Ricks Sunday Pork Ragu Recipes

PORK RAGU OVER PENNE

Steps:

• Heat the canola oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Season the pork with salt and pepper and brown it on all sides, 2 to 3 minutes per side. While the pork is browning, add the celery, carrots, and onion to the bowl of a slow cooker. Put the pork on top of the vegetables and add the tomatoes and garlic. Place into the slow cooker and cook on low for 6 to 8 hours.
• Remove the pork to a cutting board or sheet pan. Pour the vegetables and liquid from the slow cooker bowl into a saute pan over medium heat, and mash with a fork. Add the tomato paste to the pan sauce and stir to incorporate. Shred the pork, add it to the vegetables, and let this simmer, uncovered, while you cook the pasta (save 2 cups of the ragu for the Round 2 Recipe Lasagna Roll Ups).
• Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the penne, stir, and cover the pot. When it returns to a boil, remove the cover and stir it again. Cook until the pasta is al dente, about 8 minutes. (Save 1 cup of pasta for the Online Round 2 Recipe Savory Noodle Pie.) Put the pasta into a serving platter, and pour the ragu over top. Serve immediately, garnished with basil leaves and Parmesan.

RICK'S SUNDAY PORK RAGU

Steps:

• Season the meat with the salt and refrigerate for a few hours. Sear the meat in a heavy bottomed pan with 2 tablespoons of the olive oil. Add the onions and let cook for a few minutes. Add tomato paste and let cook for a few minutes. Deglaze the pan with the wine and simmer for a few more minutes. Add San Marzano tomatoes and break them up with a wooden spoon. Add the remaining 2 tablespoons of olive oil. Let simmer very slowly for about 4 hours. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

PORK RAGU

Steps:

• Heat a Dutch oven or other heavy pot over medium-high heat. Add the extra-virgin olive oil, 3 turns of the pan, then add the carrots, celery, onions and garlic. Stir in the bay leaf and season with salt and pepper, to taste. Cook the vegetables until soft, about 5 to 6 minutes. Add the tomato paste and stir for 1 minute, then add the wine and cook for another minute. Stir in the stock and bring sauce to a simmer. Add the pork and season with a pinch of ground cloves. When the sauce returns to a simmer add the milk and reduce the heat to low. Let the sauce mellow while you bring the water to boil for the pasta or polenta. Sauce may be made ahead and reheated over medium-low heat. Add a splash of stock or water to thin the sauce, if necessary. Serve the sauce tossed with pasta ribbons or atop creamy bowls of polenta and garnish with lots of cheese and parsley.

RUSTIC PORK RAGU

Steps:

• Heat the olive oil in a Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Season the pork with the salt and pepper and sear on all sides until golden brown, 3-4 minutes per side. remove pork; set aside.
• Add the onon, rosemary, and garlic and cook, stirring, until fragrant, about 2 minutes. Add the tomatoes and their juices and stir with a wooden spoon, scraping any bits of pork stuck to the bottom of the pan. Cover the pot tightly and simmer on the stovetop until the pork is tender enough to fall apart, 2-1/2 to 3 hours.
• Remove the pork and, when it is cool enough to handle, shred it into bite-size pieces. Add the shredded pork back to the stockpot. Simmer until hot.
• To serve: Serve over the hot cooked pasta and sprinkle the Romano over the top.
• NOTE: To prepare in the crockpot, transfer the browned meat to a warm or hot crockpot in step 1. Make up the sauce as directed in step 2 (adding the completed pork gravy if you wish to use it) and pour over the meat in the crockpot. Turn the meat to make sure it is covered with the sauce. Cover and cook on low heat for 7-8 hours.

SUNDAY RAGù

Steps:

• Make tomato sauce:
• Pulse tomatoes with juice (1 can at a time) in a blender until almost smooth.
• Heat oil in a wide 10-to 12-quarts heavy pot over medium-high heat until it shimmers, then sauté onion until golden, about 6 minutes. Add garlic and sauté 1 minute.
• Add tomato purée, bay leaf, and 1/2 teaspoon salt and simmer, uncovered, stirring occasionally, until thickened, 40 to 45 minutes. Discard bay leaf.
• Make braciole while sauce simmers:
• Stir together garlic, parsley, cheese, and pancetta.
• Pound top round to 1/8 inch thick between 2 sheets of plastic wrap with a rolling pin or meat pounder. Spoon parsley mixture evenly over beef cutlets (about 3 tablespoons each). Starting with a short side, roll up cutlets and tie at each end with string to make braciole.
• Make meatballs:
• Form reserved meatball mixture into balls (about 16), using a 1/4-cup measure.
• Cook meats:
• Heat 2 tablespoons olive oil in a 12-inch heavy skillet over medium heat until it shimmers. Season braciole with 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper (total) and brown well in 2 batches, turning, about 6 minutes per batch. Transfer to a large shallow pan.
• Add 2 tablespoons oil to skillet and brown sausage in 2 batches, turning, about 6 minutes per batch. Transfer to pan with braciole.
• Pat pork shoulder dry and season with 1/4 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper. Add 2 tablespoons oil to skillet and brown pork shoulder all over, about 5 minutes. Transfer to pan.
• Pat pork ribs dry and season with 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper. Add remaining 2 tablespoons oil to skillet and brown ribs well in 2 batches, turning, about 6 minutes per batch. Transfer to pan.
• Heat reserved oil from polpette in skillet over medium heat until it shimmers. Fry meatballs in 2 batches (do not crowd), turning occasionally, until well browned, about 6 minutes per batch. Transfer to paper towels using a slotted spoon. (Discard oil.)
• Finish ragù:
• Return sauce to a simmer and carefully add all meats and juices. Simmer, partially covered, gently stirring occasionally (do not break up meatballs), until all meats are tender, about 2 1/4 hours.
• Transfer meats with tongs to a large platter. Serve with fettuccine and remaining sauce.