Instant Pot Pork Ragu with Capers
Instant Pot Pork Ragu is a delicious and simple way of cooking a meat sauce that tastes like it has been cooking all day in just an hour.
It is a hearty, meaty shredded style of ragu with fresh tones that lighten it up, it is perfect served with pasta or over a nice cheesy polenta.
Pressure Cooker Shredded Pork Ragu
This recipe joins a long list of ragu recipes on my site. I have everything from venison ragu to beef cheek ragu and red lentil bolognese to mushroom ragu and pasta Genovese, with plenty in between.
Like many, I associate ragu recipes with Italy and, more specifically with pasta recipes. However, the word Ragu actually derives from the French Ragouter, which means "revive the taste".
In fact, there are a whole host of French Ragout recipes that predate any and all Italian Ragu recipes.
I cook this delicious pork ragu in an Instant Pot; it reduces the cooking time of what is traditionally a slow-cooked dish to something you can just about do for a midweek dinner.
For instance, my lamb ragu takes 3 hours to cook. This pork recipe comes in at around an hour in the Instant Pot.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I use a different cut of pork?
Yes, but you do want something with a decent fat content. Pork blade or Boston Butt, for my US readers is the best sub, but you could get away with leg too.
Can I use a stovetop pressure cooker?
Yes, stovetop pressure cookers cook at a higher pressure and, as a result, cook quicker.
Cook as per the recipe, but reduce the cooking time by 5-7 minutes.
Can I cook this in the oven or on the stovetop?
Yes, you can simmer it on the stovetop on a low heat or in the oven at around 160°C or 320°F for 2-2½ hours.
Can I cook this in advance?
Yes, this recipe stores well in the fridge for a couple of days and can even be scaled up and frozen. It will freeze perfectly for up to 3 months.
I defrost before reheating slowly in a saucepan with a lid to prevent too much evaporation.
Serving Suggestions
Pasta is a quick and easy option for ragu recipes.
I have not strayed from that link here, and I have served this Instant Pot pork ragu with orecchiette pasta.
But it will work well with lots of different types of pasta, everything from tagliatelle to farfalle. You could even make a batch of my homemade duck egg pasta and turn it into pappardelle.
Don't get tunnel-visioned, though, ragu sauces are wonderful spooned over cheesy polenta.
They are equally good spooned over a baked potato, which I incidentally recently found out you can cook superbly in an air fryer!
You can also use it to make dirty fries or spoon over some nachos and bake in the oven with some cheese.
So many options, so little time!
Equipment Used
I only mention specific brands of equipment if I believe that it makes a material difference to a recipe. But if you have any questions, feel free to ask them in the comments section below the recipe.
- Instant Pot, you can use a stovetop pressure cooker and take 5-7 minutes off the cooking time.
- Kitchen knife.
- Chopping board.
- Kitchen tongs.
- Stirring and serving spoons.
- A combination of weighing scales, a measuring jug, measuring cups and spoons.
Instant Pot Pork Ragu Recipe
Ingredients
- 300 g Pork Shoulder 10oz (in a single piece)
- 2 tablespoon Cooking Oil
- ½ teaspoon Salt
- ¼ teaspoon Black Pepper
- 1 Small Onion 100g
- 2 Garlic Cloves
- 2 tablespoon Red Wine Vinegar
- 125 ml Chicken Stock ½ Cup
- 175 ml Tomato Passata ⅔ Cup
- ½ teaspoon Sugar
- 1 teaspoon Dried Oregano
- 1 Bay Leaf
- 35 g Capers ¼ Cup
Instructions
- Peel the onion, cut it in half and then cut it into a 2-3mm (⅛") dice.
- Peel the garlic cloves and then slice them as finely as you can.
- Set your Instant Pot to saute mode, and when it is hot, add cooking oil.Season the pork shoulder with the salt and pepper, then sear it until it is nicely coloured on all sides, then remove and set aside.
- Throw the onions into the pot and saute for 2-3 minutes, stirring regularly.
- Add the garlic and saute for a further minute, then turn off saute mode.
- Return the pork to the instant pot and pour over the stock, passata, and red wine vinegar.
