest for about ten minutes before slicing it. At this point, focus on the sauce, which will be rather uneven at the end of cooking (9); strain it through a sieve to remove the rosemary leaves, sage, fennel seeds, and garlic clove.
You can recover carrots and onions if you wish, and add them to the strained sauce as they will give it more flavor. Briefly blend the cooking juices with an immersion blender, until you get a homogeneous sauce. If it seems too liquid, you can thicken it with cornstarch: pour all the sauce into a small pot except for half a glass, in which you will dissolve the cornstarch (10).
Mix carefully to avoid lumps. Bring the rest of the sauce to a boil, then pour in the one where you dissolved the cornstarch (11). Cook over low heat for 2-3 minutes, until the sauce has thickened (12).
Serve the milk-braised pork roast sliced thinly and drizzled with its sauce. A great side dish for this roast is crispy potatoes, or some sautéed porcini mushrooms in a pan.
Storage
You can store the milk-braised loin in the refrigerator for about 3 days.
