Pork shoulder ragu for the dredges of winter
This winter has felt particularly bleak, and one thing that hasn’t helped is my complete disregard for any and all of my interests in favor of work.
But I started the new year with a determination to change that. We began hosting friends again, and one snowy Saturday night I sent an impulsive text to the group chat: “i put a huge pot of ragu on the stove to simmer, do you guys wanna come over?”
This recipe takes time — the kind of time you have when it’s cold outside and there’s nowhere to go and nothing to do but cook something, low and slow, then share it with friends and send everyone home with leftovers.
This is obviously not a traditional ragu, so please don’t set your nonnas on me. It’s saucy, it includes seasonings, and I use red wine, although I imagine white wine would work splendidly.
The recipe is a starting point. I’ll often toss in oregano, fennel or dried basil, or double up on the red pepper flakes when I’m craving some heat. I usually add a bundle of rosemary and thyme tied together with twine to discard after simmering, too. And I’ve used this exact method for other large cuts of meat, such as a whole rabbit and beef shanks. If you can dream it you can ragu it, as far as I’m concerned.
Pork shoulder ragu
Ingredients:
3-4 pound boneless pork shoulder
1 large carrot, diced
1 yellow onion, diced
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 cup dry red wine
28 oz whole peeled tomatoes
48 oz tomato sauce
2 tablespoons tomato paste
3 tablespoons olive oil
1 teaspoon black pepper
1 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
1 fresh bay leaf
Salt
Parmesan rind (optional)
Instructions:
Salt pork liberally on all sides until well-coated. Heat dutch oven on medium-high, coat the bottom with olive oil and add pork to the dutch oven. Sear for 5 minutes per side, or until well-browned all over. Try not to move the meat between flips so you develop a deep crust. Remove pork to a large plate and set aside.
Lower heat to medium-low. Add carrots to dutch oven and saute for 4 minutes. Add the onion, 2 teaspoons salt, black pepper, crushed red pepper flakes and bay leaf. Stir occasionally and cook until carrots and onions are soft but not browning, approximately 5 minutes. Add garlic and mix the tomato paste in well. Cook for 3 additional minutes.
It’s time to deglaze. Increase heat to medium-high and add the wine to the dutch oven. Scrape the bottom of the pot to release all the meaty, caramelized bits. Once boiling, lower the temperature to medium and allow the mixture to reduce for 5 minutes, or until reduced by approximately half.
Add tomato sauce and whole tomatoes to the pot, crushing each tomato in your hand as you go. Season with 1 teaspoon salt and toss in the parmesan rind, if using. Mix well and bring to a boil.
Using tongs, carefully return the pork to the pot along with any accumulated juices. Press down to make sure the meat is fully submerged in the sauce. Turn heat down to low. Once the mixture is at a slow and lazy simmer, cover the dutch oven with its lid almost fully, allowing only a slight sliver of steam to escape. Cook for 4 hours.
After 4 hours, use clean tongs to carefully remove the pork to a plastic cutting board. Discard parmesan rind and bay leaf. Using two forks, shred the pork finely by pulling apart the meat in opposite directions. It should be very tender and fall apart easily. Return the shredded meat to the pot, mix well and serve over pasta, mashed potatoes or polenta.
Pick up my tab:
Cooking for the Super Bowl: It’s Jeffrey’s first Super Bowl not working in EIGHT YEARS! We’re going all out to celebrate his normie status and I’ve got my heart set on sheet pan nachos. The thing about ordering nachos is that even when they’re really good, you can’t dictate your own proportions. Personally, I want pickled red onions, I want jalapeño, I want cheese, I want avocado, and I want it all on every damn bite. Sour cream can come but it’s not necessary, and get out of my face with the beans. So making nachos at home is going to give me complete ratio control over everything and can you tell I’ve spent too much time thinking about this already?
Drinking: I first tried the 'MA DE MOI S'ELLE' pet nat from Domestique in the summer of 2020 (shudder) and immediately slid into their DMs begging them to restock. Much to my surprise I noticed it on the site a few weeks ago and have stocked up since. It’s light, bubbly and fun. I call it the pet nat for people who don’t like pet nat.
Reading: “I gave myself three months to change my personality,” by Olga Khazan. It’s my favorite thing I’ve read in so long. We all have aspects of our personality we’d like to change, at least I very much do, and to learn the science of that process is both illuminating and comforting. Olga’s piece is also riddled with the best dry humor throughout.
Burning: Maison Louis Marie’s special edition winter candle, which has a spicy Swiss Alps vibe and scratches the itch for Diptyque Feu de Bois.
Following: talialichtstein on TikTok, video below, whose mantra is “spread negativity.” Enough said.
