My Bologna Has a First Name & Milk-Braised Pork

Think back to your school days.  The lunch recess bell chimes and students flood from their classrooms to take up seats at picnic-styled tables.  The wealthier kids have metal lunch boxes covered with illustrations of Wonder Woman, Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs, or Barbie for the girls, and John Wayne, the Green Hornet, or Superman for the boys.  The less fortunate have brown paper bags.  Regardless the means of conveyance, there is always that moment of anticipation and hopeful exhilaration when you open your lunch box or paper bag to reveal that day’s lunch.  And how often did exhilaration turn to disappointment when a bologna sandwich on white bread emerged from its wrapper?

While my first impression of bologna was the luncheon meat, fortunately it was not my last and only one.  For Bologna, Italy, the area which gave us the luncheon meat, is also responsible for such cherished dishes and cooking essentials as pasta Bolognese, balsamic vinegar, and Parmigiano Reggiano.  Bologna, the region not the luncheon meat, has left its mark on many things Italian and is responsible for one of my new favorite Sunday supper dishes:  milk braised pork loin.

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Around our house, breakfast, lunch, and dinner are the designations for the three  traditional meals.  Brunch means a late-morning meal that combines attributes of breakfast and lunch, generally on a weekend day.  Supper is a term that has no meaning for us, except during football season when afternoon and evening meals on Sunday are crammed between football games.  A “Sunday Supper” must meet the following requirements:

1)      Easy to prepare – it is Sunday, and while Sous Chef is hunkered down in football watching mode, I like to casually tinker around in the kitchen with a glass of wine (okay, maybe a bottle of wine is more accurate).

2)      Leftovers for Monday that are just as good as they were the night before and can be easily served and consumed during Monday Night Football.

3)      House must be filled with the subtle aroma of garlic and herbs wafting through the air, increasing the anticipation of the supper hour.

4)       Sunday Supper must feel special, and be something that you can serve to guests should you get the spur of the moment hankering to invite friends over when Sous Chef is not interested in the afternoon or Sunday evening football games.

So what makes Milk Braised Pork Loin so special?  Braising is a common and traditional technique that is used with many different liquid and meat combinations.  Braising the pork loin in milk helps to tenderize the pork, breaking it down and making it very tender and receptive to soaking up the flavors in the braising liquid.  In this case, the braising liquid consists of creamy milk with a hint of sweetness, garlic cloves, and freshly minced sage.  This braising liquid creates a subtle aroma of spicy pepper and garlic.  Since sage is an herb that is frequently used to relieve stress and tension, I feel completely justified in stating that while I was cooking this Milk Braised Pork Loin I felt incredibly relaxed and happy to be in my kitchen surrounded by all the wonderful scents emanating from cooking this dish (and that is not the wine talking!).

Now that your mouth is drooling over that incredible milk braising liquid, it’s time to give you a quick recap of the steps involved:

1)      Brine the pork loin for 1½ to 2 hours.

2)      Brown each side of the pork loin.

3)      Create the braising liquid.

4)      Cook the pork loin in the braising liquid for 45 minutes.

5)      Make gravy from the braising liquid and drippings.

Don’t be skeptical.  It really is as easy as one-two-three-four-five.  So trust me and make this for your next Sunday Supper!  You will be glad you did, especially when you have leftovers the next day.

5.0 from 1 reviews

Milk Braised Pork Loin

 

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Prep time

1 hour 30 mins

Cook time

45 mins

Total time

2 hours 15 mins

 

Author: Christy Majors

Recipe type: Entree

Cuisine: Italian

Serves: 4-6

Ingredients

• Salt and Pepper
• ¼ cup Sugar
• ¼ cup Salt
• 1 - 2 to 2½ pound trimmed boneless pork loin roast
• 1 Tablespoon vegetable oil
• 3 cups Whole Milk
• ¼ cup half-and-half
• 6 peeled garlic cloves
• 2 teaspoons minced fresh sage
• ¼ teaspoon baking soda
• ½ cup dry white wine
• 3 Tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
• ¼ cup Dijon Mustard
• 2 Tablespoons flour

Instructions

1. To Brine Pork - Dissolve ¼ cup sugar and ¼ cup salt in 2 quarts cold water in a large container. Place pork loan in brine and refrigerated for at least 1½ hours to 2 hours.
2. After pork has been brined, remove pork from brine and pat dry with paper towels.
3. Adjust oven rack to middle position and heat oven to 275.
4. In a Dutch Oven, heat oil over medium-high heat until shimmering. Add the roast and brown on all sides (approximately 2 minutes per side for a total of 8-10 minutes). Transfer the roast to a large plate.
5. Add milk, half-and-half, garlic, sage, and baking soda to pot and bring to a simmer, scraping up any brown bits from the pork. Cook stirring frequently, until milk is lightly browned and has consistency of heavy cream (approximately 14-16 minutes). Reduce heat to medium-low and continue cooking, stirring and scraping the bottom of the pot constantly, until the milk has thickened to the consistency of a thin batter (approximately 1-3 minutes). Remove Dutch Oven from heat.
6. Return pork to Dutch Oven, cover and transfer to preheated oven. Cook until pork registers 135-140 degrees, approximately 40-50 minutes, flipping the roast once half way through cooking.
7. Transfer pork to a carving board, tent with tin foil and let rest for 20-25 minutes.
8. Once pork has rested, pour any accumulated juices into the Dutch Oven. Add wine and return the sauce to a simmer over medium-high heat, whisking vigorously to break up any large clumps of milk. Take the Dutch Oven off the heat and stir in parsley, mustard, and flour to thicken. Season with salt and pepper after tasting. (I used aproximately 1½ teaspoons of salt and 1 tablespoon pepper)

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