This Pork Ragu uses country style pork ribs. The meat becomes fall-apart tender, when simmered for a few hours. With a pressure cooker, this ragu sauce can be ready in less than an hour! The sauce is rich in tomato flavor and perfect served over pasta or polenta.
I have been anxious to share this recipe with all of you. I held back sharing this recipe for a few weeks, because I was afraid that many of you would think “she’s really gone into a pressure cooking phase– and I don’t have a pressure cooker”! Well, yes, it’s true. After 15 years of pressure cooking, I’ve had a true revival for this misunderstood kitchen tool.
So, what is a ragu? Very simple. In Italian cuisine, it’s a meat-based sauce that is commonly served with pasta. This recipe uses country style pork ribs. Typically, this type of ragu would take a couple of hours to simmer (or slow roast in the oven) so that the meat becomes fall-apart tender.
However, a pressure cooker can make this happen in 20 minutes. How cool is that?
These ribs didn’t come boneless. No big.
With a good boning knife and a few extra minutes, these were cut into 1-inch pieces and seasoned with salt and pepper.
You can make this on the stove and then slow cook this. No problem. However, with my pressure cooker, I used the browning cycle to cook half the pork and lightly brown them. Next, chopped onions are added and cooked until softened, for about another 5 minutes.
To build flavor, add plenty of fresh garlic, tomato paste, oregano and red pepper flakes and cook this for about 30 seconds. Last, and certainly not least, add red wine, and simmer until it’s nearly evaporated. In goes crushed tomatoes and chicken broth…
…and the remaining pork.
NOTE: I’ve had readers ask me why I only browned half the pork. I have no idea why. It’s just how America’s Test Kitchen posted the recipe, it’s how I followed it and it worked!
If you’re using a slow cooker, set it on low for 4-6 hours. If using a Dutch oven, simmer for about an hour or so. Ah, but if using a pressure cooker– lock the lid on, and pressure cook on medium-low heat for 20 minutes. Then, do a “natural release” for about 15 minutes.
Yeah, like that. Using a large spoon, skim the excess fat from the surface of the sauce. Break the meat into bite-size pieces with a spoon. Then, bring the sauce to a simmer over medium high-heat and cook until slightly thickened– about 5 minutes. Add some fresh chopped parsley, taste for seasoning (adjust with salt and pepper, to your liking) and serve.
I served this over rigatoni pasta.
TASTING NOTES: Outstanding! Using pork, instead of beef, is a nice change of pace. The sauce is rich and hearty. You can’t taste the wine, but it definitely adds a nice balance of acidity and depth of flavor. The meat is super tender, the balance of garlic is perfection. We froze the leftover ragu, and the second time around I spooned it over polenta– which was out of this world! Yeah. Polenta, that’s definitely going to be our favorite way to enjoy this. My husband loved it, as did I.
Pork Ragu – Pressure Cooker Style
In Italian cuisine, a ragu is a meat-based sauce that is commonly served with pasta. This recipe uses country style pork ribs. Typically, this type of ragu would take a couple of hours to simmer (or slow roast in the oven) so that the meat becomes fall-apart tender. With a pressure cooker the time is cut back in less than an hour! The sauce is rich in tomato flavor and this is a comforting meal. If you don't own a pressure cooker, you can adapt this stove top style– you just have to let it simmer a lot longer!
Servings: 4
Calories: 329kcal
Equipment
- Pressure Cooker
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 pounds country-style pork ribs boneless, trimmed and cut into 1-inch pieces
- Salt and pepper to taste
- 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
- 1 onion finely chopped
- 6 garlic cloves minced
- 1 1/2 tablespoons tomato paste
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1/8 teaspoon red pepper flakes
- 1/2 cup dry red wine
- 1 can crushed tomatoes 28 ounces
- 3/4 cup low-sodium chicken broth
- 2 tablespoons fresh parsley minced
Instructions
- Pat pork dry with paper towels and seasons with salt and pepper.
- Heat oil in pressure-cooker pot over medium-high heat until just smoking. Add half of pork and brown lightly on all sides, about 5 minutes.
- Stir in onion and cook until onion is softened and pork is well browned, about 5 minutes.
- Stir in garlic, tomato paste, oregano and pepper flakes and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds.
- Stir in wine, scraping up any browned bits, and simmer until nearly evaporated, about 2 minutes.
- Stir in tomatoes, broth and remaining pork.
- HIGH PRESSURE cook for 20 minutes: Lock pressure cooker lid in place and bring to high pressure over medium-high heat. As soon as pot reaches high pressure, reduce heat to medium-low and cook for 20 minutes, adjusting heat as needed to maintain high pressure.
