Best Pork Shoulder Ragu Recipes

PORK SHOULDER BRACIOLA WITH RAGù

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 225°F. Place pork shoulder, fat side down, on a cutting board with a short end facing you. Holding a long, sharp knife about 1" above cutting board, make a shallow cut along the entire length of a long side of roast. Continue cutting deeper into the roast, lifting and unfurling meat with your free hand, until it lies flat (be careful not to cut all the way through). Season generously on both sides with salt.
• Mix eggs, chopped garlic, panko, parsley, rosemary, black pepper, red pepper flakes, and 3 oz. Parmesan in a medium bowl. Keeping fattier side of pork shoulder facing downward, smear filling all over top side. Roll up roast and tie closed in 3-4 places with kitchen twine.
• Heat oil in a large Dutch oven or other heavy pot over medium-high. Sear pork roast until browned all over, 10-12 minutes total. Arrange tomatoes and their juices and sliced garlic all around roast and bring to a simmer. Make sure roast is turned fat side up, cover pot, and transfer to oven. Roast until a skewer easily passes through meat (a thermometer inserted into the center should register 200-205°F), 4-5 hours. Keep covered and let rest in pot 30 minutes.
• Transfer pork roast to a cutting board and remove kitchen twine. Gently mash sauce in pot with a spoon or a potato masher (simmer it gently to thicken, if desired). Taste ragù and season with salt if needed. Slice pork 1" thick.
• Meanwhile, cook pasta in a large pot of boiling salted water, stirring occasionally, until al dente; drain.
• Spoon pasta into a serving dish and top with some ragù; toss to coat. Sprinkle with finely grated Parmesan. Transfer pork to a platter; spoon remaining ragù over.
• Do Ahead
• Pork can be stuffed and rolled 2 days before roasting; cover and chill. Pork can be roasted 3 days ahead; let cool, then cover and chill. Reheat gently in sauce before serving.

GARGANELLI WITH FENNEL AND PORK SHOULDER RAGÙ

Steps:

• Using your hands, thoroughly mix ground pork and 2 tsp. salt in a large bowl until pork is sticky, about 3 minutes. Cover and chill for at least 2 hours or overnight. Roll pork mixture into 16-18 large meat-balls (about 1/4-cupful each). Heat 1 1/2 Tbsp. olive oil in a large heavy pot over medium-high heat. Working in 2 batches and adding remaining 1 1/2 Tbsp. olive oil between batches, cook meatballs until all sides are brown, adjusting heat to prevent browned bits on bottom of pan from burning (they will flavor the sauce later), about 8 minutes per batch. Transfer meatballs to a paper towel-lined plate to drain. Reduce heat to medium. Return meat-balls to pot. Scatter fennel, onions, and garlic over. Cook, stirring occasionally as needed to prevent scorching, until vegetables are translucent and juices have evaporated, about 25 minutes. Add wine, scraping up browned bits from bottom of pot, and bring to a simmer. Cook until wine has reduced by three-quarters, about 15 minutes. Add 4 cups broth and tomatoes. Return sauce to a simmer, scraping up all browned bits from bottom of pan. Simmer over medium-low heat, covered with lid slightly ajar and stirring occasionally, until meatballs are very tender, about 2 1/2 hours. Using a potato masher or fork, break meatballs into small pieces. If sauce is too thick, add broth by 1/2-cupfuls until desired consistency forms. Season ragù to taste with salt and pepper. DO AHEAD Ragù can be made 3 days ahead. Let cool in pot; chill until cold. Cover and keep chilled. Return sauce to a simmer before continuing. Bring a large pot of generously salted water to a boil. Cook garganelli, stirring occasionally, until al dente. Drain garganelli and transfer to pot with hot ragù. Stir until well incorporated. Transfer pasta to a large wide bowl. Sprinkle with cheese; drizzle with extra-virgin olive oil.

PORK-SHOULDER RAGU

Steps:

• In a large skillet, heat oil over medium. Add onion and garlic and cook until soft, 20 minutes. Add fennel seeds and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add wine and cook until almost completely evaporated, about 2 minutes. Add flour and cook, stirring, 30 seconds. Add pork and broth. Cook, stirring occasionally, until sauce thickens, about 8 minutes. Serve over polenta, grits, or mashed potatoes and top with parsley if desired.

PORK SHOULDER RAGU

Steps:

• In a large skillet, heat the oil over medium heat. Sprinkle the meat with salt and pepper and brown it on all sides. Remove the meat to a large slow cooker.
• Add the onion and fennel seeds to the skillet and cook until the onion is tender and golden, about 10 minutes. Stir in the garlic, sage, and rosemary. Add the tomato puree, tomatoes, and a pinch of salt and stir well. Pour the sauce into the slow cooker. Add the crushed red pepper. Cover and cook on low for 5 to 6 hours, or until the pork is very tender.
• Remove the meat to a cutting board but leave the sauce in the slow cooker with the heat on. With two forks, tear the pork into bite-size pieces. Return the pork to the cooker to reheat. Stir in the basil.