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Cooking
Slow-Braised Pork Ragù with Red Wine
· 4 servings
Sear the meat
Cut the meat into small, evenly sized cubes. Place the cubed meat in a bowl, season with salt and pepper, and mix well. Heat a cast-iron pot as hot as it will go. Add a bit of lard and sear the meat on all sides over high heat.
Bacon, onion and garlic
Meanwhile, in a separate pan, fry diced bacon together with roughly chopped onion. Towards the end of cooking, add crushed and chopped garlic. Cook until the bacon is lightly crisp and the onion is golden brown.
Add to the pot
Tip the contents of the pan into the cast-iron pot with the meat, then add coarsely grated carrot and parsley root. Stir everything together, turn the heat up to high, and pour in the wine.
A pleasant aroma
Stir and let it bubble away at a rolling boil for a few minutes. How do you know when to turn the heat down? The slightly sharp, sour smell of the wine will fade and turn into a pleasant aroma. You can also taste it – the liquid in the pot should taste pleasant, not sour.
Add stock
A good amount of the wine will evaporate at this point, so you'll need more liquid for the long braise ahead. Add stock – I use whatever I have in the fridge, usually beef stock.
Let it braise
Now turn the heat down low so the mixture in the pot doesn't boil but braises very gently. Stir occasionally and let it simmer for several hours. The time needed depends not only on the temperature but also on the quality of the meat and the size of the cubes you cut.
Add the tomatoes
After about an hour, I add tomatoes to the pot – they eventually break down completely, helping to thicken the ragù slightly and adding an interesting depth of flavour.
Add the herbs
Just before finishing, I stir in fresh herbs – usually thyme, sage or parsley. Let it simmer with the herbs for at least another five minutes.
Serving
Serve with your favourite side. We used gnocchi, prepared simply by frying them in a pan. Finish with a sprinkle of grated Parmesan.