Savory Pork (or Beef) Ragu

I love this braising dish for the way that a jar of our Front Range Tomatoes with Rosemary can add depth and flavor to an inexpensive cut of meat. This recipe takes a bit of time, so it's worth doubling and saving extras for leftovers or the freezer. Like so many slow-cooked dishes, this one just seems to get more delicious with a day of rest.

Serves 8

Ingredients:

• 1 4 1/2-5 pound boneless pork shoulder roast (I definitely prefer and recommend bone-in cuts for braising) 
• 1-2 pieces of center cut bacon, diced
• 2 large carrot, peeled and dices
• 4 pieces of celery, diced
• 3 large cloves of garlic, smashed and diced
• 1 large red onion, diced
•  1/2 tsp salt
• 1/4 tsp freshly ground pepper
• a few dashes of red pepper flakes
• Herbs to taste (I use a couple sprigs of rosemary)
• 3 bay leaves
• 1 jar MM Local Front Range Tomatoes with Rosemary
• 1 cup red wine
• beef or chicken stock, to cover (about 2 cups)
• Egg noodles, cooked (for serving - polenta is equally delicious)

How to Cook:

• Season meat with salt and pepper (rubbing into the meat with a little olive oil works well) for 1-24 hours
• Heat a large dutch oven or other heavy-bottomed oven-safe pot over medium heat
• Pre-heat oven to 350F
• Add diced bacon to pan and render fat, then remove with a slotted spoon
• Add whole roast to bacon fat and sear on medium-high heat, using tongs to turn so that the meat is dark brown on all sides. Don't skimp on the crust!
• Add diced vegetables (celery, carrot, onion, garlic) and stir well with meat - if necessary, lower heat to avoid browning. Cook until onions are translucent approximately 5 minutes
• Add red wine to pan and stir, scraping bottom of pan to remove brown bits
• Add whole jar of tomatoes, bay leaves, herbs, 1/2 teaspoon salt and finally stock to cover all ingredients
• Mix well and then transfer, covered, to oven
• Roast in oven for 2-3 hours or until meat is tender and falling off the bone
• Remove from oven
• Take meat out of sauce and transfer to cutting board to rest for 15 minutes
• When meat has rested, remove strips of fat and shred meat from the bone using a fork
• Skim fat from top of tomato sauce
• Mix shredded meat back into sauce - add salt, pepper and crushed red pepper flakes to taste
• Serve over pasta or polenta with thin slices of pecorino romano or parmigiano reggiano cheese

Enjoy!