Slow-Cooker Pork Shoulder & Pancetta Ragú
This recipe is a classic Italian dish that is perfect for a cozy night in, especially on a chilly winter evening. It's a slow-cooked dish that is packed with flavors and aromas that will make your mouth water. I love to pair it with homemade pappardelle pasta, but it also goes so well with rigatoni, strozzapreti, or other similarly toothsome pasta shapes.
Note: If you don’t have a slow cooker, you can also do this in the oven! Use a large heavy-lidded pot (such as a Dutch oven). Add all ingredients into the pot, cover with a lid and pop it into the oven at 250 for 4-6 hours. Check occasionally to test the pork.
Ingredients
3 lbs boneless pork shoulder, cut into large chunks
4 oz pancetta
1 large onion, finely chopped
2 carrots, finely chopped
4 cloves of garlic, finely chopped
1 jar of tomato paste
2 28-oz cans of crushed tomatoes
3 sprigs thyme, finely chopped
2 sprigs rosemary, finely chopped
1 Tbs dried oregano
½ cup dry white or red wine
Fresh parsley, finely chopped, for serving
Parmesan, for serving
Short pasta such as rigatoni, strozzapreti, penne, gemelli, etc.
Let’s Make It!
Heat the olive oil over low heat in a large pan, then add pancetta. Cook the pancetta slowly to melt the fat and lightly brown. Remove the pancetta from the pan and set aside to drain on paper towel.
Season the pork shoulder on all sides with salt and pepper. Turn the heat up to high, add the pork shoulder and cook until it browns on all sides. Remove the pork shoulder from the pan and set aside.
Add finely chopped onion, carrot, and garlic to the same pan and cook until the vegetables are soft. Add dry wine to the pan and cook down to deglaze the pan. Add the veg mixture to a slow cooker. Then, add canned tomatoes, pancetta, pork, rosemary, thyme. Stir everything together.
Cook on high for at least 4 hours, checking until the sauce has melted together and the pork is tender and easily shreds with a fork. Carefully remove the pork pieces from the slow cooker and shred them with a fork. Skim excess fat off the top of the remaining sauce. Return the shredded pork to the slow cooker and give it a good stir to warm through. Taste for salt and pepper and adust as needed.
Cook pasta according to the package instructions. Serve the ragú on top of the pasta and top with grated Parmesan cheese and fresh chopped parsley.
