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    Home » All Recipes

    Author: Donna | Published: Oct 23, 2018 |

    Slow Cooked Minced Pork Ragu

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    up close shot of Slow Cooked Pork Mince Ragu in a white bowl

    Belly warming and made with love, this slow-cooked minced pork ragu is the perfect way to celebrate the weekend. Pour yourself a glass of wine and spend some time in the kitchen preparing this heavenly dish for you and your loved ones.

    mince-pork-ragu

    This is the perfect recipe for pairing some fresh bread, like these honey wheat dinner rolls to mop up the meat sauce at the end.

    Jump to:
    • Slow Cooked Minced Pork Ragu
    • Why You Should Make This Meal Now
    • Tips, Tricks and Substitutions
    • Recipe

    Slow Cooked Minced Pork Ragu

    I have been making this Slow Cooked Minced Pork Ragu recipe for many years now, and it is still up in the top 5 meals I eat on repeat.

    It was one of the first 'scary/too hard' recipes I attempted in my early twenties, and I have to say, it has evolved into something amazing over the years.

    It is indulgent and luxurious, but not overly complicated.

    The best type of recipe if you ask me.

    mince-pork-ragu

    Why You Should Make This Meal Now

    A traditional ragu can be a bit of a laborious task.

    It tastes amazing, but who has the time?

    This isn't a traditional ragu, it absolutely uses similar methods, but it is different in these main ways:

    • it doesn't use crazy expensive ingredients found on the other side of town. Instead of a boneless pork shoulder (which lets face it, in this economy is reserved for special occassions only). Instead we use a simple ground pork;
    • there are no crazy cooking skills involved. It does take time as we slowly add the milk, and allow all the flavors to develop, and the pork to become super tender, but there's no deglazing of pans with white wine, or handmaking pasta.

    This is more your 'everyday, everyman' ragu and it is quite the dish!

    All this aside, it is still the dish you will want to whip up when you have company over as it is so good.

    The best bit?

    The sauce can be made ahead of time and kept in the fridge for up to 3 days, in fact, one might argue you should absolutely make it ahead of time, as it is always better the next day.

    It also freezes well, so why not make a double batch, and save some for a rainy day when you feel like something a bit fancy?

    mince-pork-ragu

    Tips, Tricks and Substitutions

    Take your time with this recipe, don't try to rush the adding of the milk, as it just won't turn out the same.

    Pasta

    Choose a good quality pappardelle pasta to pair with the pork meat sauce, it makes the dish so much better.

    Bacon

    If you are using a particularly fatty bacon and/or pork mince (such as what is commonly available in the US), you might want to drain the fat after cooking the bacon and pork mince.

    Use a slotted spoon to remove the cooked bacon, and then drain the fat into a bowl and allow to cool before disposing of it appropriately.

    I hope you love this scrumptious dish as much as we do!

    Do you have a signature dish you have been perfecting over the years?

    I would love to hear all about it so be sure to leave a comment.

    Happy eating.

    Recipe

    Slow Cooked Minced Pork Ragu

    Slow Cooked Minced Pork Ragu

    Whole Food Bellies
    Belly warming and made with LOVE, this slow cooked pork mince ragu is the perfect way to enjoy a quiet weekend. The ULTIMATE comfort food, it pairs well with some freshly cooked pasta. Make a double batch and freeze half for a busy week.
    4.34 from 257 votes
    Print Recipe Pin Recipe Save Recipe Saved Recipes!
    Prep Time 15 minutes mins
    Cook Time 2 hours hrs
    Total Time 2 hours hrs 15 minutes mins
    Course Pasta
    Cuisine Italian
    Servings 6 serves
    Calories 375 kcal

    Clicking any equipment link above will earn me a small commission at no extra cost to you.

    Ingredients
      

    • ½ lb bacon finely diced (look for bacon free of sulfites/sulfates)
    • 1 large carrot diced
    • 2 celery stalks diced
    • 1 small onion diced
    • 1 lb pork mince look for pasture raised where possible
    • ½ cup dry red wine
    • 2 tablespoon tomato paste
    • 1 cup chicken stock
    • 1 cup whole milk
    • salt and pepper to taste
    • pappardelle freshly cooked to serve
    • parmesan finely grated to serve
    Prevent your screen from going dark

    Instructions
     

    • Fry bacon gently in a saucepan. Once cooked, add in the carrots, celery and onion and cook softly until slightly brown and the onion is translucent
      ½ lb bacon, 1 large carrot, 2 celery stalks, 1 small onion
    • Add in the pork mince and stir constantly until browned (see notes re fat)
      1 lb pork mince
    • Add in the wine, tomato paste and a little of the stock. Stir to combine
      ½ cup dry red wine, 2 tablespoon tomato paste, 1 cup chicken stock, 1 cup whole milk, salt and pepper to taste
    • Simmer for two hours, gradually adding in the remaining stock and milk during that time. Season to taste with salt and pepper
    • To serve ladle a scoop of the meat mixture over some freshly cooked pasta and top with parmesan cheese
      pappardelle, parmesan

    Notes

    • Store: leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for about 3 days
    • Freeze: the pork ragu sauce freezes really well and can be frozen in an appropriate container for about 3 months. I would not freeze it with the pasta, instead prepare some pasta on the day that you serve.
    • Bacon: If you are using a particularly fatty bacon and/or pork mince (such as what is commonly available in the US), you might want to drain the fat after cooking the bacon and pork mince.

