The weather is starting to cool off a bit, and most of us are very glad to see the change after a long and bitterly hot summer. Cooler weather signals another kind of change in my cooking choices, as I look now for dishes that are more along the lines of “comfort food”.
So what really is comfort food, anyway? The term is often used for foods that we may have grown up eating, which taste great and remind us of a simpler or happier time; i.e., foods that have a nostalgic feel for us. But there’s another way to think of them, and that’s to say they are warm and filling, satisfying a need for a basic comfort of living which is welcomed and appreciated after a long day at work or in the outdoors, especially when it’s colder outside.
This dish, I think, could fall into that second definition. At its most basic you could look at it as a form of pasta sauce like a marinara, but it’s the meat that sets it apart as it uses regular pork rather than a beef or beef/sausage blend as in other sauces. Using the Instant Pot makes the pork fork-tender and infuses it with flavor from the other ingredients, resulting in a delightful and comforting warm dinner that can be ready in a snap.
Adapted from Berry & Maple
Instant Pot Pork Ragu
Description
A different take on a pasta sauce using regular pork rather than beef or sausage. The Instant Pot makes it easy to prepare and results in fork-tender meat infused with flavor.
Adapted from Berry & Maple
Ingredients
Instructions
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Turn on the Instant Pot to the Saute setting. Add the olive oil and heat until just smoking, then add the pork and onion to the pot. Cook approximately 5 minutes, stirring frequently, until the pork is slightly browned and the onion has softened.
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Add garlic and cook for an additional minute, stirring frequently. Deglaze the pot by adding the wine and chicken stock and scraping any stuck bits off the bottom using a wooden spoon. Add tomato paste, Italian seasoning, and crushed tomatoes and stir to combine.
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Press the Cancel button to stop the saute mode. Place the lid on the Instant Pot and turn to lock it in place, and set the vent valve to Sealing. Press the Pressure Cook button and set the controls to cook on High Pressure for 25 minutes.
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While the Instant Pot is cooking, prepare the egg noodles according to the package directions, drain, and set aside.
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When cooking is finished, use a Quick Release to vent the Instant Pot. Carefully remove the lid, remove the pork to a cutting board and shred with two forks, then stir the meat back into the pot. Let rest for 10 minutes, then serve over the egg noodles.
Servings 6
- Amount Per Serving
- Calories 281kcal
- % Daily Value *
- Total Fat 12.8g20%
- Saturated Fat 4g20%
- Cholesterol 68mg23%
- Sodium 560mg24%
- Potassium 702mg21%
- Total Carbohydrate 15g5%
- Dietary Fiber 2.8g12%
- Sugars 8.2g
- Protein 21.7g44%
- Calcium 72 mg
- Iron 2 mg
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet. Your daily value may be higher or lower depending on your calorie needs.
Notes
- Nutritional information is for the sauce only, not the egg noodles.
- Total cooking time includes the time needed for the Instant Pot to come up to pressure and the time to vent down after cooking is completed.
- The original version was calculated to make 5 servings. I have adjusted this to 6 to be more in line with other similar dishes.
- The original version of this recipe called for dried oregano. I changed this to Italian seasoning to give the sauce more depth of flavor.
- Dry red wine varieties:
- Cabernet Sauvignon
- Merlot
- Pinot Noir
- Syrah or Shiraz
- Zinfandel
- Any pasta can be substituted for the egg noodles.
- Garnish suggestions: parsley, Parmesan cheese
