Pork Sugo Recipes

PORK SUGO

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 300 F. Pat the pork dry with paper towels, then season generously on all sides with salt and pepper.
• In a large dutch oven or skillet with a lid, heat oil over medium-high heat. Add pork (working in batches, if your skillet isn't large enough to cook the meat in a single layer) and sear on all sides, about 4-6 minutes. Remove pork with a slotted spoon and transfer to a plate.
• Add chopped onion to the skillet and cook, stirring often, until translucent, about 5 minutes. Add garlic and cook for 1 minute more.
• Pour in crushed tomatoes and scrape the bottom of the pan to loosen up any brown bits, then add wine and chicken stock. Return pork to the pot, then bring liquid to a boil.
• Meanwhile, tie the thyme and oregano sprigs together with kitchen twine. Add herbs and red pepper flakes to the pot, cover, then transfer to the oven and cook for 2-2 ½ hours.
• When pork is fork tender, remove from the oven and let cool slightly. To shred the pork, either remove with a slotted spoon and place in a large mixing bowl or working directly in the pot use two forks to pull the meat in opposite directions.
• Add apple cider vinegar to the pot, then return pork and stir to combine. Serve immediately (over pasta? polenta? baked potato? FRENCH FRIES?). Sprinkle with Parmesan or Pecorino Romano.

PORK SUGO

Steps:

• 1. Season the pork with salt and pepper. In a large enameled cast-iron casserole, heat the olive oil until shimmering. Add the pork in a single layer and cook over moderately high heat until the pieces are golden brown all over, about 12 minutes. Add the carrots, celery, onion and garlic and cook until softened and browned in spots, about 8 minutes. Add the tomatoes and their juices and bring to a simmer. Add the red wine and thyme sprigs and cook over high heat until the wine is reduced by half, about 5 minutes. Add the stock and bring to a boil. Cover and simmer over low heat until the pork is very tender, about 2 hours. 2. Using a slotted spoon, transfer the pork and vegetables to a food processor; discard the thyme sprigs. Pulse just until the pork is shredded. Scrape the shredded pork and vegetables back into the casserole. Stir in the chopped parsley, oregano and crushed red pepper and season with salt and pepper. 3. Preheat the oven to 375°. In a large pot of boiling salted water, cook the orecchiette until it is still firm to the bite, about 5 minutes; drain well. Add the orecchiette to the casserole and toss with the pork sauce. Scrape the pasta into a very large baking dish and sprinkle all over with the Parmigiano-Reggiano. Bake the casserole in the upper third of the oven for about 35 minutes, until golden brown on top and bubbling. Let the baked pasta stand for 10 minutes before serving.

ORECCHIETTE WITH PULLED-PORK SUGO

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 325°F with rack in middle.
• Pat pork dry and sprinkle with 3/4 teaspoon salt. Roast in a small flameproof roasting pan tightly covered with foil, covered, 2 hours. Uncover and continue roasting until some of the meat begins to pull apart easily, 1 to 2 hours more. Transfer pork to a cutting board and cool slightly. Pull pork into small pieces and coarsely chop.
• Cook orecchiette in a large pot of boiling salted water (2 tablespoons salt for 6 quarts water) 8 minutes (pasta will not be fully cooked). Reserving 2 cups pasta-cooking liquid, drain pasta in a colander.
• Pour off all but 3 tablespoon fat from roasting pan and place pan over medium-high heat. Add onion, celery, and 1/2 teaspoon each of salt and pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, until softened, about 8 to 10 minutes. Add garlic and oregano and cook, stirring, 3 minutes. Add tomato paste and cook, stirring, 3 minutes. Stir in wine, broth, beans, vinegar, and pork. Transfer to pasta pot and simmer uncovered for 30 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add 1 cup reserved cooking liquid and bring to a simmer, then add orecchiette and cook, stirring occasionally, until al dente. Remove from heat and stir in cheese and olive oil. Season with salt and pepper and thin sauce with additional cooking liquid if necessary. Serve with additional cheese.

SLOW-COOKER PORK SHOULDER SUGO

Steps:

• In large bowl, mix onions, carrots, celery, garlic, salt, oregano and red pepper flakes. Set aside.
• In 12-inch skillet, heat oil over medium-high heat. Cook pork shoulder 4 minutes on fattiest side, then turn and cook 3 minutes each on other 3 sides. Transfer to 6-quart slow cooker.
• Add onion mixture to skillet with pork juices; cook 5 to 8 minutes, stirring frequently, until beginning to brown. Add red wine; cook 1 to 2 minutes, stirring frequently, until all liquid is absorbed. Stir in tomatoes; cook 3 to 5 minutes, stirring constantly, until mixture thickens. Pour mixture over pork in slow cooker. Add broth and anchovies; stir liquid. Cook on Low heat setting 8 hours or High heat setting 4 hours.
• Transfer pork to cutting board; cool slightly. Cool liquid 10 minutes, then carefully puree in blender in batches, and return to slow cooker. Set slow cooker to Warm heat setting. Shred pork, discarding any pieces of fat. Add pork to liquid in slow cooker, and stir to combine.