    Nutrition

    Calories: 375kcalCarbohydrates: 7gProtein: 18gFat: 27gSaturated Fat: 10gCholesterol: 76mgSodium: 327mgPotassium: 489mgSugar: 4gVitamin A: 1885IUVitamin C: 3.6mgCalcium: 69mgIron: 1mg
    Tried this recipe?Leave a comment HERE and let us know how it was!

    The information shown is an estimate provided by an online nutrition calculator. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.

    Check out these easy pork mince recipes for some inspiration on what to do with that pork mince you have in the freezer.

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    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Debbie says

      October 10, 2020 at 4:39 pm

      I don't have red wine. Can I use something in its place?

      Reply
      • Donna says

        October 12, 2020 at 2:12 pm

        Hi Debbie, you can just use some stock, although it will change the flavor a bit it still works out great!

        Reply
    2. Kayla says

      September 02, 2020 at 6:37 am

      Just wondering if this would be ok without the carrot?

      Reply
      • Donna says

        September 04, 2020 at 10:48 am

        It will be just fine without the carrot, I just like to add extra veggies to everything 🙂

        Reply
    3. Deborah Jackson says

      April 29, 2020 at 10:50 am

      Amazing!!! This recipe is so delicious - as is- just make it!!! So simple but yummmmm!!!!

      Reply
      • Donna says

        April 30, 2020 at 9:41 am

        Glad you loved it 🙂

        Reply
    4. Alison says

      March 08, 2020 at 12:11 pm

      Made this recently and it was absolutely delicious. As I didn't have any celery growing in the garden and I live in the country, quite a ways from the nearest supermarket, I used some eggplant instead. It was a total hit and I'm making it again tonight. I'm planning to make some wholemeal pasta to serve with it and turn the leftover ragu and pasta sheets into a kind of ravioli I can freeze for later

      Reply
      • Donna says

        March 09, 2020 at 10:21 am

        Yum, that ravioli sounds amazing, especially with homemade pasta!!

        Reply
    5. Nicole B says

      March 01, 2020 at 4:07 am

      Made this recipe for Valentine’s Day dinner over homemade gnocchi and it was delicious and is now one of our signature go-to recipes especially for special occasions or entertaining. We made this for the second time last night and determined that we should halfway brown the ground pork in a separate pan and drain the grease and then add to vegetables to make it slightly less heavy. (We also drain all of the bacon grease before adding the vegetables). We also needed to add more tomato paste to thicken since we used almond/coconut milk instead of regular milk. Other than that we LOVE this dish and will continue to make it over and over! Thank you for the recipe 🙂

      Reply
    6. Susan says

      February 09, 2020 at 3:01 am

      Very similar ingredients to a beef Ragu, but it was a nice change, I added a couple of cloves of crushed garlic , it was delicious. It could also be turned into a lasagne with some mice Bechamel sauce

      Reply
      • Donna says

        February 09, 2020 at 2:53 pm

        Ooh that sounds delicious, I might have to try that next time I make a lasagne!

        Reply
    7. Matt says

      January 02, 2020 at 1:36 pm

      Delicious! Only question is what do you do with the bacon? Do you drain before adding veggies? And do you dice it, leave it whole, or discard before serving?

      Reply
      • Donna says

        January 03, 2020 at 12:56 pm

        Hi Matt, sorry this recipe card has been all over the place since switching over to a new plugin. The bacon should be finely diced and then fried. I tend to use Australian shortcut bacon so there is little to no fat on there and no need for draining, if you are using American bacon you might find the need to drain it before moving on to the next step. Thanks for pointing out the missing instruction, glad it was still delicious for you!!

        Reply
    8. Pete says

      December 19, 2019 at 6:53 am

      Gonna give this a try with a load of pork mince from our own pigs and some bacon I made. Great way to get rid of all that pork.
      Only comment, any chance of standardising the quantities, you have pounds grams cups and all, makes it very confusing. but not beyond the wit of man to decipher......
      thanks again for a good blog
      cheers
      pete

      Reply
      • Donna says

        December 20, 2019 at 4:08 pm

        Haha thanks for the suggestion Pete, I have never noticed I had things all over the place in there. This must have happened when I switched over to a new recipe card and I didn't even notice because I have lived all over the place and regularly switch between different types of measurements! On my to-do list before the new year 🙂 How lucky are you to have your own fresh pork to use, and homemade bacon...very jealous!!

