Recipe of the Month: Pork Sugo

Yields 6 servings/Time 3 hours

Sugo is a traditional Italian sauce made with late-season tomatoes, olive oil, and garlic. This recipe adds wine, stock, whole milk, and butter for a delicious sauce that can only be described as luscious. Pork stew meat is a low and slow cut that you'll brown on the stovetop first and braise in the sauce for several hours creating a dish that pairs perfectly with your favorite pasta. Keep in the fridge for up to 10 days or freeze as a gift to your future self.

You will need:

2 lbs pork stew meat (can sub in any other stew meat or grind)

2 cups canned tomatoes (whole or chopped)

6 cloves garlic, chopped

1 red onion, small diced

2 cups red wine

2 cups whole milk

1 cup stock

2 teaspoon dried oregano 

2 teaspoon dried thyme 

½ cup butter

½ cup grated parmesan (or other hard cheese like Grana Padano, Pecorino)

1 tablespoon cooking oil

Salt and pepper

• Preheat oven to 275

• Salt stew meat all over. In a large dutch oven heat cooking oil over medium high heat

• Cook stew meat in batches, about 8-10 minutes, until evenly browned and set aside

• Cook garlic and onions in remaining oil/fat, about 3 minutes, stir in dried herbs

• Add red wine, stirring to scrape up any bits stuck to the bottom. Add tomatoes, and browned stew meat, bring to a simmer. Add milk and stock, bring to a boil

• Reduce to a simmer, cover and braise in the oven 2 ½ hours, until meat is fork-tender

• Remove from the oven and stir in butter. Once butter is incorporated, stir in grated cheese

• Season with salt and pepper. Goes great over any kind of pasta