Wild Boar Ragu Recipe
Wild boar ragu, rigatoni, fresh parm
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Ingredients
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Ragu
Pasta & Finish
Method
Ragu
Prepare the meat
Pat the wild boar cubes dry with paper towels and season lightly with 1 teaspoon salt and 1/2 teaspoon pepper. Drying helps achieve a good sear.
Brown in batches
Heat 2 tablespoons olive oil and 1 tablespoon butter in a large heavy-bottomed Dutch oven over medium-high heat. When shimmering, add half the boar cubes in a single layer without crowding. Sear 3–4 minutes per side until a deep brown crust forms. Transfer to a plate and repeat with remaining meat, adding the remaining 1 tablespoon olive oil if needed. Browning in batches prevents steaming.
Cook pancetta and vegetables
Reduce heat to medium. Add diced pancetta to the pot and cook 3–4 minutes until rendered and lightly crisp. Add the diced onion, carrot and celery and a pinch of salt; sweat the soffritto 8–10 minutes until softened and beginning to color. Stir in the minced garlic and cook 1 minute more.
Tomato paste and deglaze
Stir in 2 tablespoons tomato paste and cook 2 minutes to caramelize the paste. Pour in the red wine, scraping up browned bits from the bottom; simmer until the wine is reduced by about half, 4–6 minutes.
Combine and simmer
Return the browned boar and any accumulated juices to the pot. Add the crushed tomatoes, 2 cups stock, bay leaves, rosemary sprig and thyme. Bring to a gentle simmer, then reduce heat to low so the sauce barely bubbles. Cover partially with a lid and cook gently for 2 to 2.5 hours, stirring occasionally, until meat is fork-tender and the sauce has reduced and concentrated.
Finish the ragu
Remove and discard the rosemary sprig and thyme stems and the bay leaves. Stir in 1 cup whole milk and 1 teaspoon sugar (if using) and simmer uncovered on low for another 15–20 minutes to meld flavors and soften acidity. Adjust seasoning with remaining 1 teaspoon salt and 1/2 teaspoon pepper. If sauce is too thin, simmer a bit longer until it coats the back of a spoon.
Pasta & Finish
Cook the pasta
Bring a large pot of water to a rolling boil and salt with 1 tablespoon kosher salt. Add rigatoni and cook until just shy of al dente according to package directions (usually 10–12 minutes). Reserve 1.5 cups of starchy pasta cooking water, then drain the pasta.
Combine pasta and ragu
Return the drained rigatoni to the pot or to a large skillet over low heat. Add 2–3 ladlefuls of the hot ragu and 1/2 cup reserved pasta water, toss to coat. Add 2 tablespoons butter and 3/4 cup grated Parmesan and toss vigorously; add additional ragu or pasta water as needed so sauce clings to the pasta. Taste and adjust salt and pepper.