Pork Brisket Braised in Milk

Ingredients

• 1 three to four pound skin-on, boned-out pork brisket, to be rolled and tied up
• Salt and pepper
• Fresh sage and thyme, 1 tablespoon of each, chopped, or 1/2 teaspoon dried
• 2 tablespoons olive oil or lard
• 1 tablespoon garlic
• 1 quart whole milk
• 2 bay leaves
• The juice of 1/2 lemon
• Zest from 1 lemon

Directions

1. Season the pork thoroughly with the salt, pepper, and herbs, working them over the entire surface. For a roast this size, plan on about 1 1/2 to 2 teaspoons of salt and pepper, each. Roll the pork into a neat cylinder and tie it securely. If you have time, salt it and let it rest in the refrigerator overnight; if not, you can keep right on cooking.
2. Heat the oven to 325 degrees F. Warm the 2 tablespoons of oil or lard in a Dutch oven, then add the tied roast and sear it until browned all around, about 10 minutes total. After 5 minutes of browning, add the chopped garlic so it can color in the pot with the pork.
3. Lift the pork out of the pot, then pour away the fat, leaving 1 teaspoon behind. Add the milk, bay leaves, lemon juice, and zest, and bring everything to a boil while scraping up the browned bits from the bottom. Put the roast back in with the skin facing up. Cover the pot and transfer it to the oven to braise for 1 hour. Uncover and continue braising for 30 minutes longer, or until the center of the roast is around 160 to 170 degrees F. The skin should look deeply golden and crisp.
4. Transfer the roast to a saute pan or hotel pan. Slide it under the broiler for 30 seconds to 1 minute, just long enough to crisp the skin a bit more.
5. While the pork is under the broiler, set the pot with the braising milk on the stovetop. Simmer for 5 to 7 minutes, until the sauce separates into light-brown curds. Take out the bay leaves.
6. Cut off as much pork as you need in 1/2-inch thick slices, arrange the slices on a platter, and spoon the sauce over the top. Serve right away. Refrigerate any leftovers, then slice them cold for sandwiches.