Recipe Background
Sunday evening needs to be celebratory! The weekend may be over, the week might be arriving soon, but it's worth enjoying the last moments of pure freedom, isn't it? That's the spirit of Sunday Ragu: a deeply savory and succulent tomato sauce with all the slow-cooked sweetness and richness you love! Infused with sharp parmesan flavor and served over herb-butter pasta, Sunday Ragu is what brings everyone together for one last weekend moment!
Sunday evening needs to be celebratory! The weekend may be over, the week might be arriving soon, but it's worth enjoying the last moments of pure freedom, isn't it? That's the spirit of Sunday Ragu: a deeply savory and succulent tomato sauce with all the slow-cooked sweetness and richness you love! Infused with sharp parmesan flavor and served over herb-butter pasta, Sunday Ragu is what brings everyone together for one last weekend moment!
Ingredients
For the ragu:
- 2 tablespoons vegetable oil divided
- 1 (2 1/2-pound) pork shoulder boneless, cut into 3-inch chunks
- 1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon kosher salt divided, plus more, to taste
- 2 teaspoons black pepper divided, plus more, to taste
- 1/2 pound sweet Italian sausage casings removed
- 1 large Spanish or yellow onion sliced
- 1 large carrot peeled and finely chopped
- 3 cloves garlic minced
- 2 tablespoons tomato paste
- 1 cup white wine
- 2 teaspoons light brown sugar
- 2 (28-ounce) cans crushed tomatoes
- 1 tablespoon fresh thyme leaves
- 1 tablespoon fresh oregano leaves chopped
- 1 (2-inch-wide) piece parmesan cheese rind
- 2 bay leaves
For the herb-butter pasta:
- 4 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 3 cloves garlic grated
- 1 tablespoon parsley leaves chopped
- 1 (16-ounce) package linguine or pappardelle cooked and warm
- parmesan cheese to taste, grated or shredded, for topping
Directions
- In a large Dutch oven or a heavy-bottomed stockpot over medium-high heat, add 1 tablespoon of the vegetable oil.
- In a large bowl, add the pork pieces, 1 tablespoon of the kosher salt, and 1 teaspoon of the black pepper and toss to combine.
- In batches, add the seasoned pork pieces to the hot oil and sear them on all sides, about 1 minute per side.
- Transfer the seared pork pieces to a plate and repeat until all of the pork pieces are seared. Set the seared pork aside.
- Add the remaining oil and the sausage to the Dutch oven and cook, while crumbling, until it is golden-brown, about 4-6 minutes.
- Add the onions and the carrots to the sausage and cook, while stirring often, until the onions begin to soften, about 3 minutes.
- Add 3 cloves of the minced garlic and cook, while stirring, until fragrant, about 1 minute.
- Add 1 teaspoon of the remaining salt and 1 teaspoon of the remaining pepper to the sausage mixture and cook, while stirring, until the vegetables are fully softened, about 2 minutes.
- Add the tomato paste, the white wine, the brown sugar, the crushed tomatoes and their juices, the thyme, the oregano, the parmesan cheese rind, and the bay leaves to the sausage mixture and stir to combine. Make sure to scrape the bottom of the pot to loosen the browned bits.
- Add the seared pork pieces, the extra salt, and the extra black pepper to the sausage mixture and stir to combine.
- Reduce the heat to medium-low and cover the pot.
- Simmer the sausage mixture until the pork pieces are tender and falling apart, with the meat reaching an internal temperature of 145 degrees F, and the sauce has thickened slightly, about 3 hours.
- Transfer the pork pieces to a cutting board and using two forks, shred the meat.
- Transfer the shredded pork back to the sausage mixture and stir to combine.
- Remove and discard the parmesan cheese rind.
- In a large, nonstick skillet over medium heat, melt the butter.
- Add the remaining grated garlic and the parsley to the melted butter and cook, while stirring, until fragrant, about 1 minute.
- Transfer the herb-butter mixture from the heat and add the cooked pasta, stirring to combine.
- Serve the pork ragu over the garlic-butter pasta and top with the parmesan cheese.
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