Equipment
Ingredients
Meat and Base Aromatics
- 800 g pork loin roast, whole piece, trimmed of excess silver skin
- 10 g kosher salt
- 3 g black pepper, freshly ground
- 30 ml extra virgin olive oil
- 100 g pancetta, finely diced
- 150 g yellow onion, finely diced
- 100 g carrot, finely diced
- 100 g celery, finely diced
- 15 g garlic, minced
Braising Liquids and Herbs
- 30 g tomato paste
- 200 ml dry white wine
- 800 g crushed tomatoes
- 400 ml chicken broth, low sodium
- 5 g fresh rosemary, left on the sprig
- 5 g fresh thyme, left on the sprig
Pasta and Finishing
- 400 g pappardelle pasta, dry egg pasta preferred
- 50 g parmigiano reggiano, freshly grated
Nutrition (per serving)
Nutrition is estimated per serving. Nutrients without complete source data are omitted.
Full nutrition
- Calories
- 700 kcal
- Protein
- 43 g
- Carbohydrates
- 55 g
- Fat
- 32 g
- Fiber
- 5 g
- Sugar
- 10 g
- Sodium
- 1497 mg
- Saturated Fat
- 8 g
- Trans Fat
- 0 g
- Monounsaturated Fat
- 11 g
- Polyunsaturated Fat
- 4 g
- Cholesterol
- 140 mg
- Potassium
- 1272 mg
- Calcium
- 242 mg
- Iron
- 6.0 mg
- Magnesium
- 102 mg
- Phosphorus
- 520 mg
- Zinc
- 5.3 mg
- Vitamin A
- 214 mcg
- Vitamin C
- 20 mg
- Vitamin D
- 1.0 mcg
- Vitamin E
- 1.2 mg
- Vitamin K
- 11 mcg
- Vitamin B6
- 0.8 mg
- Vitamin B12
- 1.1 mcg
- Thiamin
- 1.19 mg
- Riboflavin
- 0.82 mg
- Niacin
- 11.7 mg
- Folate
- 134 mcg
- Water
- 267 g
- Alcohol
- 3 g
Sources: Aggregated Public Data, USDA FoodData Central
Method
Pat the pork loin completely dry using paper towels. Season aggressively on all sides with the kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper. Set aside while you prepare the remaining ingredients.
Heat the olive oil in the Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Once the oil shimmers, add the pork loin and sear until a deep brown crust forms on all sides, about 8 to 10 minutes total. Remove the pork to a plate and leave the remaining fat in the pot.
Reduce the heat to medium. Add the diced pancetta to the Dutch oven and cook until the fat renders and the pancetta becomes crispy, about 4 minutes. Add the onion, carrot, and celery (soffritto) to the rendered fat. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables are softened and translucent, about 6 to 8 minutes. Add the minced garlic and cook for 1 more minute until fragrant.
Stir in the tomato paste, cooking it out for 2 minutes until it darkens slightly. Pour in the dry white wine to deglaze the pot, scraping up any browned bits from the bottom with your wooden spoon. Allow the wine to reduce by half.
Pour in the crushed tomatoes and chicken broth. Add the rosemary and thyme sprigs. Return the seared pork loin to the pot along with any accumulated resting juices. Bring the liquid to a gentle boil, then immediately reduce the heat to low, cover with a tight-fitting lid, and braise. Maintain the liquid at a very gentle simmer around 90°C/195°F for 2 hours.
Carefully remove the pork loin from the sauce and transfer it to a cutting board. Discard the herb sprigs from the sauce. Using two forks, pull the pork apart into bite-sized shreds.
Return the shredded pork to the Dutch oven. Leave the pot uncovered and simmer over medium-low heat for 15 minutes to allow the sauce to thicken and the pork to absorb the braising liquid. Ensure the internal temperature of the meat reaches at least 74°C/165°F during this final simmer.
While the sauce is reducing, bring a large pot of heavily salted water to a rolling boil. Add the pappardelle and cook according to the package instructions until al dente. Reserve a mug of starchy pasta water before draining.
Add the drained pasta directly into the Dutch oven with the pork ragù. Toss thoroughly to coat the pasta ribbons entirely, adding splashes of the reserved pasta water as needed to create a glossy emulsion that clings to the noodles. Serve immediately, garnished with freshly grated Parmigiano Reggiano.
Chef's Notes
- Pork loin is an inherently lean cut compared to the traditional pork shoulder used in ragù. The addition of pancetta is non-negotiable here; it provides the essential baseline fat required for a silky, rich mouthfeel.
- Browning the tomato paste (a technique known as 'pincage') caramelizes the natural sugars and removes the tinny, raw flavor, adding profound depth to the final sauce.
- Do not skip reserving the pasta water. The starches in the water act as a binder, forcibly marrying the rich tomato fat to the pasta surface, ensuring you don't end up with a puddle of sauce at the bottom of the bowl.
- While white wine is specified, a light red wine like Chianti can be substituted for a darker, more robust flavor profile.
Storage
Refrigerator: 4 days — Store pasta and sauce separately if possible to prevent the pasta from becoming mushy.
Freezer: 3 months — Freeze the sauce only. Freshly boil pasta when ready to serve.
Reheating: Reheat the sauce gently in a pan over medium-low heat. Toss with freshly cooked pasta and a splash of hot pasta water.
Troubleshooting
Pork is dry and tough after cooking
Cause: The braising liquid was boiling rather than gently simmering, or the pork was not cooked long enough to break down the muscle fibers.
Fix: Shred the meat as finely as possible and let it sit in the warm sauce for an extra 20 to 30 minutes to reabsorb moisture.
Prevention: Ensure the heat is kept at the lowest setting to maintain a barely-there simmer, and always check for fork-tenderness before shredding.
Sauce is too thin and watery
Cause: The lid trapped too much condensation, or the crushed tomatoes had a high water content.
Fix: Remove the shredded meat temporarily, raise the heat to medium-high, and boil the sauce vigorously until thickened before returning the meat.
Prevention: Use high-quality crushed tomatoes and follow the uncovered reduction step.
Cultural Context
Ragù is the cornerstone of Italian slow-cooked comfort, traditionally meant to turn tougher, inexpensive cuts of meat into a feast through patience and aromatic braising. While Southern Italy favors rich, tomato-heavy ragùs often incorporating pork shoulder or ribs, Northern Italian preparations frequently rely on lean cuts gently braised with white wine, soffritto, and a lighter touch of tomato. Pairing this sauce with wide, egg-based ribbons like pappardelle ensures the robust sauce has enough surface area to cling to, an orchestration perfected in regions like Emilia-Romagna and Tuscany.
