One-Pot Braised Pork Ragu

 

What is better on a cool night than a Caesar Salad and followed by Pasta. Here was a new recipe for us and I liked it! One-Pot Braised Pork Ragù tasted as good as it looks! I love the wide Pappardelle Noodles we used with the Ragù. This is a good dish and freezes and reheats well. Perfect to make a lot and store some Pasta for a lunch or a night you don't want to cook. Try it!

One-Pot Braised Pork Ragu

New York Times
 
This vegetable-heavy baked ragù is a great way to stretch one pound of meat into a hearty pasta sauce. There’s only about 15 minutes of active work; the oven does the rest. Pork shoulder (also known as picnic shoulder) is a relatively inexpensive cut of pork that takes well to braising, which yields super flavorful and tender meat. Cubing it into small pieces helps it soften faster, while a little heavy cream helps tenderize the meat as it cooks. The versatile ragù can be served over pasta or polenta, and leftovers easily turn into craveable sandwiches the next day. The recipe is easily doubled and freezes extremely well, if you’d like to cook once and eat twice.
 
INGREDIENTS
Yield:4 servings
 
¼      cup extra-virgin olive oil
1       pound pork shoulder, cut into ½-inch cubes
Kosher salt (such as Diamond Crystal) and black pepper
3       medium carrots, peeled and finely chopped (1½ cups)
1       medium yellow onion, diced into small pieces (1½ cups)
5       garlic cloves, minced
2       tablespoons tomato paste
1       (28-ounce) can whole tomatoes
1       fresh rosemary sprig
2       fresh basil sprigs, plus chopped leaves for garnish
¼      cup heavy cream
Cooked pasta or polenta, for serving
Freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano, for serving
 
 
PREPARATION
 
Heat oven to 450 degrees.

1. In a large Dutch oven, heat 2 tablespoons of the oil over medium. Add half of the pork to the pot and season with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, until browned, 3 minutes; using a slotted spoon or tongs, transfer the pork to a plate. Repeat with the remaining pork and season with salt and pepper.

2. Reduce heat to medium-low and add carrots, onions and 1 tablespoon of the oil. Season with salt and pepper, and cook, stirring occasionally, until onion is softened, about 3 minutes. Stir in garlic, then add tomato paste and the remaining 1 tablespoon oil, and cook, stirring continuously, until lightly caramelized, 3 minutes.

3. Add pork and any accumulated juices, then the tomatoes and their juices, crushing the tomatoes with your hands as you add them. Stir in the rosemary, basil sprigs, cream and 2 cups of water; season with salt and pepper. Bring to a boil over high, cover and bake until pork is tender and sauce is thickened, about 1 hour 15 minutes. Discard rosemary and basil sprigs.

4. Serve pork ragù over pasta or polenta. Top with some cheese and chopped basil.