Pork Ragu

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This slow-braised pork ragu recipe simmers in the oven for hours until the juicy pork shoulder is ready to shred into a rich, flavorful meat sauce. Perfect with pappardelle pasta.

Prep Time15

Cook Time3

Total Time3 15

Course: Dinner

Cuisine: Italian

Keyword: pork ragu

Servings:

Author: Katerina Petrovska

Equipment

Dutch Oven

Ingredients

2 tablespoons olive oil
1½ pounds boneless pork shoulder trimmed and cut into 2-inch chunks
salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
1 yellow onion diced
2 medium carrots diced
2 celery stalks diced
3 garlic cloves minced
2½ tablespoons tomato paste
1 teaspoon dried thyme
1 teaspoon dried rosemary
14 ounce can diced tomatoes
¾ cup low-sodium chicken broth
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
1 bay leaf

For serving:

12 ounces wide pasta like pappardelle or tagliatelle, or desired pasta
¼ cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese plus more for serving
2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley

Instructions

Prep. Preheat the oven to 325˚F.
Sear the pork. Season the pork generously with salt and pepper. Heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil in a large Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Working in batches, sear the pork on all sides until deeply browned, about 6 to 8 minutes. Transfer to a plate.
Make the flavor base. Reduce the heat to medium. Add the onion, carrots, and celery to the pot and cook for 7 to 8 minutes, stirring occasionally, until softened. Stir in the garlic and cook for 20 seconds or until fragrant. Add the tomato paste and cook for 2 minutes, stirring constantly, until it darkens slightly. Stir in the thyme and rosemary.
Combine. Add the tomato paste, canned tomatoes, chicken broth, Worcestershire sauce, and bay leaf. Return the pork and any accumulated juices to the pot.
Cook. Cover the pot with the lid and transfer it to the oven. Cook for 2½ to 3 hours, or until the pork is fork-tender and shreds easily. At this point, you can leave the pork in larger chunks for a rustic presentation or shred it into smaller pieces using two forks.
Make the pasta. Meanwhile, cook the pasta according to the package directions.
Serve. Add the cooked pasta to the ragu and stir in freshly grated Parmesan cheese. Toss until evenly coated. Garnish with chopped parsley and additional Parmesan cheese before serving.

Notes

Pork shoulder works best because it gets tender during slow cooking.
If the sauce thickens too much while braising, add a little more chicken broth.
Reserve a little pasta water to loosen the sauce if needed.

Nutrition