This hearty ragù recipe is full of bold, robust flavours that are perfect for colder weather. Combining succulent Scottish wild boar shoulder with olives, red wine and tomatoes, this is a ragù recipe to rave about!
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Yields:
5 - 6
Prep Time:
15 mins
Cook Time:
3 hrs
Total Time:
3 hrs 15 mins
Ingredients
700g boneless wild boar shoulder
5Tbsp.
vegetable oil
4
rashers smoked streaky bacon or pancetta, cut into 1cm slices
1
large onion, finely chopped
4
garlic cloves, crushed
75g pitted black olives, rinsed and drained
2tsp.
juniper berries, lightly crushed in a pestle and mortar
500ml
red wine
400g can chopped tomatoes
2Tbsp.
tomato purée
500g beef stock
2
large bay leaves
3
bushy sprigs of thyme
1
rosemary stalk, about 12cm long, leaves finely chopped
2tsp.
caster sugar
freshly cooked pappardelle pasta, to serve
shavings of Parmesan cheese, to serve
flaked sea salt
freshly ground black pepper
Directions
Step 1Cut the boar into chunky
pieces, each about 2.5cm. Trim off any really hard fat or sinew as you go –
this is important, as boar sinew is very tough. Season the meat well with salt
and pepper.
Step 2Heat 2 tablespoons of the oil in a large frying pan. Fry the chunks of boar over a
medium-high heat until nicely browned on all sides, turning them every now and
then. Do this in a couple of batches so you don’t overcrowd the pan, adding
more oil if necessary. As the meat is browned, transfer it to a large flameproof
casserole dish or a large saucepan.
Step 3 Add a little more oil to the pan in which you browned the boar and fry the bacon for 2–3 minutes, or until the fat crisps and browns, then scatter it over the meat. Add a touch more oil and fry the chopped onion over a low heat for 5 minutes, stirring often.
Step 4 Stir the garlic, olives and crushed juniper berries into the pan and cook for 2 minutes more, stirring. Add them to the meat in the casserole dish, then pour in the wine.
Step 5 Stir in the tomatoes, tomato purée and beef stock. Add all the herbs and the sugar and bring the mixture to a simmer. Stir well and cover the casserole loosely with a lid, then turn the heat down low and leave the ragù to simmer very gently for 2½ hours, or until the meat is completely tender and falling apart.
Step 6 Remove the lid every now and then and stir. If the liquid reduces too much, add a little extra water. The sauce should be fairly thick at the end of the cooking time, but not at all dry. Remove the thyme and rosemary stalks and bay leaves, then season to taste with salt and pepper.
Step 7Serve with freshly cooked pappardelle pasta and Parmesan shavings. Any leftover sauce makes great ravioli or arancini.
Recipe from THE HAIRY DIETERS: GOOD EATING by Si King and Dave Myers, published by Weidenfeld & Nicolson, available to buy for £14.99 from Waterstones.
As a digital writer for Prima Online and a self-confessed foodaholic, you'll find lots of fab foodie pieces from me. I have a true love for sun, sea and sangria (among many other indulgences). When not dreaming of sunny beaches (or running off to them) I can be found cavorting at festivals, hosting wine-fuelled dinner soireés and prancing around the kitchen to Stevie Nicks and Kate Bush. I also have an unhealthy obsession with Dave Grohl and Alan Partridge.
