This Pork Ragu recipe is slow cooked in Italian herbs, red wine and tomato sauce for a delicious meaty dish, perfect served with pasta or polenta.
Many of you who read the blog regularly know about the crazy popularity of the Slow Cooked Beef Ragu recipe that I created last fall.
After appearing several times on The Huffington Post, this recipe has gone totally viral and I totally love that! It’s one of my favorite recipes that I’ve made several times and will continue to make over and over again.
That being said, I decided to put my own little twist on the dish with slightly different herbs and substituting lean pork tenderloin for the beef.
I love using pork tenderloin in recipes, as evidence by my Chipotle Honey Pulled Pork Tenderloin Tacos, Slow Cooker Sweet and Sour Pork Tenderloin, Rosemary Sage Pork Tenderloin Skewers and Coffee Crusted Balsamic Pulled Pork Tenderloin.
The meat is tender, lean and healthy. It’s super flavorful without being fatty!
For this pork ragu recipe, I seared it on the stove top, then popped it in the slow cooker. I left for the day and came home to hot, flavorful, tender, fall-apart pork!
Slow Cooker Pork Ragu Ingredients
- 4 garlic cloves (crushed)
- 2 tbsp fresh oregano (chopped)
- 1 tsp kosher salt
- 1 tsp black pepper
- 1 ½ – 2 lb pork tenderloin (cut into 2 inch cubes)
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 1 large onion (chopped)
- 1 cup carrot (chopped)
- 1 cup celery (chopped)
- 3 cups beef broth
- ½ cup red wine
- 1 can (6 oz) tomato paste
- 1 can (15 oz) diced tomatoes
- 1 bay leaf
- 1 sprig rosemary
- 12 ounces pappardelle pasta or polenta (for serving)
- ½ cup parmesan cheese (grated – optional topping)
Slow Cooker Pork Ragu Instructions
Combine the garlic, oregano, salt and pepper in a large bowl. Add the pork tenderloin pieces and toss to coat.
Add the olive oil to a large pot or dutch oven on the stove over medium high heat. Add the pork and sear on each side for 1-2 minutes.
Add the onion, carrot and celery.
Sauté with the pork for 2-3 minutes. Pour the beef broth, red wine, tomato paste and diced tomatoes over the pork and stir to combine. Add the bay leaf and sprig of rosemary.
Transfer to a crock pot and slow cook for 6-8 hours.
Remove the bay leaf and rosemary sprig from the slow cooker.
Remove the pork from the sauce and use two forks to shred the meat.
Serve the meat over pasta or polenta, topped with sauce from the pot.
Sprinkle parmesan cheese over the top.
Grab a fork and dig in!
Slow Cooked Pork Ragu
This Pork Ragu recipe is slow cooked in Italian herbs, red wine and tomato sauce for a delicious meaty dish, perfect served with pasta or polenta.
Ingredients
- 4 garlic cloves crushed
- 2 tbsp fresh oregano chopped
- 1 tsp kosher salt
- 1 tsp black pepper
- 2 lbs pork tenderloin cut into 2 inch cubes
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 1 cup onion diced
- 1 cup carrots chopped
- 1 cup celery chopped
- 3 cups beef broth
- ½ cup red wine
- 6 oz tomato paste
- 15 oz can diced tomatoes
- 1 bay leaf
- 1 sprig rosemary
- 12 oz pappardelle pasta or polenta for serving
- ½ cup parmesan cheese grated – optional topping
Instructions
- Combine the garlic, oregano, salt and pepper in a large bowl.
- Add the pork tenderloin pieces and toss to coat.
- Add the olive oil to a large pot or dutch oven on the stove over medium high heat.
- Add the pork and sear on each side for 1-2 minutes.
- Add the onion, carrot and celery.
- Sauté with the pork for 2-3 minutes.
- Pour the beef broth, red wine, tomato paste and diced tomatoes over the pork and stir to combine.
Transfer to a slow cooker.
- Add the bay leaf and sprig of rosemary.
Cook on low for 6-8 hours.
Remove the bay leaf and rosemary sprig.
Remove the pork from the sauce and use two forks to shred the meat.
- Serve the meat over pasta or polenta, topped with sauce from the pot.
- Sprinkle parmesan cheese over the top.
Recipe Notes
Nutritional Information provided does not include serving options, such as pasta or polenta.
