Creamy Polenta with Pork Ragu

parmesan cheese

🥗Healthier: nutritional yeast

💰Cheaper: grated pecorino

Nutritional yeast offers a cheesy flavor with fewer calories.

pork shoulder

🥗Healthier: chicken thighs

💰Cheaper: ground pork

Ground pork is often less expensive and cooks faster.

Cut pork shoulder into 1-inch cubes, about 2.5 lbs total.

Dice half a yellow onion and mince four cloves of garlic.

Finely chop 1.5 tablespoons of rosemary and add a heaping tablespoon of thyme leaves.

Heat a Dutch oven with vegetable oil until it reaches smoke point.

Add half the pork to the Dutch oven and brown on each side for a couple of minutes.

Remove the browned pork and repeat with the remaining pork.

Reduce heat to medium and add the diced onion to the Dutch oven; stir.

Add minced garlic and sauté until the onion is translucent and garlic is browning slightly.

Return the browned pork to the pot and add 1 cup of Cabernet Sauvignon; let simmer until reduced by half.

Add two cans of crushed tomatoes, chopped rosemary, thyme, and season with salt and pepper.

Stir to combine and let come back to a simmer; partially cover and cook on medium-low for about 2 hours.

Check the sauce after 2 hours; if thick, add about 1 cup of water and continue simmering for another 30 minutes.

To prepare the polenta, heat 1.5 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil in a saucepan over medium-low heat.

Add half a diced yellow onion and 2-3 minced garlic cloves; sweat until the onion is translucent.

Pour in 5 cups of water and increase heat to high to bring to a boil.

Once boiling, slowly whisk in 1 cup of fine cornmeal while stirring continuously.

Reduce heat to medium and continue stirring for about 5 minutes until creamy and thick.

Stir in 1 cup of grated Parmesan cheese and season with salt; fold in 2 tablespoons of butter until melted and incorporated.

Plate the polenta in the center of the plate and top with the pork ragu.

Garnish with additional Parmesan cheese.

Cooking Techniques

Equipment Needed

Spice Level:

Allergens