Pasta with braised bolognese – Pork shoulder bolognese.
There is something quite special about a good ragu – and this pork shoulder ragu is nothing short of wonderful.
Pork shoulder is a cut that is perfectly suited to slow-cooked dishes, because it becomes so tender it practically falls apart. The result is a rich, succulent bolognese in which the meat melds with a deep, full-flavoured sauce.
I start with a classic soffritto – onions (which I have chosen to keep in strips), finely chopped carrots, celery and plenty of garlic. Then I add dried herbs, tomato purée, red wine, chopped tomatoes and stock.
The dish is left to simmer for a long time so all the flavours come together, and finally the meat is shredded and the sauce is rounded off with a little milk or cream and a handful of fresh basil leaves.
I always serve the ragu tossed straight through my favourite pasta with a splash of the pasta water, left to simmer for a moment so everything comes together into a creamy bolognese.
The dish is easy to make, it looks after itself for hours, and of course it freezes well – perfect for easy dinners on busy days.
Why pork shoulder is perfect for ragu
Alongside pork cheeks, pork shoulder is one of my absolute favourite cuts for slow-cooked dishes. It is tender, juicy and full of flavour – and at the same time a relatively inexpensive cut, which makes it an obvious choice when you are cooking for a crowd.
When it is left to simmer for a long time in a sauce like this one, it becomes so soft it can be pulled apart with a fork, and that makes the dish extra rich and satisfying.
So next time you fancy pasta with bolognese but want to try a new and even more flavourful version, give this pork shoulder ragu a go – it is comfort food of the highest order.
Alternatives to pasta
Although a classic ragu almost calls for pasta, this pork shoulder ragu also works really well with other accompaniments. Try serving it with boiled or crushed potatoes, letting the sauce soak down into the potatoes – or spooned over a baked potato.
If you want a lighter, greener alternative, I can warmly recommend serving the ragu on a bed of flash-fried sweetheart (hispi) cabbage. It gives a crisp, fresh contrast to the rich ragu, and it is both healthy and really delicious.
So whether you prefer classic pasta, potatoes or vegetables, the ragu can be adapted and varied – perfect if you would like to try something new.
Pork shoulder ragu – Pasta with pork shoulder bolognese
Ingredients
- 1,2 kg pork shoulder boneless pork neck end/collar (Danish nakkefilet)
- 2 onions, cut into strips
- 3 carrots, cut into small dice
- 3-4 sticks celery, cut into small dice
- 6 cloves garlic, finely chopped
- 150 g tomato purée
- 1 tsp dried oregano
- 1 tsp dried basil
- 1 tsp dried thyme
- 1 tsp dried rosemary
- 300 ml red wine
- 1 tin chopped tomatoes or polpa (finely chopped tomatoes) 400 g
- 350 ml water
- 2 beef stock cubes
- 75 ml whole milk or cream
- 7 sprigs fresh basil, leaves only
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper
- Oil
To serve
- Pasta
- Grated Parmesan
Method
- Trim the meat of any large pieces of fat and any sinew, and cut it into large chunks.
- Heat a large pot and brown the meat well in a splash of oil. Season with salt and freshly ground pepper. Set the meat aside on a plate.Do this in a couple of batches if the base of the pot is not big enough – it is important that the meat gets a good, deep browning.
- In the same pot, fry the onions until soft and translucent. Add a little more oil if needed.
- Add the carrots, celery and garlic and let them fry for 5-10 minutes. Season with salt and freshly ground pepper.
- Add the tomato purée and dried herbs – season with salt and freshly ground pepper, and stir well.
- Return the meat to the pot, pour over the red wine and let it simmer gently for 5 minutes.
- Add the chopped tomatoes, water and stock cubes and let it simmer, covered, for about 3 hours. Stir a couple of times along the way.
- Pull the meat apart with two forks. I lift the meat out with a slotted spoon, shred it in a dish and then tip it back into the pot – it makes it a little easier.
