Pork Shoulder Ragù with Pappardelle
One of the first recipes we made over and over again. Great for a dinner party! From Dinner: A Love Story by Jenny Rosenstrach.
Ingredients
1 boneless or bone-in pork shoulder roast (about 2 to 2½ pounds)
2 tablespoons olive oil, plus more for drizzling
1 tablespoon butter
1 small onion, chopped
1 garlic clove, minced
1 (28-ounce) can whole or chopped tomatoes, with juice
1 cup red wine, plus more as needed
5 sprigs fresh thyme
5 sprigs fresh oregano
Small handful of fennel seeds
1 tablespoon hot sauce, for smokiness (we use Trader Joe’s hot chili sauce)
1 pound pappardelle
Freshly grated Parmesan cheese
Method
Preheat the oven to 325°F.
Dry the pork with paper towels and liberally salt and pepper all over. Add the oil and butter to a large Dutch oven and heat over medium-high heat until the butter melts but does not burn. Add the pork roast to the pan and brown it on all sides, 8 to 10 minutes in all.
Add the onion and garlic and sauté for 1 minute. Add the tomatoes, wine, thyme, oregano, fennel, and hot sauce and bring to a boil. Cover and put in the oven.
Braise for 3 to 4 hours, turning every hour or so. Add more liquid—water or wine—if needed. (No matter what size pot you are using, the liquid should come to at least one-third of the way up the pork.) The meat is done when it’s practically falling apart.
Remove the pork to a cutting board, pull it apart with two forks, and then add the pulled meat back to the pot and stir. Remove the herb sprigs.
Cook the pasta according to package directions. When it’s ready, put it into individual bowls and top with ragù, lots of Parmesan cheese, and a drizzle of oil.