- Sprinkle over the sugar, oregano and then toss in the bay leaf, close the lid and cook on manual mode at high pressure for 35 minutes, with a natural pressure release.
- Remove the pork from the pot and place the pot on saute mode (high) and reduce the liquid by a third
- Whilst the sauce is reducing, shred the pork.
- Roughly chop the capers.
- Add the capers and pork back onto the pot and stir to combine.
I am going to try this recipe tonight! So excited! Question and I apologize in advance if you are already answered this, do I need to cook the pasta over the stove or do I add it the insta pot?
I always cook my pasta on the stove, I am very particular about my pasta cooking 😉 If you scroll up there is a comment from Rebecca where I took a guess at cooking it in the pot, she says it worked out well but I have not tried it.
Enjoy 🙂
Hello from North Carolina USA! I am so excited to try this recipe tonight, but I am confused as to what size piece of pork I should get to double this? What would it be in pounds, and what would the tomato sauce be in ounces? My apologies! But I'm at the grocery store. Help! ?
Greetings from rural Hungary! Double the pork in pounds would be 1lb 4oz give or take, and the tomato sauce would be around 12 fl oz doubled, this is a rough UK based conversion from metric to UK imperial, I have no idea if there are differences between UK and US imperial.
Enjoy 😀
Thank you Brian! So I am. Doing. The recipe with a little over 2 pounds. The pork is in 2 pieces, roughly a pound each. Do you. Think I need to pressure cook longer? My apologies, I promise I will send you a picture! ??
Sorry I missed this Sheila... I was ling after sleepy hour here in Hungary. I am sure I am too late, the pork I used was around three quarters of a pound so it would need a little longer to cook, but the additional liquid means that the IP would take longer to come to temperature levelling the playing field a little.
The best thing to do would be to increase the cooking time a little say to 45 minutes from 40 and then test, if you need another 5 you can always ad the lid give it another 5 minutes but you can never uncook something 😉
I hope you enjoyed your dinner 😀
This is my favorite meal that I've made in my pressure cooker. Thank you for sharing this delicious recipe!
Thanks for taking the time to tell me you like it 🙂
Hello! I hate cooking pasta on the stovetop! Do you know how I can cook the same recipe but add the pasta (and more liquid as needed) toward the end? Please give me great news! ?? Thank you very much.
Hey Rebecca... I have heard of people doing this but have never done it myself, I've done some research for you and most of what I can find advocates doing a quick release and cooking orecchiette pasta for 5 minutes on low pressure or 1-2 minutes on high pressure.
So a little disclaimer this is just an educated guess, but this would be my starting point on doing it. Cook the recipe as per my instructions through to part 8.
When you get to part 8, ignore putting the pasta in and remove the pork and shred it, do not put the pot on saute and do not reduce the liquid.
Return the pork and add the pasta and stir but do not add the capers, if the pasta is completely covered with liquid you should be fine, if not add enough water to just cover the pasta.
Cook on high pressure for 1 mintue, then quick release and check the pasta, if you need another 30 seconds or minute then go for it.
After it would be a case of judging how to finish the dish. If there is too much liquid, strain out the solids and turn on saute mode to reduce the liquid.
Finally, add the capers at the end and enjoy.
Good luck and let me know how you get on 🙂
I have been meaning to thank you for such a thoughtful reply. Your advice was a success!
Thank you for coming back to me, glad to hear that my rambling guesses sometimes work 😀
Hi Brian,
I can't thank you enough for coming back to me. Your advice was really appreciated, and apart from adding a slosh of red wine, I followed it to the letter. It was... divine!! Making your Vindaloo dish next!
Thanks again,
/Yourlatestfan
This ragu looks amazing! Will for sure give it a go.
Hello from The USA!
I'm still becoming acquainted with my Instant Pot that I got for Christmas. We just finished eating this for dinner and it turned out very good. Thanks for a great recipe
looks delish! I like using pork instead of beef for a change with pasta.
I just got an instant pot and I can't wait to try this. It's so easy to use and cooks so fast, I'm in love! Loving your photos too!
This looks great! I don't know what a instantpot is, maybe it hasn't hit Europe yet!
We don't have to worry about any darkness in THESE beautiful photos! Lovely dish, perfect for the dive "snow dive" forecast for today!
