Italian Pork Roast

We have chosen to rename this recipe, which we first found decades ago in Marcella Hazan, to hide from the merely curious the secret of how this roast is prepared. Who would take seriously a recipe for "milk roasted pork"? The technique is so simple, and the results are so unlike what you would expect of a pork roast cooked in milk that we felt compelled to make the name a bit less revealing.

The dry salt marinade is a simple and, for us, older variation on brining.

1. The night before, mix together the marinade ingredients in a Ziplock bag large enough for the roast. Add the roast, turning it several times to coat it thoroughly. Seal the bag and refrigerate. The next day, turn the roast once or twice in the marinade.
   
   
2. In a large pot, melt the butter and heat the oil. Remove the roast from the marinade, rubbing off the spices with a paper towel. When the butter is hot, add the roast. Brown it thoroughly on all sides.
   
   
3. Add the milk slowly (adding it quickly will only cause it to boil over). As it comes to a boil, add the salt and pepper. When the milk does come to a boil, turn down the heat to medium, partially cover the pot, and cook the roast for 1 1/2 to 2 hours. During that time, you'll want to baste the roast occasionally and turn it once or twice. (The milk will coagulate into small, nut-brown clusters.)
   
   
4. When the meat is done, remove it to a cutting board. Ladle most of the fat from the pan (a turkey baster is a good tool for removing the fat), leaving behind the coagulated milk. Add several tablespoons of water, bring the mix to a boil while whisking vigorously. Slice the meat (thick slices) on to a serving platter. Pour the "gravy" over it and serve.

4-5 servings   

Source: Marcella Hazan, The Classic Italian Cook Book