Pork Ragu
- Âľ ounce dried porcini mushrooms
- 1½ cups warm water
- 2 bone-in pork shanks, 2½–3 pounds total (pork shoulder can be substituted—see tip)
- 1½ tablespoons kosher salt
- 2 teaspoons freshly ground black pepper
- 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- ½ cup chopped yellow onion
- ½ cup chopped celery
- ½ cup chopped carrots
- 1 garlic clove, minced
- ½ cup dry white wine
- 1½ cups chicken stock
- 1½ cups canned crushed tomatoes
- 1 sprig rosemary
- Kosher salt and pepper to taste
Instructions:
This ragu can be served with Grandma’s Potato Gnocchi  or spooned over your favorite pasta. I prefer white wine in my ragu, because it makes it a little lighter tasting, which means I can eat more of it!
-  Preheat the oven to 350°F. In a bowl, soak the dried porcini mushrooms in warm water for 30 minutes. Season the pork shanks with salt and pepper and dust with flour. Line a plate with paper towels.
- Heat the olive oil in a heavy-bottomed, oven-safe pot or Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Sear the pork shanks 2 minutes on each side until golden brown. Drain on paper towels and let rest at room temperature.
-  Strain the mushrooms over a bowl, reserving the liquid. Coarsely chop the mushrooms and add them to the pot. Add the onion, celery, carrots, and garlic. Sauté over medium-high heat for 3–5 minutes until garlic is golden.
- Pour in the wine and use a wooden spoon or spatula to loosen the brown bits from the bottom of the pot left over from searing the meat. Simmer 8–10 minutes, or until the wine evaporates.
-  Stir in the chicken stock, tomatoes, rosemary, and reserved mushroom liquid. Bring to a boil and add the seared pork shanks. Cover with a lid and braise in the oven for 3 hours. After 1½ hours, turn the shanks to ensure they get evenly cooked through.
- Â Remove the pork shanks from the liquid and let cool at room temperature for 15 minutes. The meat should be falling off the bone.
- Remove and discard the rosemary sprig. Pass the liquid and vegetables through a food mill on the smallest disk (or pulse in a food processor until pureed). Return the liquid to the pot.
- Remove the pork from the bone and shred, discarding the fat. Return the shredded pork to the pureed braising liquid and simmer for 15 minutes until it becomes a rich stew.
- IF USING PORK SHOULDER, BRAISE FOR 2 HOURS, TURN MEAT AND BRAISE FOR 2 MORE HOURS. BEFORE PASSING THE LIQUID THROUGH THE FOOD MILL, STRAIN THE FAT OFF THE SURFACE AND DISCARD.