- Stir the meat well into the sauce and let it simmer for a further half hour or so, until the sauce thickens and the meat has soaked up plenty of flavour.
- Finally, stir in the cream/milk together with the fresh basil leaves and season to taste with salt and freshly ground pepper.
- Toss the sauce with your favourite pasta and serve topped with grated Parmesan.
Nutrition
Premium
Smager helt fantastisk. Jeg har lavet den et par gange efterhånden, og der bliver spist rub og stub hver gang.
Hej Lærke
Ihhh hvor dejligt du skriver det – tusind tak 🙂
Warm wishes, Dianna
Smager vildt godt og er tiden værd – planlægger at servere til “madklub” her i efteråret hvor vi efterhånden trænger til lidt “downsizing” hvis du forstår…er det for mærkeligt at servere “green godess” til? Eller andet forslag?
Hej Eva
Eeeeej hvor er det fantastisk at høre – tusind tak fordi du skriver det 🙂
Uhhh jeg ville egentlig nok gå med noget mere traditionelt til sådan en pasta – jeg ville nok vælge én af disse:
https://gourministeriet.dk/rucolasalat-med-tomater-parmesan-og-balsamico/
https://gourministeriet.dk/groen-salat-med-tomat-vinaigrette-og-croutoner/
eller denne her – men uden pasta og så ekstra tomat, grønt osv 🙂
https://gourministeriet.dk/italiensk-pastasalat-med-tomat-mozzarella-og-basilikum-vinaigrette/
Så holder vi og lidt med de italienske noter 🙂
Warm wishes, Dianna
Warm wishes, Dianna
Hvor meget pasta?
Hej Nick
Det kommer jo an på hvor mange I er:)
Man suger som udgangspunkt 100-125 gram pr person – rå vægt:)
Dbh Dianna
Er nakkefileten du bruger okse eller gris?
Mange hilsner Trine
Hej Trine
Det er af gris 🙂
Warm wishes, Dianna
Kan man godt lave retten 5 timer før den skal serveres – kan det så bare stå og simre i 2 timer mere end opskriften siger?
Hej Camilla
Det kan den sagtens ja 🙂
Warm wishes, Dianna
Hvis det ikke er muligt at bruge rødvin, hvad vil du så anbefale?
Det ser nemlig virkelig lækkert ud
Hej Christina
Så kan du blot undlade – smag gerne til med rødvinseddike til sidst 🙂
Warm wishes, Dianna
Kan man lave retten dagen før og så bare vente med at blande mælk, og pasta sammen med retten indtil det skal serveres?
Hej Neel
Ja absolut, det kan du sagtens:)
Varm retten godt igennem inden den vendes med pasta, og juster konsistensen med pastavand:)
Warm wishes, Dianna
Ser så lækkert ud! Ville man kunne bruge den i en lasagne? ☺️
Hej Maria
Det er jeg virkelig glad for at høre – tusind tak fordi du skriver det.
Og ja – absolut, og gerne med en mornaysauce også 🙂
Warm wishes, Dianna
Igen en vinder
Hej Dorte
Hvor er det dejligt at høre, tusind tak for de søde ord 🙂
Warm wishes, Dianna
Vil lave denne opskrift på onsdag, men den skal først serveres fredag. Vil du vente med at komme fløde i, til den bliver varmet op om fredagen? Eller vil du bare følge opskriften som den er?
Vh Mie
Hej Mie
Du kan sagtens lave retten helt færdig onsdag og så varme op fredag.
Måske du får behov for at tilsætte lidt væde fredag, men det justerer du blot som du synes 🙂
Warm wishes, Dianna
Virkelig lækker og smagfuld ret
Hej Julie
Hvor er det dejligt at høre – tusind tak for de søde ord 🙂
Warm wishes, Dianna
Wauw det smager godt
Satsede og lavede en større portion med godt 2 kilo kød. Det smager fantastisk og dejligt at der nu ligger lidt i fryseren til en anden dag
Tak for super opskrift