Braised Pork Ragù with Gnocchi
This braised pork ragù with gnocchi is the ultimate cozy dinner! It's a simple but super impressive meal for dinner parties, holidays, or Sunday meals. With red wine-braised pork shoulder, fresh herbs, and lots of Parmesan, this ragù is simple, tender, and beyond delicious!
Ingredients
- 2 1/2 pounds Chairman’s Reserve® Prime boneless pork shoulder, fat trimmed
- Kosher salt and freshly-ground black pepper, to taste
- 2 Tablespoons neutral oil (canola or vegetable)
- 1 large yellow onion, small dice
- 3 carrots, peeled and small dice
- 2 celery stalks, small dice
- 8 garlic cloves, finely minced
- 1 Tablespoon finely minced fresh rosemary
- 2 teaspoons finely minced fresh thyme
- 2 teaspoons finely minced fresh oregano
- 1/4 cup tomato paste
- 1 cup dry red wine
- 28 ounce can of crushed tomatoes
- 1 cup low-sodium chicken broth
- 1/2 cup whole milk
- 1 bay leaf
- 2 1/2 pounds potato gnocchi
- Parmesan, for serving
- Fresh parsley or basil, minced, for garnish
Equipment
- Large Dutch oven (oven safe)
Instructions
Oven Ragù
- Preheat the oven to 325°F. Position a rack in the middle of your oven.
- Cut the pork shoulder into large chunks (about 3-4 inches). Season generously with salt and pepper.
- Heat the oil in a large Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Once the oil is shimmering, sear the pork for 2-3 minutes on each side, until it's golden-brown. Work in batches, if necessary. Place the seared pork on a plate and set aside.
- Drain off all but 2 Tablespoons of the fat from the pot. Return the Dutch oven to medium-high heat. Add the onions, carrots, and celery (soffritto) along with a big pinch of salt. Cook, stirring frequently, until the veggies are softened and starting to brown on the edges, 5-7 minutes.
- Add the garlic, rosemary, thyme, and oregano. Cook for 30 seconds, until fragrant.
- Next, add the tomato paste. Stir the paste into the veggies until it turns dark red, about 3 minutes. Deglaze the pan with the red wine and cook until reduced by half, about 2-3 minutes. Add the crushed tomatoes, chicken broth, and milk and stir to combine.
- Nestle the pork into the sauce until it's coated. Add the bay leaf. Bring the sauce to a boil.
- Once the sauce reaches a boil, remove it from the heat. Cover the pot and set it on the middle rack of your oven. Bake for 2 1/2-3 hours, until the sauce is thick and the pork is fork tender.
- Carefully remove the pot from the oven and uncover. Remove the bay leaf from the sauce and discard. Then, use two forks to finely shred the pork. Taste and add more salt and pepper, if necessary.
- Meanwhile, bring a large pot of water to a boil and add a few generous pinches of salt. Cook the gnocchi until al dente, according to package directions. Using a liquid measuring cup, reserve about 1 cup of pasta water. Drain the gnocchi.
- Add the gnocchi to the ragù along with 1/4 cup of the reserved pasta water. Stir, adding more pasta water if necessary, until the gnocchi is coated and the sauce is glossy.
- Divide the gnocchi al ragù between pasta bowls. Garnish with parmesan and parsley or basil. Enjoy!
Slow Cooker Ragù
- To make this recipe in a slow cooker, make it up to the point where you add the crushed tomatoes, chicken broth, and milk (step 6). Then, carefully transfer the sauce to the bowl of a slow cooker.
- Nestle the seared pork into the sauce and add a bay leaf. Cover and cook on LOW for 6-8 hours or HIGH for 3-4 hours, until the sauce is thick and the pork is very tender.
- Once the pork is done cooking, remove the bay leaf and discard. Use two large forks to finely shred the pork. Taste and add more salt and pepper, if desired.
- Meanwhile, bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook the gnocchi until al dente, according to package directions. Using a liquid measuring cup, reserve about 1 cup of pasta water. Drain the gnocchi.
- Add the gnocchi to the slow cooker along with 1/4 cup of the reserved pasta water. Stir, adding more pasta water if necessary, until the pasta is coated and the sauce is glossy. Serve the gnocchi with parmesan and basil or parsley. Enjoy!
Notes
If you have big eaters, this recipe will serve about 10 people. If you're serving a few side dishes, or have light eaters, the recipe will serve 12.
Make sure that your Dutch oven and the lid are oven-safe since it will be baking for up to 3 hours.
If the sauce starts to reduce too much during cooking, add a splash of water or chicken broth.
Add a generous amount of salt to the pasta water, because it's the only time you'll be able to season the gnocchi. I usually add about 1 1/2-2 Tablespoons per pound of pasta.
For the best results, only cook the amount of pasta that you need. Combine the gnocchi and ragù in the pot that you cooked the pasta in. Reserve the leftover sauce in the fridge or freezer, and add to fresh pasta later.
Serving: 1serving, Calories: 611kcal, Carbohydrates: 48.2g, Protein: 33.7g, Fat: 28.7g, Saturated Fat: 9.4g, Cholesterol: 103mg, Sodium: 926mg, Potassium: 584mg, Fiber: 6.9g, Sugar: 7.5g, Calcium: 132mg, Iron: 4mg
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