Rigatoni with Pork Rib Ragù

The scent of garlic, onions, and slow-braising pork in a rich tomato sauce is the ultimate scent of Sunday in Brooklyn, NY. This authentic Pork Rib Ragu is a slow-simmered tradition that creates melt-in-your-mouth meat and a thick, savory sauce that clings perfectly to rigatoni.

Sunday Morning's First Breath:

Growing up in a traditional Italian-American household in Bensonhurst, Brooklyn, Sunday mornings didn’t mean sleeping in. They meant waking up to the irresistible aroma of what my mother lovingly called "Sunday Sauce" bubbling on the stove. The whole week culminated at 2:00 PM when the family gathered around the table.

My mother would meticulously sear pork spare ribs in a large pot before letting them simmer in crushed tomatoes for hours. The ribs would break down so beautifully that the meat would simply slide off the bone, infusing every drop of the sauce with incredible pork flavor. We'd eat the pasta first, tossing rigatoni or paccheri in the dark, velvety sauce, and then enjoy the tender ribs as a second course. It was a time for family, stories, and loud laughter that echoed off those classic Brooklyn home walls.

My Tweaks & Changes:

Growing up, my mother always simmered the ribs in the tomato sauce, serving the tender meat separately on a platter. I decided to tweak her traditional method by pulling the ribs from the pot, meticulously discarding the bones, and shredding the velvety meat.

Instead of treating the pork as a standalone second course, I stir the shredded meat directly back into the simmering sauce. This simple change allows the rich pork juices to meld completely with the tomatoes and wine, creating a decadent, hearty ragù that perfectly coats every bite of pasta.

Why This Recipe Works:

Braising the pork ribs on the bone releases marrow and natural collagen into the sauce, giving it a rich, thick texture without needing flour or heavy cream.

The secret to a genuine Neapolitan-style ragù is that it should never boil aggressively. It must "pippiare"—a gentle, bare simmer over hours that breaks down the tough connective tissues into butter-soft meat.

Sautéing the carrots, celery, and onions before adding the meat and tomato builds a deeply flavorful base (soffritto) that cuts the acidity of the tomatoes.

Ingredients:

3 to 4 lbs pork spareribs (cut into individual ribs)

2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

1 large yellow onion, finely diced

2 large carrots, finely diced

2 stalks celery, finely diced

4 cloves garlic, minced

1/2 cup dry red wine

2 tablespoons tomato paste

2 (28-oz.) cans whole peeled San Marzano tomatoes, crushed by hand

1 teaspoon dried oregano

1 fresh bay leaf

Kosher salt

Freshly ground black pepper

1 lb Rigatoni or Paccheri pasta

Fresh Italian parsley, chopped 

Freshly grated Locatelli Romano or Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese, for serving

Directions:

Pat the pork ribs dry with a paper towel and season generously with salt and pepper. Heat the olive oil over medium-high heat in a large heavy-bottomed Dutch oven. Add the ribs in a single layer and brown deeply on all sides (about 3-4 minutes per side). Remove the ribs to a plate.

Reduce the heat to medium. In the same pot, add the diced onion, carrots, and celery. Sauté until softened and lightly caramelized, about 8-10 minutes. Stir in the minced garlic and tomato paste, cooking for another 2 minutes until fragrant.

Pour in the red wine, scraping up all the browned bits (the "fond") from the bottom of the pot. Let the wine simmer until it reduces by half (about 3 minutes).

Pour in the hand-crushed tomatoes, oregano, and bay leaf. Season lightly with salt and pepper. Return the pork ribs and any resting juices back into the pot.

Bring the sauce to a gentle simmer, then reduce the heat to low and cover. Let it simmer slowly for 2 to 3 hours, stirring occasionally. The sauce is done when the pork is easily shreddable and the oil separates on the surface.

Skim any excess fat from the top of the ragù. Remove the bones from the pot. Toss the velvety sauce with al dente rigatoni and top with freshly grated cheese.

Professional Chefs Tips:

Skim the Fat: 

Pork ribs release a lot of fat. Skimming the surface of your ragù occasionally during cooking ensures the sauce remains glossy rather than greasy.

Options: 

You don't have to shred all the meat into the sauce. Leave some of the ribs whole and serve them as a second main course alongside a crisp arugula salad and crusty Italian bread.

Substitutions:

If you can't find pork spareribs, pork country-style ribs or bone-in pork shoulder work brilliantly. You can also mix in a few mild Italian sausages or a piece of beef chuck roast for a deeper, mixed-meat Sunday gravy.

If San Marzano whole tomatoes aren't available, high-quality crushed tomatoes or tomato passata (strained tomatoes) are perfect.

Don't have red wine? A dry white wine, like Pinot Grigio or Sauvignon Blanc, works beautifully in Italian cooking to add brightness and acidity.

Don't have rigatoni or pachari? Ziti, Penne or any wide flat long pastas are excellent substitutions. 

Recipe courtesy of chef Frank A. Saulle

Watch the full video on youtube:

https://youtu.be/3I0jCLduEks?si=i6e_BGdke3_gzLvi