Pork Ragu Over Cheesy Polenta

Pork Ragu Over Cheesy Polenta is a rich, warm, saucy bowl of pork heaven.

Fall is in the air. As the air turns crisp, we all know that it is time to serve up warm comforting dishes.  What could be better than a cheesy polenta covered in a magnificent meaty ragu?

I have experimented with making this dish with the bone-in pork shoulder and the boneless pork shoulder. The flavor achieved with the bone-in shoulder is extremely elevated in comparison to the boneless shoulder. Much of the flavor comes from the break down of the proteins in the connective tissue when dealing with a roast cut. Having the bone attached to your cut of meat allows all of those extremely flavorful proteins to meld into the broth and create a richness that is unmatched by merely slow cooking a boneless piece of meat.

I cannot wait to share my milk braised pork recipe with you. This is another example where a slow braising cooking technique is used to develop an amazing rich and delectable sauce. Also amazing served with hearty pasta.

As I finish up my second post I am realizing how much work I have to do on really getting my food photography skills up to par. There are so many incredibly talented bloggers and food artists out there. Practice makes perfect. I have ordered up some lighting solutions to help get more consistent light in my kitchen. So stay tuned for more recipes and more info on my experiments and practice with photography.

Pork Ragu Over Cheesy Polenta

Course: Main Course

Cuisine: Italian

Prep Time: 29 minutes

Cook Time: 7 hours 34 minutes

Total Time: 8 hours 3 minutes

Servings: 6

Calories: 596 kcal

Author: Laura

Delicious, rich, meaty pork heaven. Best served over a polenta or hearty noodle such as bucatini or pappardelle. Garnish with shaved parmesan reggianno cheese and parsley.

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Ingredients

Ragu

• 4 lbs bone in pork shoulder
• salt and fresh ground black pepper
• 1 Tbsp olive oil extra virgin
• 1 large onion diced
• 6 cloves garlic chopped
• 2 Tbsp tomato paste
• 1 cup full-bodied italian red wine
• 1 28 oz can of whole plum tomatoes
• 4 sprigs fresh thyme
• 2 sprigs rosemary
• 2 bay leaves
• salt and pepper to taste

Polenta

• 6 cups salted water
• 1 1/2 cups coarse polenta
• 1/4 cup unsalted butter
• 1/2 cup parmesan cheese grated
• salt and pepper to taste
• 1/2 cup parsley chopped
• olive oil for drizzling

Instructions

Ragu

1. Cut pork shoulder into 3-4 large pieces. Trim excess fast. season well with salt and pepper.

2. Add oil to a large enamel dutch oven. Heat to medium high heat. Caramelize the pork shoulder until all sides are well browned.

3. Remove meat from dutch oven and place on a plate to rest. Remove the majority of excess fat from the pan. 

4. Add onions to the pan and caramelize. If there are a lot of brown bits you can add a few tbsp of water to loosen up the flavor bits. 

5. Add garlic and cook for several minutes until lightly browned. 

6. Add tomato paste and brown slightly.

7. Add wine to deglaze that pan. 

8. Add tomatoes to pan, crush with hands as you add them to the pan. 

9. Add the meat and any juices that have accumulated on the plate to the pan 

10. Add thyme, rosemary and bay leaves.

11. Bring liquid to a boil and then reduce to a medium low simmer. Simmer with lid ajar until liquid has been reduced and the meat is falling off the bone. 

12. Before serving, remove thyme, rosemary and bay leaves.

Polenta

1. Bring 6 cups of salted water to a rapid boil.

2. Add polenta too water while whisking continuosly. 

3. Reduce temperature to a medium low simmer. Whisk occasionally until liquid is absorbed. 

4. Add butter and cheese, whisk in to incorporate. 

5. Salt and pepper to taste. 

6. Add finely chopped parsley. 

7. Top with the pork ragu and serve with a delicious Chianti or Barolo.

Recipe Notes

This Pork Ragu with Polenta is a rich, warm, saucy bowl of heaven.Fall is in the air and as the air turns crisp it is time to serve up warm comforting dishes. What could be better than a cheesy polenta covered in a magnificent meaty ragu?

This recipe is easy to put together and as it cooks it makes the house smell amazing. As a bonus, the leftovers are magnificent. 

 

Nutrition Facts

Pork Ragu Over Cheesy Polenta

Amount Per Serving

Calories 596 Calories from Fat 225

% Daily Value*

Total Fat 25g 38%

Saturated Fat 11g 55%

Cholesterol 149mg 50%

Sodium 334mg 14%

Potassium 821mg 23%

Total Carbohydrates 37g 12%

Dietary Fiber 1g 4%

Sugars 2g

Protein 43g 86%

Vitamin A 18.6%

Vitamin C 15.9%

Calcium 15.7%

Iron 18.9%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

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