I just got an Instant Pot a few days ago and found your site today. May I say that ALL your recipes look fab, and the photos make me drool already!
I am SO looking forward to trying this pasta recipe, but as an Instant Pot newbie I am worried about doubling the recipe. What would your recommendation be? (Particularly when it comes to the liquid) Thank you kindly in advance!
Hey Nina... Thanks for taking the time to write. I hope you have fun playing around with your instant pot and I am excited you find some of my recipes inspiring.
As for advice on amounts of liquid there are two influences on the amount of liquid added to a pressure cooker recipe. The first is flavour obviously, the second is about ensuring that you have enough liquid to bring the instant pot to pressure. In general, this is roughly about 150ml of liquid.
This recipe contains around 200ml of liquid so plenty to fulfil part 2. In order to double this particular recipe I would double it all and then reduce it down as per the recipe, to intensify the flavour in the dish.
Ensure you use a proper passata and not a passata reduction as that runs the risk of catching and preventing the pot from coming to pressure. A passata reduction is really very thick and if that is all you can find use it but let it down with either stock, water or wine, depending on the variety it could take up to 50% of additional liquid.
Hi Brian,
I can't thank you enough for coming back to me. Your advice was really appreciated, and apart from adding a slosh of red wine, I followed it to the letter. It was... divine!! Making your Vindaloo dish next!
Thanks again,
/Yourlatestfan
Thank you for the great feedback 😀
I am sure us folk that develop recipes are not meant to have favourite recipes, they are like children apparently, We are meant to love them equally. Well I don't my beef vindaloo is probably my favourite recipe 😉 Enjoy!
How will the instant pot come to pressure with so little liquid added to it? In my experience it usually needs at least ½ cup of liquid to be able to build pressure.
1/2 a cup is 120ml there is at least 200ml of liquid including the passata, it has come to pressure for me every time with no issue at all. Try and avoid a heavily reduced passata which is not really passata at all but a tomato reduction.
This ragu looks amazing! Will for sure give it a go.
Thanks Veena, enjoy!
Hello from The USA!
I'm still becoming acquainted with my Instant Pot that I got for Christmas. We just finished eating this for dinner and it turned out very good. Thanks for a great recipe
Hey Laurie... Hello back at you from Hungary, glad you like the recipe, it is dead simple and really tasty... Hope you find more to like 🙂
I received an InstantPot for Christmas but it's still in the box if you can believe it! I keep collecting recipes for it, though. I'm adding this to my collection!
Haha, quit collecting recipes and have a play... I'm far from being an evangelist but price of entry has been worth it for the stock alone 😀
I presume you add the pork in at stage 5 before you put on the lid! Sounds tasty, thanks.
Thanks for flagging this Patricia, I am in the process of replacing part of my website and it is playing havoc with some of my recipes 🙂
looks delish! I like using pork instead of beef for a change with pasta.
Cheers David, I would love to say it is a change but good beef is a challenge to get here.
Such a great use of the instant pot! Orecchiette is one of my favorite kinds of pasta. Love all these flavors.
I love orecchiette too, such a big bold pasta, perfect for stuff like this I think.
I just got an instant pot and I can't wait to try this. It's so easy to use and cooks so fast, I'm in love! Loving your photos too!
Thanks Karen... I think this is fast at an hour too, to slow roast or slow cook this would take at least 8 hours although realistically even longer 😀
This looks great! I don't know what a instantpot is, maybe it hasn't hit Europe yet!
They most certainly have I am based in deepest darkest Hungary and have one... They are a web based success story from a small Canadian manufacturer I believe but easy to get hold of online although their presence in stores is not high 🙂 Essentially they are a self powered pressure cooker kinda taking things by storm, I am far from an evangelist but I love mine and am loving getting back acquainted with cooking under pressure.
We don't have to worry about any darkness in THESE beautiful photos! Lovely dish, perfect for the dive "snow dive" forecast for today!
Cheers Dan... I have noticed the amazing pictures of the cold weather you have in parts of the US at the moment, meanwhile over here in my corner of Europe things are positively springy and I am heading to an outdoor thermal spa today 😀 I hope you keep warm 😉