Slow Cooker Pork Ragu

Slow Cooker Pork Ragu is perfect when you're craving pasta but want an easy dinner recipe. Let a pork shoulder cook low and slow in your crockpot along with some pantry staple ingredients. Perfect meal for a cozy Sunday dinner.

Why I Love It

• Slow Cooker Recipe - I love the ease of a crockpot recipe when you can just set it and forget it.
• Feed A Crowd - This recipe makes a big batch of pasta sauce, so it's perfect to feed the whole family or to have leftovers.
• Comforting - Super cozy, comforting, and perfect for a chilly day.
• Pork Shoulder Recipe - This is a great way to use a pork shoulder other than the typical pulled pork recipe.

Ingredients you need for Pork Ragu

• Pork Shoulder
• Canola oil - or other cooking oil
• Canned whole tomatoes - the tomatoes will break down during the long cooking time and at the end you can squish them more, if needed.
• Tomato paste
• Carrots
• Yellow onion
• Garlic cloves
• Red wine - can substitute white wine or broth
• Spices - Dried Oregano, Salt and Pepper
• Grated parmesan - for serving
• Fresh parsley - minced
• Pappardelle - or other pasta, but I like the thick pappardelle noodles to pick up the pork ragu

How to make Pork Ragu in the Slow Cooker

1. Brown Pork Shoulder - Sprinkle the pork liberally on all sides with salt and pepper. In a cast iron skillet, heat the oil to medium-high heat. Brown the pork on all sides. Transfer the browned pork to your slow cooker insert.
2. Add Ingredients - To the slow cooker with the pork, add the tomatoes, tomato paste, carrots, onion, whole garlic cloves, wine, and dried oregano. 
3. Slow Cook - Cover and cook for 8 hours on low.
4. Serving - About 30 minutes before serving, cook the pasta. When the pork is done cooking, shred the pork shoulder with two forks. Stir together with the cooking liquid and fold in the parsley. Serve with the cooked pasta and shredded parmesan.

Recipe Notes and Tips

• Brown the Pork - The key to making this Slow Cooker Pork Ragu extra flavorful is by browning the pork shoulder before adding to the slow cooker. We season all sides of the pork with lots of salt and pepper, and sear over medium-high heat in an oiled cast-iron skillet. I even recommend scraping any browned bits and oil into the slow cooker.
• Cook Low and Slow - For extra tender meat, I prefer to cook the pork on LOW for a longer time. While you can crank it up to HIGH to speed up cook time, the meat won't be as tender.

Leftovers, Freezing, and Reheating

• Leftovers - Leftover pork ragu can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days.
• Freezing - Pork ragu freezes well and can be stored in airtight freezer bags for up to 3 months. Allow the sauce to cool before freezing and I like to let it thaw in the fridge overnight before reheating.
• Reheating - While you can reheat the sauce in the microwave, I prefer to reheat the pork ragu in a pot on the stove until warmed. Or you can reheat in a slow cooker.

Other Slow Cooker Recipes

• Slow Cooker Korean Beef - Just dump a chuck roast and a simple Korean-inspired sauce in the crock pot to make a delicious shredded beef. Serve with rice and some steamed veggies for dinner. 
• Slow Cooker Pulled Pork - Cooking a pork shoulder in your crockpot with barbecue sauce and spices results in super tender and flavorful shredded pork. Pile the bbq pulled pork on some buns and top with your favorite coleslaw.
• Slow Cooker Pot Roast - Taking the extra five minutes to make a homemade gravy takes this from an average pot roast to the best slow cooker pot roast.

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