        Reply
        • pete says

          December 22, 2019 at 4:32 am

          Know what you mean,, I am from the UK now live in France and have lived in a lot of other countries along the way. Getting your head round all the different cuts of meat etc very confusing but you do learn a lot.
          The pork from our home raised pigs is truly amazing. It doesn't taste like the pork we know from the shops it is more like steak and oh so juicy. only need to cook for half the normal time and have almost a bit pink, which I know is a no no for pork but we know where these have come from and they are so fresh.
          Will let you know how the ragu goes, gonna do it in the slow cooker for 5 or 6 hours.
          cheers
          Pete

          Reply
    9. Suann says

      September 23, 2019 at 8:21 am

      Happy to find this recipe again! Was my kids favorite during the winter.

      Reply
      • Donna says

        September 23, 2019 at 9:32 am

        Oh yay, happy to hear that Suann 🙂 My kids love this as well!!

        Reply
    10. Carrie says

      December 30, 2018 at 9:17 am

      Is pork mince just ground pork?

      Reply
      • Donna says

        December 30, 2018 at 1:14 pm

        Yes it is! Sorry so many little different terminologies in different countries, hard to get them all 🙂

        Reply
    11. Chris Spinelli says

      November 26, 2018 at 10:06 pm

      I can't wait to try this. Is it really just 20 g of tomato paste? Or, should it be 200? Thank you!

      Reply
      • Donna says

        November 28, 2018 at 2:03 pm

        Hi Chris, yep it's just 20g, just to give it a wee hint of the tomato paste! Enjoy

        Reply
    12. Tanya Harris says

      October 29, 2018 at 5:35 am

      This sounds simply amazing! I will be running to grab the ingredients to make this dish this week. Love it!

      Reply
      • Donna says

        November 04, 2018 at 3:58 pm

        Love it, thank you!

        Reply
    13. holly says

      October 28, 2018 at 10:09 pm

      I love a hearty ragu! This one looks so easy and delicious!

      Reply
    14. Jacque Hastert says

      October 24, 2018 at 6:43 am

      My kiddos love ragu! I will have to make this for them it sounds perfect for the little ones.

      Reply
    15. Indea says

      January 14, 2018 at 10:37 pm

      Yum!! making this as I type. Do you simmer covered or uncovered?

      Reply
      • Donna1 says

        January 15, 2018 at 2:13 pm

        Hope you love it! I simmer uncovered.

        Reply
    16. Lil says

      April 28, 2017 at 4:25 am

      Made this today and it was yummy - I dont how much difference simmering for 2hrs made? not sure its necessary? I will simmer till thick next time I make it and see how it goes.. Otherwise perfect EASY and tasty dinner that the kids gobbled down 🙂 Will make again!

      Reply
      • Donna1 says

        April 28, 2017 at 8:02 am

        Oh I am glad you liked it Lil, it is definitely a favorite with my kids! I find simmering for two hours really develops the flavors and makes it a lot richer, but I have definitely made a quicker version when in a hurry and it is still delicious 🙂

        Reply
    17. Rebecca @ Strength and Sunshine says

      November 02, 2016 at 3:00 am

      What a great family dinner!

      Reply
      • Donna1 says

        November 02, 2016 at 3:37 am

        🙂

        Reply
    18. Jemma says

      November 02, 2016 at 2:54 am

      This is one of my little boy's favourite meals. It looks awesome!

      Reply
      • Donna1 says

        November 02, 2016 at 3:37 am

        My kids too 🙂 They always go for pasta don't they!

        Reply
    19. Elizabeth says

      November 02, 2016 at 1:42 am

      Now this is my kind of pasta dish! Gorgeous simple flavours. Yum!

      Reply
      • Donna1 says

        November 02, 2016 at 3:36 am

        Thanks Elizabeth 🙂 Sometimes simple is best!

        Reply
    20. Jessica @ Citrus Blossom Bliss says

      November 01, 2016 at 6:11 pm

      I love that this is made with real ingredients that aren't too ridiculous to find. It looks like an amazing Sunday dinner!

      Reply
      • Donna1 says

        November 02, 2016 at 3:34 am

        Me too 🙂 I hate spending half the day looking for the ingredients for a dish!

        Reply
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    Hello and welcome, I'm Donna!

    I am so glad you are here!

    Since I have a part-time job, 3 little kids, and a love of good food (as do you I assume), I have learned how to get the most out of the kitchen in the smallest amount of time.

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