Slow Cooker Pork Ragu Recipe
This slow cooker pork ragu recipe is perfect for the holidays!
Once I realized that the majority of my content requests were for holiday recipes, I was determined to come up with a dinner recipe that was both easy AND special. Low stress AND impressive. So naturally, my mind went to my slow cooker and Italian food. How could we combine the two in a somewhat fancy way?
Then I remembered my Mom’s pork tenderloin dish and a braised pork ragu my friend made for me years ago. Both of them are homey and cozy, and the smells fill your home in the most comforting way. So I decided to see if I could make those flavors work in a slow cooker… and boy, did they ever. Even with minimal effort thanks to the crockpot, this pork turned out absurdly tender and flavorful. It’s filling, impressive in a perfectly rustic way for 2020 holidays, and your whole family will love it.
Slow Cooker Pork Ragu Recipe
Ingredients
2 tbsp olive oil
2.5 lb boneless pork shoulder or pork butt
sea salt and ground pepper
1 onion, chopped
3 carrots, chopped
3 celery stalks, chopped
1/2 tsp fennel seeds
3 garlic clove, minced
3/4 cup dry red wine
1 can crushed tomatoes (28 oz)
Instructions
1. Heat olive oil in a large dutch oven or skillet. Season pork shoulder generously with salt and pepper. When the oil is hot, add the pork to the pan. Cook on each side until browned – about 4 minutes per side.
2. Transfer the pork to the slow cooker.
3. Turn the heat down and add onion, carrots, celery, garlic, and fennel seeds. Cook for about 5-6 minutes, until the vegetables have softened.
4. Add the wine and scrape up any browned bits that got stuck. Cook until the wine has reduced down, about 3-5 minutes.
5. Add that mixture to the slow cooker. Add the can of crushed tomatoes as well. Stir everything together.
6. Cover and cook on high for 4-5 hours.
7. When the pork is very tender and falling apart, transfer to a cutting board and shred it apart with two forks. Remove any pieces of fat – you don’t want to eat that!
8. Add the shredded pork back into the sauce and stir to combine. Keep your slow cooker on warm until you’re ready to eat.
9. Serve with fresh pasta (we used pappardelle!) and parmesan cheese!
Tips for making and storing Slow Cooker Pork Ragu
Make It Ahead
Making this in the morning so you don’t have to fuss later in the day? Good for you! If there are just a few hours between when you’re done and when you’re serving dinner, just change the setting to “warm” and let it hang out until you’re ready to eat!
Make it Way Ahead
Want to make it the day before or earlier? Transfer the sauce to an airtight container and put it in the refrigerator. Before serving, either transfer it back to the slow cooker or into a pot to warm it up again. If it seems too thick after being in the fridge, you can add a little bit of water to thin it out.
How to Serve
Cook your favorite pasta according to the package instructions, drain, and put back in the pot. Stir a little bit of the sauce into the pasta so the noodles are lightly coated and they don’t stick together. Serve pasta in each bowl and then spoon more of the sauce on top of that. I like to put any leftover sauce, along with parmesan cheese, on the table. too. That way everyone can dress it up to their liking – or go back for more!
Freeze the leftovers
If you know you won’t eat all of the leftovers, store the sauce in an airtight container in the freezer. Make sure that there is only sauce in the container – no pasta! When you’re reading to eat it, let it thaw in the fridge and then transfer to a pot to reheat.
This slow cooker pork ragu is easy enough for any night, but special enough for any holiday! 1. Heat olive oil in a large dutch oven or skillet. Season pork shoulder generously with salt and pepper. When the oil is hot, add the pork to the pan. Cook on each side until browned - about 4 minutes per side. 2. Transfer the pork to the slow cooker. 3. Turn the heat down and add onion, carrots, celery, garlic, and fennel seeds. Cook for about 5-6 minutes, until the vegetables have softened. 4. Add the wine and scrape up any browned bits that got stuck. Cook until the wine has reduced down, about 3-5 minutes. 5. Add that mixture to the slow cooker. Add the can of crushed tomatoes as well. Stir everything together. 6. Cover and cook on high for 4-5 hours. 7. When the pork is very tender and falling apart, transfer to a cutting board and shred it apart with two forks. Remove any pieces of fat - you don't want to eat that! 8. Add the shredded pork back into the sauce and stir to combine. Keep your slow cooker on warm until you're ready to eat. 9. Serve with fresh pasta (we used pappardelle) and parmesan cheese! Most bags of pappardelle are only 9 oz vs. other pastas that come in a pound. If you are preparing to eat all 8 servings of the sauce at one time, I would recommend getting 3 bags of pappardelle (or 2 boxes of another noodle!) to ensure that you have enough!
Slow Cooker Pork Ragu Recipe
Ingredients
Instructions
Notes
Nutrition Information:
Yield: 8 Serving Size: 1
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 484Total Fat: 34gSaturated Fat: 12gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 19gCholesterol: 128mgSodium: 221mgCarbohydrates: 5gFiber: 1gSugar: 2gProtein: 34g
