There is a misconception that ragu is some sort of red sauce, but it’s really a rich, hearty, meat-based sauce. In
this case the meat is pork shoulder. Fennel and celery season this ragu, but after cooking they melt into the
broth, leaving behind subtle flavor and a smooth texture.
Makes
8 servings (5 cups pork)
Total Time
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Ingredients
FOR THE PORK, HEAT:
FOR THE BROTH, SAUTÉ:
ADD:
Test Kitchen Approved
Instructions
For the pork, heat oil in a sauté pan over medium-high. Sear pork on all sides until browned, 2–3minutes per side. Transfer pork to a 4- to 6-qt. slow cooker.
For the broth, sauté onion, celery, and fennel bulb in oil in same pan over medium-high heat until softened, 5–7minutes. Transfer vegetables to slow cooker.
Add broth and thyme to slow cooker. Cover slow cooker and cook pork until fork-tender on high setting, 4–5 hours, or low setting, 8–9 hours. Transfer pork to a plate. When cool enough to handle, shred pork and discard the bone. Strain liquid from slow cooker into a large pot to cook the pasta for the Rocket Pasta.
Browning the pork before adding to the slow cooker not only enhances its flavor but its texture, too.
For the best flavor, add the sautéed vegetable mixture all around the sides of the pork.
The pork will be so tender when done that it will be easy to shred with two forks.
Test Kitchen Approved
Nutritional Facts
Nutritional Facts
Per serving
Calories: 168
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 9g 13%
Saturated Fat 3g 15%
Cholesterol 63mg 21%
Sodium 96mg 4%
% Daily Value*
Carbs 0g 0%
Fiber 0g 0%
Protein 19g
*Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.
Reviews ()
★★★★★
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Statistics
Statistics
Average: 5.00
Standardized Average: 5.00
This is the average rating for this recipe, relative to the average rating of all of the recipes on this site. The average rating of all the recipes on this site is 81.35. If we pin the population average to 3 (define 3 as the new 81.35) and adjust this particular recipe's average accordingly, we see that, relative to a population average of 3, this recipe's adjusted standardized average is 5.00. This number is useful in that it accounts for how different people have different interpretations of the rating system.
Median: 5
This is the rating that is in the middle of the ratings distribution. It is generally more indicative of how much you will actually like this recipe than the average because the average is subject to being skewed by outliers.
Mode: 5
This is the most common rating that people have given this recipe.
Standard Deviation: None
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0 is the least polarizing; everyone agrees on the rating.
2.5 is the most polarizing.
Recipes with lower standard deviations in the ratings are better for people who don't want surprises. Higher standard deviations are good for adventurous cooks.
There is no standard deviation for this recipe because it has fewer than 2 ratings so far.
★★★★★
I have been making this for years. It is always a crowd pleaser. It is such a simple recipe, but never disappoints. I always make the rocket (arugula) pasta to go with it.
