Recipes

Pork Ragu on Creamy-Cheesy Polenta

Cuisine: Italian

Type: Main Course

Serves: 6

Source:	Cuisine at Home, February 2018
Attributes:
Comments:	The original recipe is for an Instant Pot, but I use a pressure cooker instead.
Serving Suggestions:	This is great served on creamy polenta or wide pasta noodles. It makes a lot, so you can freeze the leftovers.

Ingredients:

1/2 oz. dried porcini mushrooms
1 cup hot water

2 tbs. all-purpose flour
1 tbs. Italian seasoning
1 tsp. kosher salt
1/2 tsp. black pepper
1 boneless pork shoulder roast (2-1/2 lbs), trimmed well and cut into large chunks (I’ve used a large pork blade chop)

3 tbs. olive oil (divided)

1-1/4 cups diced onion
1/2 cup shredded carrot
2 tbs. tomato paste
2 tbsp, each minced fresh sage, rosemary divided
2 dried bay leaves
1 tbs. minced fresh garlic
1/2 tsp. red pepper flakes

1/2 cup dry red wine
2 tbs. red wine vinegar
1 can whole tomatoes (28 ounce), chopped and drained
1/2 cup low-sodium chicken broth

Instructions:

1. Soak porcini in hot water 30 minutes, strain, reserve 1/2 cup liquid, and chop the mushrooms.

2. Combine flour, Italian seasoning, salt and pepper in a bowl. Add pork and toss to coat, reserve any residual flour mixture for later.

3. Preheat Instant Pot (or pressure cooker) on Sauté setting and “More” temperature; add 2 tbs olive oil.

4. Brown pork in 2 batches, on all sides, then transfer to a plate.

5. Add remaining 1 tbsp oil to the pot and add porcini, onions, carrot, tomato paste, 1 tbsp sage, 1 tbsp rosemary, bay leaves, garlic and red pepper flakes. Sauté until onion softens, about 3 minutes. Sprinkle any remaining flour mixture over the vegetables and cook for 1 minute.

6. Deglaze pot with wine and vinegar and scrape up any brown bits front the bottom of the pot. Stir in tomatoes, broth, porcini liquid, then return pork to the pot. Close the lid, lock the pot, and select manual setting for 40 minutes of time. (Again, I just used a pressure cooker on high pressure for this time.)

7. Pressure cook ragu until time is up, then quick release and open the pot. Transfer pork to a cutting board and shred with two forks, then return to pot. Stir remaining 1 tbs each sage and rosemary into the ragu; season with salt and pepper. Serve over polenta or noodles.

Related recipes:

Creamy-Cheesy Polenta