Servings: 6
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You haven’t eaten true comfort food until you’ve tried po ragu, a luxurious Italian sauce made with rich tomatoes and tender braised pork shoulder. Or change things up by cooking classic dishes with beef, lamb or duck. There are no wrong choices.
Serve this traditional meal over pappardelle noodles or creamy polenta to transport your taste buds to Italy. You don’t even need to cut out your passport!
If you’re feeling even more adventurous, try making pappardelle pasta from scratch. Trust us when we say it’s worth the effort. The whole family will love every bite of this comforting dinner favorite.
What you need to make poragoo
Pork shoulder. 4 pounds bone-in pork shoulder. fresh herbs. Fresh thyme and rosemary. vegetables. Onions, garlic, canned tomatoes, and tomato paste. You can use whole tomatoes or crushed tomatoes. wine. Rich Italian red wine soup. Chicken in vegetable soup. olive oil bay leaf kosher salt black pepper
What is ragu meat?
You can use bone-in or boneless pork shoulder. We recommend choosing bone-in pork loin.
The taste of bone-in shoulder loin is exceptional. That’s because traditional slow cooking breaks down the bones and surrounding connective tissue, releasing complex proteins and deepening the rich flavor. So when creating your next masterpiece, choose something special. It’s Bone in!
what type of wine to use
The braising liquid is made from red wine and stock. A dry Italian red is perfect for this pork ragu recipe.
How to make po ragu sauce
Cut the pork shoulder into 3-4 equal pieces. Trim excess fat from pork and season with salt and pepper. (Add lots of salt and pepper.) Heat the oil in a large Dutch oven. Heat over medium-high heat. Grill the pork until well browned on all sides. Remove the browned pork from the Dutch oven and place on a plate to rest. Remove most of the excess fat from the pan. Reduce temperature to medium. Add the onions to the pot and caramelize. If there’s a lot of brown bits, add a few tablespoons of water to loosen up the flavor bits. Add the garlic and cook for a few minutes until lightly browned. Add the tomato paste to the pan and brown the tomato paste for 1-2 minutes. Add the wine and deglaze the pot. Use a wooden spoon or spatula to scrape the bottom of the pan to dissolve all the brown bits into the sauce. Add the tomatoes to the pot. If using whole plum tomatoes, crush them by hand when adding them to the pot. Add the meat and any accumulated liquid from the dish to the pot, then add the thyme, rosemary, and bay leaves. Bring liquid to a boil and simmer over medium-low heat.
Two ways to cook pork ragu
Cook with the lid ajar until the liquid is reduced and the meat begins to fall away from the bone. Cook in the oven at 350°F for 3 to 4 hours.
Finishing the sauce
Remove the thyme, rosemary and bay leaves before serving. Remove the meat using a slotted spoon and place it on a cutting board. Once cooled slightly, use a fork to shred the meat. Remove bones and return meat to sauce.
What you need to make polenta
brine. Coarse polenta. Unsalted butter. Parmesan cheese. kosher salt. Black pepper. Top with chopped parsley and a little olive oil.
How to make polenta
Bring 6 cups of salted water to a rapid boil. Add the polenta to the water and continue whisking. Reduce temperature to medium-low. Whisk occasionally until all liquid is absorbed. Add butter and cheese and mix with a whisk. Season with salt and pepper.
How to eat pork ragu
This classic Italian sauce is traditionally served with pappardelle pasta or polenta. This delicious sauce pairs well with your favorite pasta. Top with freshly grated Parmesan cheese.
Serve with toasted garlic bread and a fresh green salad.
FAQ
Ragu and Bolognese are similar, but not the same. Ragout is a hearty meat sauce made with stewed meat. Bolognese is a rich meat sauce made in the style of Bolognese. Bolognese sauce is creamier because one of the main ingredients is milk.
See Bolognese recipe for more information.
Yes, certainly. Pork Rogue can also be made ahead of time.
Store leftover Poragoo in an airtight container. It can be stored in the refrigerator for a week or in the freezer for several months.
Reheat to 165°F before serving.
See more dinner recipes
We have crowd-pleasing dinner recipes like Guinness Braised Short Ribs, Grilled Steak, Bolognese, and Shrimp Enchiladas.
what to eat with pork ragu
There’s nothing better than garlic bread for Poragoo. This French bread recipe is easier than you think.
Be sure to try our homemade pasta.
For a lighter dinner, serve crostini topped with bruschetta or a refreshing Caesar salad.
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Best Po Raghu Recipe
You haven’t eaten true comfort food until you’ve tried po ragu, a luxurious Italian sauce made with rich tomatoes and tender braised pork shoulder. Or change things up by cooking classic dishes with beef, lamb or duck. There are no wrong choices.
Raghu
4 lb pork shoulder bone1 teaspoon salt1/2 teaspoon black pepper1 tablespoon olive oil, extra virgin1 big onion, diced6 cloves garlic, chopped2 tablespoon tomato paste1 cup Italian full-bodied red wine2 cup broth, vegetable chicken1 28 oz canned whole plum tomatoes, or crushed tomatoes4 twig fresh thyme2 twig rosemary2 bay leaves
polenta
6 cup brine1 1/2 cup coarse polenta1/4 cup unsalted butter1/2 cup parmesan cheese, grated1/2 teaspoon salt, as needed1/4 teaspoon black pepper
For topping
1/2 cup parsley, choppedolive oil for drizzle
Raghu
Cut the pork shoulder into 3-4 equal pieces. Remove excess fat and season with salt and pepper. (Please add plenty of salt and pepper)
4 pounds pork shoulder bone; 1 teaspoon salt, 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
Add oil to a large enameled Dutch oven. Heat over medium-high heat. Caramelize the pork shoulder until well browned on all sides.
1 tablespoon olive oil
Remove the browned meat from the Dutch oven and place on a plate to rest. Remove most of the excess fat from the pan.
Add the onions to the pot and caramelize. If there’s a lot of brown bits, you can add a few tablespoons of water to soften the flavor.
1 large onion
Add the garlic and cook for a few minutes until lightly browned.
6 cloves garlic
Add tomato paste and brown slightly.
2 tablespoons tomato paste
Add the wine and deglaze the pot.
1 cup full-bodied Italian red wine
Add the tomatoes to the pot and mash them with your hands.
1 28 oz can whole plum tomatoes
Add the meat and juices that have collected on the plate to the frying pan.
Add more broth if desired.
2 cups soup
Add the thyme, rosemary, and bay leaves.
4 pieces of fresh thyme 2 sprigs of rosemary, 2 bay leaves
Bring the liquid to a boil, then reduce the heat to medium-low. Cook with the lid ajar until the liquid is reduced and the meat begins to fall away from the bone.
Remove the thyme, rosemary and bay leaves before serving.
polenta
Bring 6 cups of salted water to a rapid boil.
6 cups salt water
Add the polenta to the water and continue whisking.
1 1/2 cups coarse polenta
Reduce temperature to medium-low. Whisk occasionally until all liquid is absorbed.
Add butter and cheese and mix with a whisk.
1/4 cup unsalted butter, 1/2 cup Parmesan cheese
Season with salt and pepper.
1/2 teaspoon salt, 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
Add finely chopped parsley.
1/2 cup parsley
Serve with pork ragu, toppings, and a glass of delicious Italian wine.
olive oil for drizzle
This recipe is easy to assemble and will fill your home with wonderful aromas when cooked. As a bonus, leftovers are great.
