Matt Xiaxiang
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Main dishesPork ragu with pappardelle
Posted: 28/11/2024Updated: 28/11/2024
Braised pork shoulder slow-cooked into a tender ragu with tomatoes and fresh herbs.
Ingredients
Servings
- 600 grams Pork shoulder
- 1 medium Brown onion
- 1 large Carrot
- 2 Celery stalks
- 3 cloves Garlic
- 1 tablespoon Tomato purée
- 200 millilitres Dry white wine
- 400 grams Canned plum tomatoes
- 250 millilitres Chicken stock
- 2 sprigs Fresh rosemary
- 2 sprigs Fresh thyme
- 3 Fresh sage leaves
- 100 millilitres Double cream
- 350 grams Pappardelle
- Parmesan
- Salt
- Ground black pepper
- 2 tablespoons Olive oil
Instructions
- If you have a whole pork shoulder, cut into smaller sections about 2-3 inches thick.
- Heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil in a pot over medium-high heat. Season the pork shoulder with salt and pepper, then sear until browned on all sides. Remove and set aside.
- Reduce the heat, add the remaining olive oil, and sauté the finely diced onion, garlic, carrot, and celery until softened, about 8-10 minutes. Stir in the tomato purée and cook for 2 minutes.
- Pour in the white wine, scraping up any browned bits from the bottom of the pot. Simmer for 2-3 minutes until slightly reduced.
- Add the canned plum tomatoes (crush by hand), chicken stock, rosemary, thyme and sage leaves. Return the pork to the pot, ensuring it's covered with sauce. Bring to a gentle simmer.
- Cover and cook on low heat for 2-2.5 hours, stirring occasionally, until the pork is tender and shreds easily. Alternatively, cook in a pre-heated oven at 150°C for the same time (only if your pot is ovenproof).
- Remove the pork from the sauce, shred it with two forks, and discard any large herb sprigs. Return the shredded pork to the pot and stir in the double cream. Adjust seasoning with salt and pepper.
- Boil the pappardelle in salted water until al dente. Drain and toss with the ragu sauce. Serve with freshly grated parmesan.
My notes
Cooking tips
- Preparing the pork shoulder: If you have a whole pork shoulder, cut into smaller sections about 2-3 inches thick. This will help it sear on more surface area. Also trim slightly remove any excess fat (not too much).
- Searing the pork: Ensure the pork is well-dried with paper towels before searing for better caramelisation. You're not looking to cook the meat here so only sear for a total of a few minutes.
- Low and slow cooking: Keep the heat low and cook slowly to tenderise the pork and allow the flavours to meld. Only take off the lid when stirring occasionally as otherwise too much heat can be lost.
- Cream addition: Stir in the double cream just before serving to keep the sauce silky and avoid curdling.
- Balancing the acidity: A pinch of sugar can balance acidity if the tomatoes are particularly tart.
- Pasta water: Save some pasta cooking water to loosen the sauce if it becomes too thick.
Alternative ingredients
- Pork shoulder can be substituted with pork cheek, beef chuck, beef short ribs, veal shoulder, or lamb shoulder for a different main flavour. Adjust the cooking time appropriately.
- Replace the double cream with mascarpone, crème fraîche, or even full-fat Greek yoghurt for a tangy note.
- Swap the dry white wine with dry vermouth, chicken stock, or apple cider for a subtle variation in flavour.
- Fettuccine, tagliatelle, or even rigatoni work well if you can’t find pappardelle.
Storage instructions
Let the ragu cool to room temperature before storing to prevent condensation and maintain quality. Avoid freezing pasta or storing the pasta and ragu together pasta can ruin the texture.
- Refrigeration: Transfer the ragu to an airtight container and store in the fridge for up to 3-4 days
- Freezing: For longer storage, freeze the ragu in airtight containers. It will keep well for up to 3 months.
Re-heating instructions
Defrost the ragu in the fridge overnight, or use the defrost setting on your microwave.
- Stove: Re-heat over medium-low heat in a saucepan, stirring occasionally to prevent sticking. Add a splash of chicken stock or pasta water to loosen the sauce if it has thickened too much.
- Microwave: Heat in a microwave-safe container, covered, at medium power in 1-minute intervals, stirring between each round until heated through.
Nutrition and dietary facts
(Per serving) Calories: 670kcal (30%), Protein: 43g (72%), Fat: 32.5g (41%), Saturated fat: 11.9g (79%), Carbohydrates: 43g (16%), Sugars: 8.6g (34%), Fibre: 4g (13%)
Note: The nutritional information provided for this recipe is an estimate based on ingredients and cooking instructions as described - it is intended for informational purposes only.