Main Dish
Braised Pork Ragu
Rued Winery
3850 Dry Creek Road
Healdsburg, CA 95448
ruedwinery.com
- RECIPE YEAR: 2014
- RECIPE BY: Kathie King/K King Catering
- PAIRS WELL WITH: Rued Winery Pinot Noir
A hearty pork feast made with pork shoulder, pancetta and fresh thyme, this dish is served over roasted potatoes and onions, and topped with crumbled applewood-smoked bacon.
Ingredients:
- 1/4 cup olive oil
- 4 pounds boneless pork shoulder, cut into 3 equal pieces and trimmed of excess fat
- Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste
- 6 to 8 ounces pancetta, diced
- 4 large onions, chopped
- 6 to 8 garlic cloves, chopped
- 1 can (14 ounces) diced tomatoes with juice
- 5 teaspoons fresh thyme leaves, chopped, or 3 teaspoons dried thyme
- 1/2 teaspoon fennel seeds
- 1 bay leaf
- 2 cups chicken stock, plus more if needed
- 2 cups Rued Pinot Noir, plus more if needed
- 2 to 4 pounds red potatoes
- 4 to 6 applewood-smoked bacon slices, cooked until crispy and crumbled
Directions:
Preheat the oven to 350°F. In a deep, heavy pot over medium heat, warm the olive oil. Season the pork all over with salt and pepper. Add to the pot and brown on all sides. Transfer to a large plate. Pour off all but 3 tablespoons of the fat in the pot. Add the pancetta and cook, stirring occasionally, until beginning to crisp. Add half of the onions and the garlic and cook, stirring occasionally, until lightly colored. Return the pork to the pot along with any accumulated juices. Add the tomatoes, thyme, fennel seeds, bay leaf, stock and wine. There should be enough liquid to barely cover the pork. If not, add equal amounts of stock and wine as needed. Bring to a simmer, then cover the pot, transfer to the oven, and cook until the pork is tender and falling apart, 2 1/2 to 3 hours. Transfer the pork to a large bowl. Strain the sauce through a fine-mesh sieve into another bowl, pushing down on the solids. Discard the solids and briefly refrigerate the sauce so the fat will rise to the top. Discard the fat, then pour the sauce into a deep saucepan, place over high heat and bring to a boil. Cook until thickened and reduced by at least one-third. Adjust the seasoning with salt and pepper. Shred the pork and add to the sauce. The pork can be made up to 2 days in advance. Cover and refrigerate. After removing the pork from the oven, increase the oven temperature to 400°F. In a bowl, toss together the potatoes, the remaining onions, olive oil, salt and pepper. Transfer to a roasting pan and roast until the vegetables are tender, about 20 minutes. Serve the pork ragu over the roasted potatoes and onions. Sprinkle the crumbled bacon on top.
