Chunky Pork Shoulder Ragu Recipe

Buongiorno miei amata amici! 

This recipe is from the book The Italian Slow Cooker by Michele Scicolone, which I have previously reviewed. With permission of the author, I will now share one of the wonderful recipes from the book and at the very end, I will share what I did differently out of necessity*.

Chunky Pork Shoulder Ragu Recipe**

(The pork shoulder roast practically melts into this flavorful sauce. A hearty pasta like rigatoni is the perfect choice, and the ragu is also good on polenta.)

MAKES ABOUT 10 CUPS

Ingredients:

• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 2 pounds boneless pork shoulder roast, rolled and tied
• Salt and freshly ground pepper
• 1 medium onion, chopped
• 1/2 teaspoon fennel seeds
• 4 large garlic cloves, finely chopped
• 1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh sage
• 1 teaspoon finely chopped fresh rosemary
• 1 28-ounce can tomato puree
• 1 28-ounce can Italian peeled tomatoes, drained and chopped
• Salt
• Pinch of crushed red pepper
• 1/2 cup of chopped fresh basil

Directions:

Browned Pork Roast in Crock Pot

In a large skillet, heat the oil over medium heat. Sprinkle the meat with salt and pepper and brown it on all sides. Remove the meat to a large slow cooker. 

Spices for Pork Ragu Recipe

  Add the onion and fennel seeds to the skillet and cook until the onion is tender and golden, about 10 minutes. Stir in the garlic, sage, and rosemary. 

Pork Roast and Ingredients for Pork Ragu Recipe in the Slow Cooker

Add the tomato puree, tomatoes, and a pinch of salt and stir well. Pour the sauce into the slow cooker. Add the crushed red pepper. Cover and cook on low for 5 to 6 hours, or until the pork is very tender.  

Slicing the Pork Roast for Pork Ragu after removing from Crock Pot - Slow Cooker

Remove the meat to a cutting board but leave the sauce in the slow cooker with the heat on. With two forks, tear the pork into bite-size pieces. Return the pork to the cooker to reheat. Stir in the basil. 



 *  What I did differently: We are on a tight budget, so I bought the cheapest cut of pork shoulder roast I could find and it did have a small bone in it. It was about 4 lbs and I did NOT tie it before browning it and adding it to my olive-oil sprayed crock-pot. I crushed my fennel seeds in a mortar first, but you can also crush them by folding a towel over them and using your rolling pin to smash them. I did not use the puree, instead I used two cans of whole tomatoes (grown in America), but were roma/plum type. I did not cut the tomatoes first, as I like to break them apart AFTER they cook. This still came out DELICIOUS.  I will definitely make this again! 


**  Recipe from THE ITALIAN SLOW COOKER by Michele Scicolone.  Copyright (c) 2010 by Michele Scicolone. Reprinted by permission of Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.

The Italian Slow Cooker Book Review

Michele Scicolone Author & Chef

Either spray slow cooker - crock pot with non-stick spray or use liners for easier clean-up.

The one thing I do not find Michele mentioning in her cookbook and possibly she does not advocate; I spray my crock pot with an olive oil aerosol (non-stick spray) before I use it. It has made cleaning up my crock-pot so simple now, whereas it was a dreaded chore. 

Pears in Marsala via the slow cooker

*Photos of The Italian Slow Cooker and Michele Scicolone are from her personal website. Copyright (c) 2010 by Michele Scicolone.