It’s been chilly in Philly, which makes for perfect stew weather – nothing better than making something that keeps the oven on for a couple of hours and warms the kitchen. This recipe calls for either a boneless pork shoulder or pork butt – I used the latter, both are relatively inexpensive cuts of meat. Braising in the oven with red wine and tomatoes makes the meat tender, and easily shredded with two forks. I made egg noodles, but you could spoon it over polenta, rice, or mashed potatoes. It was a big hit with the fellas. It serves eight, so there was enough leftover for me to freeze for another meal, always a big plus in my book!
- 2 1/2 tablespoons olive oil, divided
- 2 pounds boneless pork shoulder, fat trimmed or pork butt (cut into 4 pieces)
- 1 small yellow onion, chopped
- 2 carrots, diced
- 2 celery ribs, diced
- 2 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 teaspoon rosemary, minced
- 2 tablespoons tomato paste
- 1 cup dry red wine
- 1 – 28oz. can whole tomatoes with juice
- salt and pepper
- egg noodles
- Preheat oven to 325º.
- Season pork with salt and pepper. In a Dutch over over medium – high heat, add 1 tablespoon of oil and sear pork for 3 to 4 minutes on all sides. Remove pork from the pan and set aside. Drain the fat from the pan.
- Add the remaining 1 1/2 tablespoons of olive oil, the carrots, celery, and onion. Sauté for 4 minutes, add garlic and rosemary and continue to sauté for another 3 to 4 minutes, stirring frequently so the garlic doesn’t burn. Stir in tomato paste, and season with salt and pepper.
- Deglaze pot with red wine, scraping the brown bits on the bottom of the pan with a wooden spoon. Reduce heat to medium, and let wine reduce by half.
- Add the tomatoes, break them up a bit using the back of the wooden spoon.
- When the mixture is simmering, add the pork back to the pot and bring to a boil. Cover and place on the lowest rack of the oven. Braise for 2 hours until pork is fork tender. Remove pork and finely shred with 2 forks, return to the pot and cover.
- Cook egg noodles according to package directions. Divide pasta into bowls and top with the ragu. Serves 8.
