Milk Braised Pork Shoulder with Leeks, Lemon, and Sage
This succulent pork roast is made tender with the addition of milk and lemon. As it cooks, the lactic acid in the milk tenderises the pork and curdles into rich, dark nuggets. It’s delicious served with mashed potatoes or polenta to sop up the juices.
Ingredients
1.2-1.6kg Freedom Farms boneless pork shoulder, skin removed (you could use this to make crackling)
2 Tbsp olive oil
1 Tbsp butter
1 leek, sliced
6 cloves garlic, peeled
1 sprig rosemary
20 sage leaves
Peeled rind of 2 lemons and juice of 1
1 litre full fat milk, heated
Method
Season the pork generously with salt and pepper. Heat the olive oil in a large, heavy-based saucepan. Brown the pork on all sides to a rich, dark brown. Take your time here as this is where the meat and sauce get their colour. Remove the pork from the pan and pour off the fat.
Melt the butter in the same pan, then add the leek, garlic, rosemary, and sage leaves and cook until fragrant. Add the pork to the pan, along with the lemon rind, lemon juice, and milk. Place the lid slightly askew on the pan and cook for 2½ -3 hours, turning the meat every 30 minutes until very tender. The milk will have reduced and curdled into rich, dark nuggets. Turn off the heat and allow the meat to rest for 15 minutes before slicing across the grain or pulling apart into chunks to serve.