An Everlasting Meal: Cooking with Economy and Grace

by Tamar Adler

Pork shoulder braised in milk with garlic, sage, and lemon 1 boneless pork shoulder from a happily raised pig, about 5 pounds tons of salt 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil 3 tablespoons butter 6 garlic cloves, peeled 2 sprigs savory 2 sprigs sage 1 bay leaf strips of lemon peel from 4 lemons 3 cups whole milk The pork shoulder will probably come tied. Leave it tied for cooking. The day before you plan to cook it, salt the roast five times as heavily as you want. Heat the oven to 325 degrees. Heat a deep oven-safe pot, then add the olive oil and half the butter. When the butter stops foaming, add the pork and let it get brown on all sides. It can take up to 5 minutes per side. Remove the pork from the pan. Warm the garlic, savory, sage, bay leaf, and lemon zest in the remaining butter in the same pot for a few minutes. Return the pork to the pan, add 11/2 cups milk, and bring to a boil. Reduce it to a simmer, partially cover, and put the pot in the oven. Check the pork every half hour, turning it occasionally. As the milk evaporates, add more by the ladleful. As the pork cooks and the milk reduces, the milk will start to caramelize into golden curds. Let it cook for 4 to 5 hours until it is tender and the liquid is a golden tan, reduced juice. Unimaginable amounts of fat will rise to the top of this while it cooks—there is fat in the pig and fat in the milk. Skim it off if you’re eating this immediately. If you’re cooking it ahead, cool the pork in the refrigerator cove...