- Remove pot from heat and allow pressure to release naturally for 15 minutes. Quick release any remaining pressure, then carefully remove lid, allowing steam to escape away from you.
- Before serving, using large spoon, skim excess fat from surface of sauce. Break meat into bite-size pieces with spoon. Bring sauce to simmer over medium-high heat and cook until slightly thickened, about 5 minutes.
- Stir in parsley and season with salt and pepper to taste.
- Serve over a short tubular pasta such as penne, rigatoni or ziti. Better yet, we love it served over polenta.
- Sauce freezes well.
Notes
Recipe source: “Pressure Cooker Perfection“
Nutrition
Calories: 329kcal | Carbohydrates: 14g | Protein: 25g | Fat: 17g | Saturated Fat: 6g | Cholesterol: 82mg | Sodium: 270mg | Potassium: 821mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 7g | Vitamin A: 499IU | Vitamin C: 17mg | Calcium: 84mg | Iron: 3mg
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What do you do with the other half of the pork?
You have finally convinced me, Debby. I just have to decide on a model. You have made so many delicious dishes that take so little time. I'm hooked.
Jeff, it's funny how our eyes deceive us. I've done this before, reading a recipe and not seeing a direction right before me! Check again. I browned half the pork and added the remaining half into the sauce. Thanks for asking. You can always email me foodiewife@gmail.com. I always answer emails– usually pretty fast.
Debby
Delightful! Love the term "Instant slow cooker". A good ragu is soulful. This looks amazing.
Velva
I hurt my wrist getting to the "read more" tab :-). This looks totally awesome and seems you are creating some converts.
This looks amazing. I've had a pressure cooker collecting dust in my cupboard for forever (a Christmas gift), but I think I'm gonna have to take it out for a spin to try this recipe.
Eva @ It Gets Butter
Anything with pork gets my attention and I love country style ribs. I'm also a big fan of the pressure cooker. I got an electric on for Christmas a couple of years ago and I'm loving it. This recipe looks SO delicious and I've got to try it. Great post, Debby!
IsolpireThis sounds delicious. I think a pressure cooker is in my future. Thanks Debby.
Sorry about that garbled response. It had something to do with not being able to read the code words. Hope you can figure out what I said. LOL.
Ok, you win. I will drag out the pressure cooker and see what I can do with it!
Sorry about the garbled words. I hate turning on Word Verification, but the trolls and spam was so out of control! Kate– you will love pressure cooking! I'm telling you, it's a game changer.
I don't have a pressure cooker but it's on my list of things to register for! So hopefully soon…
I saw this on Barbara Bakes blog and had to come take a look. This looks so much like a Sunday "gravy" my Nana used to make when I was growing up-but she would simmer hers for hours. The pressure cooker would save so much time cooking this.
Thanks so much for sharing you recipe…I'm looking forward to trying it.
I saw a link to your site and this recipe from pressurecookingtoday.com. I made this today. I followed your recipe to a tee. I will definitely make this again. I never made a sauce with pork in it like this one. i was able to freeze a portion and look forward to having that over pasta sometime in the future. I was very pleased with how this recipe turned out. Maybe a few pieces of chopped up carrot and/or peas might work in this recipe. Thank you! Loved it.
-Jackie
Love your moniker, Buffet… thank you for the feedback. What timing. I'm making this again, tomorrow. We love pasta, and I really liked this recipe. It reheats well for lunches, and any leftovers freeze beautifully. Thanks again!
Why do you brown only half the meat? Just to confirm for myself (maybe others) ALL the meat ends up in the ragu, correct?
Thank you!
Dear Anonymous,
You are the second person to ask that, and I responded to them as well. I brown only half, because that's how America's Test Kitchen's recipe was written to do. I don't question the why with ATK, because their recipes always turn out perfectly. If you look at my step-by-step photos, you see how I made this. Thanks for asking and good luck!
Would this recipe be cooked on low or high pressure if using an electric pressure cooker?
I believe you should set your electric pressure cooker to High for 20 minutes then allow to natural release for 15 minutes. At the 15 minute mark open release valve to allow complete depressurization. 🙂
We are both correct. The recipe was written by America’s Test Kitchen and those are their instructions. They didn’t really write the instructions for an Instant Pot, which is what I have switched over to. I’ve been pressure cooking for 20+ years, starting with a stove top model, then a digital model and now an Instant Pot. Either way, the recipe is easy and delicious.
I love your web site and use it all the time more than any other one l have found online !!!!!
Everyone of your meals l have cooked comes out perfect and will always use it first !!!
Love love love, Douglas
Thank you so much!
Gosh! Thank you!