Serves a Crowd

Beer-braised Boar Ragu

by:
December 16, 2014
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0 Ratings
  • Serves 4
Author Notes

This is another comfort food style dish with an impressive flavour profile. The beer tenderizes the boar and prepares it for caramelization, which locks the flavours of the braising liquid into the meat. The dish should not be watery, rather the braising reduction should act to liberally coat the noodles. —whatsatomato

What You'll Need
Ingredients
  • 500 grams Ground Boar, no pork will not work
  • 1 pint Creemore Premium Lager
  • 2 pieces bacon (boar bacon, if available)
  • 1/2 cup strained tomatoes
  • 1 cup or more, stock or low-sodium broth
  • 1 med. sized carrot
  • 1 med. sized cooking onion
  • 2 small cloves of garlic
  • Pinch thyme, rosemary, sage (fresh is better, dried will do)
  • 2 dried bay leaves
  • Salt and Pepper
  • 1 packet of your favourite pasta (tagliatelle or pappardelle preferred)
  • Olive oil
  • Parmesan cheese
Directions
  1. Prepare your ingredients: Chop the bacon into small bits. Dice the onions, carrots and garlic into very fine pieces (or put in food processor). Mince thyme, rosemary and sage (if fresh).
  2. Season your meat with the salt and pepper and half of the chopped herb composition. Mix well.
  3. Add the chopped bacon to the pot over medium heat. Cook until bacon begins to brown. Rendering the fat.
  4. Add the diced vegetables and other half of the minced herbs and stir them into the bacon and rendered fat. Cook until the onions are soft and brown.
  5. Turn the heat to high and add the ground boar to the pot. Stir well until all the meat is only slightly cooked.
  6. Add the pint of Creemore (or other lager beer) into the pot, with the two bay leaves. And scrape free any brown bits at the bottom of the pot.. This stage may look strange, but I urge you to push on.
  7. Add the strained tomatoes. Stir.
  8. Add the stock/broth. Ensure it covers the meat. Add water if it does not.
  9. Bring pot to a steady simmer, then reduce the heat slightly. Place the lid on the pot and let braise for 30-40 minutes.
  10. On a separate burner, place a frying pan and set the heat to medium. Using a slotted spoon or any utensils which will allow the liquid to pass through it, remove the solids from the pot and add them to the frying pan. Leave the bay leaves in the pot. The boar will appear very soft, do not be discouraged!
  11. Bring the pot to a boil and begin reducing the braising liquid. Turn heat to high on the frying pan and cook the boar until the meat begins to caramelize.
  12. Once the boar is brown and the braising liquid has substantially reduced (think oily consistency, NOT syrup-y). Add the meat back into the pot and toss. Set to low heat to keep warm.
  13. Prepare your favourite pasta in salted boiling water. I suggest hand-made tagiatelle or pappardelle egg pasta. I can't help you if your pasta is not cooked to the very edge of al dente. Learn to do so.
  14. Add the pasta to the boar ragu and toss.
  15. Serve with freshly grated parmesan cheese, cracked black pepper and a drizzle of olive oil on top. Enjoy!
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