Wild boar ragù is a Tuscan classic: wild boar braised slowly in red wine and tomato until it falls apart, then served over wide ribbons of pappardelle. In Tuscany the dish is called pappardelle al cinghiale (cinghiale is Italian for wild boar). The animal is a familiar sight in the Tuscan hills, and hunters there have long turned it into ragù. Our version uses wild boar stew meat or a cubed shoulder roast from Texas feral hogs, and serves six.

Why wild boar makes a great ragù

A ragù needs meat with flavor and connective tissue. Wild boar has plenty of both. The shoulder and leg muscles of a hog that spends its life rooting and running are dark, firm and full of collagen. After a long braise they turn soft and silky, and the sauce turns glossy. Compared with farm pork, wild boar tastes deeper and slightly nutty. It stands up to juniper, rosemary and a full glass of Chianti, which would overpower a milder meat.

What wild boar doesn't have is much fat. That's why the recipe starts with pancetta: its rendered fat browns the meat, carries the flavor of the herbs and gives the sauce body.

Tips for a better wild boar ragù

Dry the meat and brown it in batches. Wet or crowded meat steams and turns gray. Deep brown crust means deep flavor in the sauce.
Don't skip the fat. If you leave out the pancetta, use 2 oz (55 g) of bacon or an extra spoon of olive oil and a knob of butter at the end.
Keep it at a bare simmer. Lean meat boiled hard turns stringy. An oven at 300°F (150°C) keeps the heat gentle and even.
Marinate if you like, but you don't have to. A red-wine marinade with juniper and bay is traditional in Tuscany and adds a little more depth. Well-handled wild boar tastes clean, so there is nothing to mask. Marinate for the flavor, not out of necessity.
Shred, don't chop. Pulling the cubes apart with forks gives a rustic texture that clings to wide pasta.
Cook to temperature. Cook all wild boar to at least 160°F (71°C). After a 2½-hour braise the meat is far above that, but check a cube with a thermometer if you shorten the cook.

Make-ahead and freezing

Like most braises, ragù tastes better the next day. Cool it, cover it and refrigerate it for up to 3–4 days. Skim off any fat before reheating gently with a splash of water or stock. To freeze it, pack it in freezer bags or containers in portions for two or three; it keeps its best quality for about 3 months. Thaw it in the refrigerator overnight and bring it to a full simmer before serving.

Variations

Slow cooker

Do the pancetta, browning, soffritto and wine reduction on the stove first. Those steps build the flavor. Then move everything to the slow cooker with only half the stock and cook on low for 7–8 hours. Shred the meat and, if the sauce is thin, reduce it in a pan for 10 minutes.

Pressure cooker (Instant Pot)

Brown and sauté on the sauté setting, reduce the wine, then add the tomatoes, herbs and ½ cup (120 ml) stock. Cook on high pressure for 45 minutes and let the pressure release naturally for 15 minutes. Shred the meat and simmer on sauté until the sauce thickens.

Other ways to serve it

Tuscan cooks also serve cinghiale over soft polenta or with potato gnocchi. For a quicker weeknight version, use ground wild boar and simmer for 1 hour. It won't be a true braise, but it's a very good Bolognese-style sauce. For a bigger cut with the same flavors, try braised wild boar shanks with red wine.

If you are feeding a crowd rather than six, see our guide to roasting a whole hog. Leftover pulled meat from the pit makes an excellent quick ragù, too.

Wild boar ragù (pappardelle al cinghiale)

Serves6 servings
Prep30 min
Cook3 h
CutWild Boar Stew Meat

Ingredients

2 lb (900 g) wild boar stew meat, or shoulder roast cut into 1-inch (2.5 cm) cubes
1 bottle (750 ml) dry red wine, such as Chianti or another Sangiovese
10 juniper berries, lightly crushed
3 bay leaves
2 sprigs fresh rosemary
4 oz (115 g) pancetta, diced
3 tbsp (45 ml) olive oil, plus more as needed
1 medium onion (about 6 oz / 170 g), finely diced
1 medium carrot (about 3 oz / 85 g), finely diced
2 celery ribs (about 3 oz / 85 g), finely diced
3 garlic cloves, minced
2 tbsp (30 g) tomato paste
1 can (28 oz / 800 g) whole peeled tomatoes, crushed by hand
1 cup (240 ml) chicken or beef stock, plus more as needed
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 lb (450 g) pappardelle, fresh or dried
1 tbsp (15 g) butter
Grated Pecorino Toscano or Parmigiano Reggiano, to serve

Method

Optional marinade: put the meat in a bowl with 2 cups (480 ml) of the wine, half the juniper, 1 bay leaf and 1 rosemary sprig. Cover and refrigerate for 8–24 hours. Drain, keep the wine, and pat the meat very dry.
Heat the oven to 300°F (150°C) if you plan to braise in the oven. Season the meat with salt and pepper.
In a heavy Dutch oven over medium heat, cook the pancetta in 1 tbsp olive oil until the fat runs and the edges brown, about 6 minutes. Lift it out with a slotted spoon.
Raise the heat to medium-high. Brown the meat in 2 or 3 batches without crowding, 5–6 minutes per batch, adding oil as needed. Set the browned meat aside with the pancetta.
Lower the heat to medium. Add the remaining oil, onion, carrot and celery with a pinch of salt and cook, stirring, until soft and golden, 10–12 minutes. Add the garlic and tomato paste and cook 2 minutes more.
Pour in 2 cups (480 ml) of wine (the strained marinade or fresh wine) and scrape up the browned bits. Simmer until reduced by about half, 5–8 minutes.
Return the meat, pancetta and any juices. Add the tomatoes, stock, the rest of the juniper, 2 bay leaves and 1 rosemary sprig. The liquid should almost cover the meat; add stock if needed. Bring to a simmer.
Cover and braise in the oven or at the barest simmer on the stove for 2½–3 hours, stirring every 45 minutes, until a cube falls apart when pressed with a spoon.
Remove the bay leaves and rosemary stems. Shred the meat in the pot with two forks. Simmer uncovered for 10–20 minutes until the sauce is thick enough to coat a spoon. Season with salt and pepper. The meat will be well past 160°F (71°C).
Cook the pappardelle in well-salted water until just tender. Reserve 1 cup (240 ml) of the pasta water and drain.
Toss the pasta with about two-thirds of the ragù, the butter and a splash of pasta water over low heat until glossy. Serve with the rest of the ragù on top and grated cheese.

Marinating time is not included. The ragù keeps 3–4 days in the refrigerator and freezes well for about 3 months.

Cook wild boar to an internal temperature of at least 160°F (71°C).

More: all wild boar recipes · guides