Looking for some cold weather comfort food? Chef Tom's got you covered with his Smoked Pork Ragu. Boston Butt pork shoulder smoked on the Yoder Smokers YS640s Pellet Grill, then braised in a rich San Marzano tomato sauce and served on a bed of pappardelle pasta!
WHAT YOU'LL LOVE
- Blending the pork seasoning into a smooth paste rather than a dry rub lets it massage evenly into every cubed piece, reaching more surface area than dry spices sprinkled on top
- Running an A-Maze-N Tube Smoker on the bottom shelf while the pork smokes above speeds up bark formation, so the initial smoke stage doesn't take as long
- Deglazing the dutch oven with wine after the vegetables cook picks up all the browned bits left on the bottom, building that flavor directly into the ragu's base
- Braising the pork uncovered on the grill for the final two hours lets the sauce reduce and concentrate at the same time the meat becomes fall-apart tender, rather than needing a separate reduction step afterward
Category
Entree
Cuisine
Italian
Servings
12
Prep Time
30 minutes
Cook Time
5 hours
Calories
564
Treat yourself to a comforting winter meal with Chef Tom's Smoked Pork Ragu recipe! You will make this with a Boston Butt pork shoulder smoked in a Pellet Grill and braised in a flavorful San Marzano tomato sauce. This warm and hearty dish is the perfect way to enjoy the colder months. Serve on a bed of pappardelle pasta!
Ingredients
- 3.5 lb Boston butt pork shoulder, in 2” cubes
- 1/2 cup fresh Italian parsley, chopped
-
6 tbsp Smoke on Wheels BBQ Marinade
-
2 tbsp Cattleman’s Grill Tuscan Steak Seasoning
- 2 tbsp pepperoncinis, sliced
- 2 tbsp fresh rosemary leaves
- 3 large cloves garlic, crushed, peeled
-
2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
- 4 oz bacon, diced
- 2 cups onions, diced
- 1 cup carrots, diced
- 1/2 cup celery, diced
- 3 cloves garlic, crushed, peeled
- 1/4 cup white wine
-
1 (29 oz) can Ciao San Marzano Tomatoes
- 1 bay leaves
- 2 sprigs thyme
-
1 tbsp Cattleman’s Grill Italiano Seasoning
-
Jacobsen Salt Co. Black Garlic Salt, to taste
For the pork:
For the ragu:
Directions
- Preheat your Yoder Smokers YS640s Pellet Grill to 275ºF, set up for smoking.
- To make the pork seasoning, combine the parsley, Smoke on Wheels BBQ Marinade, Cattleman’s Grill Tuscan Steak Seasoning pepperoncinis, rosemary and garlic in the Vitamix Blender. Blend until smooth.
- Place the cubed pork in a large foil pan. Pour the seasoning paste over the pork and massage into the meat.
- Transfer the seasoned cubed pork to the second shelf of the grill. Smoke until a bark is formed on the outside, and the internal temperature surpasses 155ºF, about 2-3 hours. To expedite the process, fill an A-Maze-N Tube Smoker with pecan pellets, place on the bottom shelf of the grill and light with a torch. The added smoke will help form the bark quicker.
- When the pork has formed a nice bark, remove from the grill. Remove the second shelf from the grill and increase the temperature to 350ºF.
- To make the ragu, render the bacon fat in a Staub 4 qt Enameled Dutch Oven over medium heat. When the bacon begins to brown, add the onions, carrots and celery. Cook until the veggies are tender and onions are translucent. Add the garlic and cook one minute longer.
- Increase the heat to medium high. Add the wine to deglaze the dutch oven, scraping the bottom of the pan with a wooden spoon as the wine reduces.
- When the wine has reduced almost entirely, add the cubed pork, tomatoes, bay leaves, thyme and Cattleman’s Grill Italiano Seasoning and stir to mix.
- Transfer to the grill and cook uncovered until the pork is falling apart tender, about 2 hours. Taste and adjust seasoning, as needed.
- Serve the Smoked Pork Ragu over the pasta or polenta.
Recipe Note
Recipe FAQ
Why blend the pork seasoning into a paste instead of using a dry rub?
Blending the marinade, steak seasoning, herbs, and garlic into a smooth paste in the Vitamix lets it massage evenly into every cubed piece of pork, reaching more surface area than dry spices sprinkled over the top would.
Why run a separate tube smoker on the bottom shelf while the pork smokes above?
The A-Maze-N Tube Smoker filled with pecan pellets adds extra smoke that speeds up bark formation on the pork, cutting down the time needed for that first stage.
Why deglaze the dutch oven with wine after cooking the vegetables?
Adding wine and scraping the bottom of the pot as it reduces picks up all the browned bits left behind from cooking the bacon and vegetables, building that flavor directly into the ragu's base rather than leaving it stuck to the pan.
Why braise the pork uncovered on the grill instead of covering the pot?
Leaving it uncovered for the final two hours lets the sauce reduce and concentrate at the same time the pork becomes fall-apart tender, combining both steps rather than needing to reduce the sauce separately afterward.
What internal temperature should the pork actually reach?
The initial smoke stage pulls it at 155°F, just past the USDA minimum of 145°F for whole-muscle pork already. The braise that follows continues until the meat is falling apart tender, which takes it well beyond that minimum by the time it's actually done.
How indoor-friendly is this recipe?
3 out of 5 — a dutch oven on the stovetop can handle the entire braise stage exactly the same way; the initial smoke on the pellet grill is what's harder to replicate indoors.
Recipe Highlights
Blended pork seasoning paste: Reaches more surface area than a dry rub.
Supplemental tube smoker: Speeds up bark formation during the initial smoke.
Wine-deglazed base: Builds flavor from the browned bits left in the pot.
Uncovered grill braise: Reduces the sauce and tenderizes the pork simultaneously.
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Nutrition
Nutrition
- Nutrition Serving Size
- 8.87 oz
- per serving
- Calories
- 564
- Carbs
- 24 grams
- Protein
- 39 grams
- Fat
- 36 grams
- Sodium
- 867 milligrams
