Comfort food fills your tummy, and your soul, and this Pork & Veal Ragu is just the dish to make you feel good inside. Rich, deep flavors meld to make a sauce that is worthy of pasta, crusty bread, and great bottle of wine. Settle in and get your fuzzy socks on with this comforting Pork & Veal Ragu!
Man, this week has sucked. Sorry for the crass terminology, but if the word fits… And yes, it’s only Wednesday, and I am saying this already. One dog is having health issues, our bank’s auto pay system had a “glitch” and decided NOT to auto pay our rent, the maintenance light on my car came on, and the DMV…well, it’s the DMV. Seriously, this week can suck it.
Since I don’t want to be labeled an alcoholic by drinking at 9:30 in the morning, I admit that my next inclination is to dive into comfort foods of any sort. For me, that generally results in a carb fest. I start craving anything salty and crunchy within arms’ reach, and have a strong desire to hide away from the world and retreat from being an adult. I’m sure you can relate. I mean, being an adult is just SO overrated. But alas, life plods on and forces me to face reality and just get over myself. I know I’ve been venting a lot lately (evidenced by a recent venting that was solved with a yummy Easy Crab Benedict, as well as my rant over a recent car repair shop experience), but when it rains, it pours.
Sometimes, I just want someone else to take over, check things off of the long list of things on my ever-growing to-do list, and let me just go to my happy place. I’m sure if I were rich I could hire someone to do that, but noooooooo. Adulthood forces its way back into daily life.
<sigh>
One way to make myself feel better is to remember that when other things seem out of my control outside of the house, I can take control INSIDE and make a great, comforting meal; I go into the “zone”. For me, the “zone” is that place where I gather a stack of great ingredients, put on some music to help me block out the rest of the noise in my mind (I’m partial to Chrissie Hynde/The Pretenders), and just throw myself into creating a big ole’ bowl of comfort. Ahhh…I’m feeling better thinking about it already.
This particular comfort dish was inspired by a recent dinner out (referenced very recently, in fact) to a fantastic Italian restaurant here in town. We had arancini balls (deep fried risotto balls) with a duck & pork ragu. Um, can you say comfort (and delicioso!) on a plate? Not only did that meal inspire me to make risotto, but also a version of the ragu that was easy enough for a weeknight. This variation fit the bill, and hit the spot. Pork & Veal Ragu to the rescue!
Maybe being an adult isn’t so bad. After all, I DID get to have a big ole’ glass of wine with the meal. I think now I’m shored up with enough “comfort” to face another day.
| Servings | Prep Time |
| 6-8 people | 30 minutes |
| Cook Time |
| 1 1/2 hours |
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A traditional Italian ragu is generally made with whole cuts of meat that are braised for several hours and then used in a dish with pasta and tomatoes. A bolognese is usually made of smaller cuts of meat. Because I'm making a bastardized version here, I'm choosing to call this one a ragu. Whatever you call it, it is rich, delicious, and comforting when served over a broad pasta like fettucine, linguine or pappardelle. It clings to the noodles and coats your mouth with amazing flavors. Oh, and if there are any leftovers, it freezes very well. Comfort on a plate, served up with love.
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- 1 tbsp. olive oil
- 4 oz. pancetta, diced
- 1 small yellow onion, chopped
- 2 medium carrots, chopped
- 2 stalks celery, chopped
- 1/2 tsp. kosher salt
- 1/2 tsp. freshly ground black pepper
- 1 tbsp. fresh thyme leaves, chopped
- 3 medium cloves garlic, finely chopped
- 2 medium Roma tomatoes, chopped
- 8 oz. ground pork
- 8 oz. ground veal
- 3 tbsp. tomato paste
- 1/2 cup dry white wine
- 1 28 oz. can San Marzano crushed tomatoes
- 1/2 cup dry red wine
- 1 tbsp. sugar
- 2 tbsp. red wine vinegar
- 1/4 tsp. crushed red pepper flakes
- 1/2 cup half & half
- 1 lb. linguine pasta
- 3 tbsp. fresh basil leaves, chopped
- freshly grated Parmesan cheese, to taste
- Chop the vegetables to equal size. This will ensure that they cook evenly.
- Heat olive oil over medium high heat in large Dutch oven or heavy pot. Saute pancetta until it begins to brown, about 2 minutes.
- Lower temperature to medium. Add vegetables, salt & pepper, and thyme to pot and stir until the veggies begin to soften, about 10 minutes.
- Add the chopped garlic and stir until fragrant, about 2 minutes.
- Add the chopped tomatoes, and stir until they begin to soften, about 5 minutes.
- Add the ground pork and veal. Stir until browned and the meat is broken up into small pieces.
- Add the tomato paste, and stir to incorporate.
- Pour the white wine into the mixture, and stir until it evaporates by half, about 2 minutes. (so I may have finished the rest of the wine in the glass...)
- Pour crushed tomatoes into pot, and stir to incorporate.
- Add the red wine, sugar, red wine vinegar, and crushed red pepper. Stir to make sure it's all incorporated well. Lower heat to simmer and cook, uncovered, for 40-50 minutes, stirring every 10 minutes to prevent sticking.
- In the last 5 minutes of cooking, add the 1/2 cup of half & half to ragu.
- Stir until the sauce has a creamy consistency.
- In the meantime, cook pasta per package instructions until al dente. Drain and toss with a little olive oil to avoid sticking. Serve and top with a generous spoonful of ragu, Parmesan cheese, and fresh basil.
If you read this recipe and thought "that takes a long time to make!", you're right. But the result is so luxurious and delicious, you won't mind the TLC required to get this result. It is made a heck of a lot easier when I use my big red pot. Yeah, yeah, you've heard me espouse the benefits of my well-loved and often-used Dutch oven, but I'm going to give it another shout-out. My 6 qt. Martha Stewart Cast Iron Dutch Oven is PERFECT for long-simmering dishes like this one. I got it as a gift from my husband several years ago, and it never disappoints in even cooking and heat distribution, and cleans up in a snap. Extra points in that category!
Also, if you object to veal (we've had this discussion previously when I made meatballs awhile back), feel free to substitute beef. The pasta can be any pasta you have on hand; it's just that the flat-noodled pastas hold the sauce better than thinner pastas that can be overcome with the weight of the sauce.
And of course, no comfort-filled pasta dish like this Pork & Veal Ragu should be served without an equally comforting glass of wine. I chose a Rosso from VJB Vineyards, which is out of the Sonoma Valley. This is also the wine I used in the sauce, so it stands to reason I'd drink the wine with the dish. No need to waste an open bottle, right?
This blend of Zinfandel, Barbera & Cabernet Sauvignon offers the heft to stand up to the bold flavors of the ragu, but provides a beautiful, dry finish that makes you reach for just a little bit more after dinner, too. Can't get your hands on this particular wine? Ask your local wine shop for a similar blend and see what you think of this marriage of 3 of the great red wine grapes.
Rich, delicious, and comforting – I fully agree that this ragu is all of that! This is my kind of comfort food – so delightfully satisfying!
I’m sorry this week sucked 🙁 This ragu, though, looks like just the thing to make everything better. I love ragu, and will have to try this one!
Our ragu is screaming comfort food to me. I love the mix of meats. Hope your week gets better.
This looks so amazing. I think my family would eat that right up!
There is just nothing like a good, hearty, slow-cooked ragu! This looks delicious, thanks for posting!