By Request: Pressure Cooker Pork Loin Braised in Milk

Do you have a special request? Maybe something you’ve been hesitant to tackle or a technique you have not seen before? Let me know by leaving a comment and I will cook it, and then show you how!

Pork Loin Pressure Cooker Recipe

When I first started researching this special request recipe I discovered  that the milk coagulates during cooking.  Reading the words “milk” and “coagulation” in the same sentence was an initial turn-off. One Milk Roast recipe later, I come to find that these little clumps of flavor can be beaten into submission at end of cooking; though, it would be a shame not to experience little bursts of condensed milk with this classic pork recipe.

I followed Marcella Hazan’s recipe pretty closely with two modifications. First, I could not resist adding a Bay Laurel leaf into the milk (anyone keeping track of how many of my recipes use them?), and then the obvious modification of roasting the meat in the pressure cooker for 30 minutes versus the original 1 1/2 to 2 hours.

Pork Loin Braised in Milk
Recipe adapted from: The Classic Italian Cookbook by Marcella Hazan

2 tablespoons butter
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 pounds pork loin in one piece, with some fat on it, securely tied
2 teaspoon salt
freshly ground black pepper
about 2 ½ cups or 3/4 lt. milk

In the pressure cooker, with the lid off on medium-low heat, melt butter and oil. When the butter is melted add the meat, fat side facing down first. Brown thoroughly on all sides, and finish on the side where you started.

Add the salt, pepper, bay leaf and  milk pouring it on top of the roast and adding enough for it to cover the roast by half.

Close and lock the lid of the pressure cooker. Turn the heat to high and when the pressure cooker reaches pressure lower the heat and begin counting 30 minutes cooking time under pressure. When the time has passed, bring your pressure cooker to the sink, run cold water over the top, and when all of the pressure come down unlock and open the lid and move the roast to a serving dish tented with tin foil to rest.

Let the sauce cool and spoon out the fat, discard the bay leaf and reduce the sauce in the open pressure cooker, if needed.  If you do not like the coagulated milk clusters, whisk in some fresh milk or cream or break them up with a stick blender. Taste to check seasoning and add any additional salt, if needed.

Slice the roast and arrange on platter.  Pour on the warm sauce and serve!

Serves 4-6.