Pork Ragu (slow cooker*)

Serves 6-8

1,3 kg Green Connect pork neck
1 cup Green Connect bone broth
200g bacon or pancetta (optional)
2tbsp olive oil
1 brown onion, roughly chopped
1 large carrot, roughly chopped
1 bay leaf
1 tin organic crushed tomatoes
3 garlic cloves, crushed with the back of your knife.
3 black peppercorns
Salt
Add fresh herb like Oregano, thyme, rosemary or parsley.
Olives and fresh pasta to serve.

Method:

  • Season the pork neck with salt and pepper. Heat 1tbsp on olive oil in a large frying pan on medium heat. Sear of the pork neck on each side so it gets a nice colour. Alternatively, you can cut the pork neck into 4 pieces and sear them all off, this will shorten the cooking time. Once the meat has a nice brown surface, place in the slow cooker.
  • In the same frying pan, cook-off your bacon or pancetta, and add to the slow cooker.
  • Then sear of the onion and carrot in the juices and fat from the bacon, and add to the slow cooker.
  • Add, bone broth, tomatoes, vinegar, herbs, and garlic.
  • Place lid on top and cook for 8-10hours or until the pork is tender and can be pulled apart with a fork.
  • Once you are happy with the consistency of the pork, pull it apart and serve with the cooking juice. (if you find that the juice is too watery, remove the pork from the slow cooker and strain the sauce into a saucepan where you can reduce the sauce to get the right consistency). Then simply add the meat back in and pull apart.
  • I like to add olives to my ragout as it adds a nice burst of saltiness.

Serve with fresh pasta or polenta. 

*You can also cook this in a crockpot. I would then put t in the oven on 150C for 6-8h