Milk-Braised Pork Shoulder

Ingredients

• 1 (3½- to 4-pound) boneless pork shoulder
• 2 tablespoons plus 1 teaspoon salt
• ¾ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 12 sage leaves
• 3 thyme sprigs
• 4 fresh or 8 dried bay leaves
• 4 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
• ½ large yellow onion, roughly diced
• 1 celery stalk, roughly diced
• 1 leek, white and pale green parts only
• 6 cups whole milk
• 2 cups homemade stock or other high-quality stock
• 6 cloves garlic
• 2 tablespoons dry sherry
• 1½ tablespoons butter
• 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
• Fried sage leaves, for garnish

1. Take the twine off the roast (if there is one) and unroll the shoulder. You’ll see a solid center of meat with two smaller flaps. Cut off each of the flaps. Roll up each flap into a log, and then roll the middle piece into a log. You should have 3 logs of roughly the same size. Tie each log with kitchen twine (see photo), then season each log with 2 teaspoons salt and ¼ teaspoon pepper. Set aside on a plate. Preheat the oven to 325°F.
2. Cut a 1-foot square of cheesecloth and fold it over once. Place the sage, thyme, and bay leaves on the cloth, roll it lengthwise into a small sachet, and tie both ends with kitchen twine (like a wrapped candy). Set the sachet aside. (Making an aromatic sachet makes it easier to remove all of the spices later, so you don’t accidentally blend them into the gravy.)
3. Heat a black steel or cast-iron pan over high heat until very hot. Add 1 tablespoon of the oil and heat until the surface is rippling but not smoking. Add a pork roast and sear, turning every 2 to 3 minutes to achieve an even sear on all sides. Set the roast aside on a platter. Rinse the pan and wipe it completely dry, then add 1 tablespoon of the remaining oil and sear another roast. Repeat this process for the third roast, again using 1 tablespoon of the remaining oil, then clean and dry the pan one last time.
4. In the same pan, heat the remaining 1 tablespoon oil over medium-high heat. Add the onion, celery, and leek and sauté for 2 to 3 minutes, until the edges are beginning to caramelize lightly. Remove from the heat.
5. Put the pork roasts in a large Dutch oven and add the milk, stock, garlic, sautéed vegetables, and aromatic sachet. Add the remaining 1 teaspoon salt and bring the mixture to a simmer over medium heat. Cover the pot, transfer to the oven, and cook for 2 hours. Remove the cover, then cook, uncovered, for an additional 1 to 1½ hours, allowing the liquid to reduce and achieve a rich gold color. Stir carefully and baste the pork with the braising liquid. The meat is done when it is completely tender and falls apart slightly when you push it with your finger. The liquid in the Dutch oven will look curdled after cooking. This is okay, as it will all be blended later.
6. Remove and discard the sachet. Carefully remove the roasts from the pan and let them cool slightly. Cut the twine off the roasts and let the meat rest while you make the sauce. Strain the braising liquid through a fine-mesh strainer into a bowl, reserving the milky liquid and the vegetables separately.
7. Combine 2 cups of the vegetables with about 2 cups of the braising liquid in a blender and purée on high speed until totally smooth, about 3 minutes. If you have leftover braising liquid, reserve it for another use, like adding it to stock for a rustic soup or for cooking baked beans. Add the sherry to the braising-liquid blend and set aside.
8. In a saucepan over medium heat, make a roux by melting the butter, whisking in the flour, and then continuing to whisk until light golden, about 1 minute. Whisk in the braising-liquid blend slowly to avoid lumps, then continue to whisk until smooth. Turn the heat down to a very gentle simmer, whisking frequently, for 5 to 7 minutes, until the sauce thickens slightly. Taste and adjust the seasoning.
9. Preheat the oven to 325°F. Cut each roast into slices 1½ to 2 inches thick. The pork should be falling-apart tender, so don’t expect perfectly clean slices. Pour the sauce into a shallow baking or casserole dish and nestle the pork slices in the sauce. Place in the oven until the slices and the sauce are warmed through, 10 to 12 minutes. To serve with Quick-Sautéed Greens with Garlic, Lemon Confit, and Chili Flakes and Caramelized Delicata Squash as shown (see photo), start cooking the squash during the last 20 minutes of braising time and let both batches sit in the pan (it’s okay to crowd both batches into one pan once all of the slices are caramelized). Sauté the greens while the pork is reheating in the sauce. When you’re ready to serve, reheat the squash over medium-high heat until warmed through, about 1 minute. Spoon about ¼ cup of the sauce onto each plate and top with a slice of pork. Tuck some greens and squash alongside the pork and scatter fried sage leaves around the plate.
10. Preheat the oven to 325°F. Cut each roast into slices 1½ to 2 inches thick. The pork should be falling-apart tender, so don’t expect perfectly clean slices. Pour the sauce into a shallow baking or casserole dish and nestle the pork slices in the sauce. Place in the oven until the slices and the sauce are warmed through, 10 to 12 minutes.
11. To serve with Quick-Sautéed Greens with Garlic, Lemon Confit, and Chili Flakes and Caramelized Delicata Squash as shown (see photo), start cooking the squash during the last 20 minutes of braising time and let both batches sit in the pan (it’s okay to crowd both batches into one pan once all of the slices are caramelized). Sauté the greens while the pork is reheating in the sauce. When you’re ready to serve, reheat the squash over medium-high heat until warmed through, about 1 minute.
12. Spoon about ¼ cup of the sauce onto each plate and top with a slice of pork. Tuck some greens and squash alongside the pork and scatter fried sage leaves around the plate.