Leftover Pulled Pork Ragu
This Leftover Pulled Pork Ragu is the perfect way to use up leftovers and turn it into something truly special. A ragu that's ready from start to finish in just 40 minutes and tastes incredible. Toss with your favorite pasta and serve with crusty bread.
This Leftover Pulled Pork Ragu is the perfect way to use up leftovers and turn it into something truly special. A ragu that's ready from start to finish in just 40 minutes and tastes incredible. Toss with your favorite pasta and serve with crusty bread.
- 1 tbsp tomato paste
- 1 carrot (finely diced (1/2 cup))
- 1 celery (finely diced (1/2 cup))
- 1/2 onion (finely diced (1/2 cup))
- 2 cups leftover pulled pork (chopped (300g))
- 1/2 cup red wine ((125ml))
- 2 cups passata (sieved tomatoes) ((500g ))
- 1.5 cups water ((375ml))
- 14 oz bucatini or long pasta of choice ((400g))
- Carbohydrate 0.77412812434559 g
- Cholesterol 0 mg
- Fat 0.0192406249837349 g
- Fiber 0.167843745954009 g
- Protein 0.1768499998505 g
- Saturated Fat 0.00409374999653935 g
- Serving Size 1 1 -6 serving (103g)
- Sodium 4.01187499660856 mg
- Sugar 0.606284378391581 g
- Trans Fat 0.00585406249505126 g
- Calories 3 calories
Step-by-step
- Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil and cook the pasta until al dente (according to packet instructions).
- Heat olive oil in a large pan and add the diced carrot, celery, and onion, cook until soft and translucent, around 10 to 15 mins.
- Then add the red wine and reduce by half or until the smell of wine has disappeared.
- Add the tomato paste, passata (pureed tomatoes) and 1 cup of water rinsed out from the passata can or jar, stir.
- Simmer the sauce down on a medium heat for another 10 to 15 minutes
- Once the sauce has reduced add the leftover pulled pork to the sauce and leave on the heat for another 5 minutes until heated through then add cooked pasta and toss to coat.
A list of ingredients fails to show how acidity cuts through heavy proteins during long simmers. Red wine contains organic acids that break down tough connective tissues while dissolving alcohol-soluble flavor compounds left in the pan. Sautéing the mirepoix slowly for ten to fifteen minutes caramelizes natural sugars without burning them, establishing a sweet base that balances the sharp tomato passata.
Building Depth in Forty Minutes
Adding water rinsed directly from the passata jar captures residual tomato solids that would otherwise go to waste. Simmering this mixture on medium heat evaporates excess moisture, concentrating the glutamates until the sauce coats the back of a spoon. Introducing the pork during the final five minutes prevents the pre-cooked meat from drying out while ensuring core temperatures reach food safety standards.
- If the sauce tastes too sharp, stir in unsalted butter at a one-to-four ratio to neutralize excess acid.
- Substitute gluten-free extruded legume pasta at a one-to-one weight ratio if dietary restrictions require avoiding wheat.
- Store unused portions in airtight glass containers for up to four days at four degrees Celsius.
