Tag Archives: spaghetti squash

Pork Shoulder Ragu Over Spaghetti Squash

Braising Season is back, baby! So to celebrate, say hello to your new favorite Sunday dinner.

(It won’t say hi back, by the way, it’s a little shy.)

This is a good meal to make on the weekend because it does take a few hours. Braising meat is definitely not an exercise in instant gratification. But the investment is COMPLETELY worth it, and while it is not 100% “Set it and forget it” there is only minimal tending necessary. Totally manageable on a Sunday afternoon while you lounge on the couch with football on in the background. Your oven will do most of the work, your house will smell amazing all afternoon, and in the end after a stir or two on your part, you will be rewarded with tender caramelized deliciousness that you will want to eat right out of the pot.

But we are civilized, so we will eat it over spaghetti squash!

Pork Shoulder Ragu Over Spaghetti Squash
Author: Adapted from Dinner: A Love Story
Prep time: 30 mins
Cook time: 3 hours
Total time: 3 hours 30 mins
Serves: 4-6
Ingredients
  • 2.5 lb Pork Shoulder
  • 2.5 Tablespoons Salt
  • 1.5 Tablespoons Pepper
  • 1 Tablespoon Garlic Powder
  • 2 Tablespoons Extra Virgin Olive Oil
  • 1 Tablespoon Grass Fed Butter
  • 1 Cup Red Wine
  • 2 14 oz Cans Diced Tomatoes
  • 5 Sprigs Fresh Thyme
  • 3 teaspoons Dried Oregano
  • 1.5 Tablespoons Fennel Seed
  • 1 Tablespoon of Hot Sauce (Trader Joe’s Hot Pepper Sauce is awesome!)
  • 1 Large Spaghetti Squash
  • Handful of chopped fresh parsley
Instructions
  1. Preheat oven to 325 degrees
  2. Add Olive Oil and Butter to large dutch oven and heat over medium high until butter is melted but not burning
  3. Liberally salt, pepper and garlic powder your pork shoulder.
  4. Add pork roast to pan and brown on all sides (This will take between 10 and 15 minutes to get a good crust going on your roast)
  5. Add wine to deglaze
  6. Add tomatoes, thyme, oregano, fennel seeds and hot sauce and bring to a boil
  7. Cover and put in the oven
  8. Braise for 3 hours, flipping roast over every hour
  9. About 30 minutes before your roast is done, prep your spaghetti squash
  10. Poke 8-10 holes around your raw spaghetti squash
  11. Put directly into the microwave (I put mine on a paper towel) and nuke for 8 minutes
  12. Flip Squash over and nuke for another 8-10 minutes depending on how large it is (big boys take longer!)
  13. When it’s done, remove from microwave (with pot holders it will be HOT!) and let cool for a few minutes
  14. When it’s cooler, slice down the squash long ways and remove all seeds
  15. Then run your fork down your squash and pull out your “noodles” into a separate bowl
  16. Toss squash noodles with a touch of butter, salt, pepper and garlic powder
  17. Add squash to your serving bowl, top with ragu and chopped fresh parsley and chow down!

It’s homey, comforting and even fit for entertaining should you be so inclined. And if I can make one last suggestion before you head off to procure ingredients, may I suggest serving it with that bottle of wine you opened earlier to cook with?

I mean, no one likes a waster.

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