TABELIA

AUTHENTIC RECIPE

Maiale al LattePork Braised in Milk

Pork Braised in Milk
Difficulty★★☆☆☆ Prep0 min Cook32 min Rest1 hr 30 min servings4

A traditional Emilia-Romagna dish of a whole pork loin braised in milk. The milk separates into a distinctive curdled, creamy sauce: this is exactly right. The meat becomes remarkably tender and absorbs the milk’s gentle sweetness.

Recipe developed and reviewed by the Tabelia Editorial TeamUpdated
100/ 100

AUTHENTICITY SCORE

Authenticity Score

This is the standard recipe, exactly as it’s made where it comes from — the highest Authenticity Score possible. Substituting ingredients changes this score; the app shows exactly how, ingredient by ingredient.

Ingredients (4 servings)

  • Whole pork loinTie with kitchen string to hold its shape.900 g
  • Whole milkUse enough to cover about 7 tenths of the meat, adjusting to the size of the pot.800 ml
  • Butter40 g
  • GarlicUse unpeeled.4 cloves
  • Fresh sage8 leaves
  • NutmegGrate before use.1 pinch

Method

15 min

Prepare the pork

  • 1 Season all over the 900g pork with salt and pepper.
  • 2 Tie with kitchen string into a rounded shape.
210 min

Brown all over

  • 1 Melt 40g butter in a heavy pot over medium-high heat.
  • 2 Brown the pork deeply on all sides, about 8 minutes in total.

Ready when

Proceed when golden brown all over.

32 min

Add the aromatics

  • 1 Add 4 unpeeled garlic cloves and 8 sage leaves and sauté for 1 minute.
  • 2 Grate in the nutmeg.
41 hr 30 min

Braise in milk

  • 1 Pour in 800ml whole milk.
  • 2 When it boils, reduce the heat to low, set the lid slightly ajar and braise for 90 minutes.
  • 3 Turn the meat several times during cooking.

Ready when

Proceed when the meat is fully cooked and the milk has separated into curds: this is the correct result.

Caution

It is normal for the milk to separate into curds. Do not discard it.

515 min

Finish the sauce

  • 1 Remove the meat and let it rest.
  • 2 Reduce the remaining liquid over medium heat, stirring with a wooden spatula, until it becomes a thick, caramel-colored sauce.
  • 3 Slice the meat thinly, plate and spoon over the sauce.

Ready when

The dish is complete when the sauce is thick and caramel-colored.

A view of Bologna, Emilia-Romagna
Bologna, Emilia-RomagnaItaly Photo: Zairon · CC BY-SA 4.0 (resized; display cropped)

About this dish

Emilia-Romagna is a region of rich food traditions, including Parma ham, Modena balsamic vinegar and Bologna ragù. Among these celebrated specialties, maiale al latte has been passed down as a homely braise.

In a region familiar with both dairy farming and pork curing, milk and pork were less a special invention than a natural meeting of local ingredients. In cold weather or for Sunday lunch, a large joint is slowly braised in a pot and sliced for the family to share.

It still appears in Emilia-Romagna’s trattorias and homes as a rustic, satisfying main course rather than part of an elaborate formal menu. Its role is to reflect the regional culture of dairy and pork in a dish, rather than to dazzle.

Chef Authen

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