Pork Shoulder Roast Braised in Milk with Garlic, Lemon & Fresh Herbs

This week, EAT Editor Gary Hynes shares one of his recipes. He writes:

“This is an old winter classic from Italy that really shines using our fine local pork.I prefer a bone-in shoulder. When testing these recipes I used Qualicum Bay Sloping Hills naturally raised pork, which I purchased at Peppers – a wonderful independent grocer located in Cadboro Bay, Victoria.”

2.5 kg (5 lbs.) naturally-raise, bone-in but trimmed pork shoulder

4 cups of organic, homogenized milk, warmed but not boiled.

2 Tb. Minced garlic

2 Tb fresh lemon juice

10” x ¾” strip of lemon peel, scrape off the white pith with a paring knife

3 whole onions, peeled

3 large springs of fresh sage

3 large springs of fresh rosemary

3 large springs of fresh thyme

2 bay leaves

3 cloves

1 tsp. sea salt

6-8 whole peppercorns

½ cup crisp, unoaked white wine

(not hard to find in Vancouver Island wine)

Preheat the oven to 325.

While the oven is reaching temperature, gently brown the pork in olive oil in a larger frying pan until all sides are a lovely mahogany colour. Transfer the pork to a big Dutch oven or a casserole pot.  (I love my 4.7litre burgundy-colour, oval clay stewpot from Emile Henry.)

Add the garlic, onions, herbs, milk, pepper and salt, lemon, cloves. Cover and simmer in the oven for approximately 2-3 hours or until tender.