Wild Boar Ragù with Fresh Fettuccine

Author & Photographer: Alex Wang

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Wild Boar Ragù is a hearty dish that is great to make in the autumn or winter. The dish is very popular in Tuscany, but the meat can be replaced with beef, veal, or other kinds of meat to replicate ragùs from the other regions of Italy; there is even a ragù made with horse meat! In addition, Ragù has a lot less tomato than one might expect. In fact, in ragù alla Bolognese, tomato wasn’t even part of the historical recipe. For this recipe, the boar meat may initially give off a strong gamey scent when first seared, but do not be alarmed! The flavor will mellow as you simmer it.

Ingredients

Prep Time: 1 hour

Inactive/Rest Time: 12 hours

Cook Time: 30 minutes

Total: 13 hours 30 minutes

Yield: 9-12 cups boar ragù

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Boar Ragu:

  • 3.5 lbs wild boar meat (tenderloin or shoulder)

  • 4 large carrots, very finely minced

  • 4 celery stalks, very finely minced

  • 1 very large yellow onion or 2 medium ones, minced

  • 1 bottle + 1 glass dry red wine

  • ½ head of garlic

  • 4 tbsp tomato paste

  • 6 oz pancetta

  • 4 cups beef or veal stock

  • 4-5 sprigs rosemary

  • 4 sprigs thyme

  • 4 bay leaves

  • 1 tbsp grapeseed or neutral vegetable oil

  • 2 tsp salt

  • 1 tbsp black pepper

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Optional:

  • 1 tsp cumin

  • 1 tsp nutmeg 

  • 1 tsp cinnamon 

Fresh fettuccine:

  • 2 cups flour

  • 1 egg

  • 1 tbsp water

  • Pinch of salt

Wild Boar Ragù

  1. Chop boar into medium chunks. Place in a pot with red wine, rosemary, thyme, and bay leaves. Marinate for at least 8 hours in the refrigerator.

  2. Remove boar meat from the refrigerator and allow to drain for 1 hour. Reserve marinating liquid.

  3. In a very large pot, add grapeseed oil and bring to high heat. Sear boar meat in batches until browned, draining liquid if necessary (reserve it). Once seared, set aside boar meat.

  4. Turn heat to medium, and add onions, carrots, and celery, adding additional oil if necessary. Sweat until reduced and onions are slightly caramelized. 

  5. Add garlic, pancetta, and tomato paste, frying until lightly browned and fragrant. Add optional spices if desired.

  6. Add a glass of red wine, veal or beef stock, aromatics from the marinade, ½ cup of the boar liquid, and ½ cup of the marinade. Season with salt and black pepper.

  7. Simmer for at least 4 hours until ragù is thickened, adding additional boar liquid and marinade if necessary.

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Fresh Fettuccine:

  1. On a clean countertop, make a mound of flour and make a well in the center. 

  2. Place egg in the well and add a pinch of salt. 

  3. Using a fork, begin to stir the egg until the yolk breaks and the egg mixture begins to slowly incorporate into the surrounding flour.

  4. When the egg is fully incorporated into flour, begin kneading the dough using your hands. Knead until the dough has the consistency of play-dough, adding additional flour and water as necessary.

  5. Place in a bowl with some flour and cover. Refrigerate for at least one hour.

  6. Remove the dough from the refrigerator. Flour the countertop and roll the dough into a very thin sheet. Cut off edges to form a rectangular sheet. 

  7. Gently fold the sheet several times lengthwise, then cut the roll of dough in the opposite direction about a half inch wide. Dust with additional flour if necessary.

To Serve:

  1. Boil a large fistful of fettuccine per person in salted water briefly for approximately one minute.

  2. In a medium saucepan, add about a cup of ragù per person, and cook until incorporated.

  3. Serve with pecorino or parmigiano-reggiano if desired.

RecipesMelanie WangComment