Family Wild Boar Ragu

Dice the onion, carrots, and celery finely for the soffritto.

Cut the wild boar meat into pieces about 2-3 cm in size.

Heat the oil in a very large and heavy pot over medium heat.

Add the diced onion, carrots, and celery and sauté them for about 8-10 minutes until they are soft and lightly colored.

Add the diced wild boar meat and sear it vigorously on all sides until well browned. Be careful not to overcrowd the pot; brown the meat in batches if necessary.

Let the liquid released by the meat evaporate completely.

Pour in the red wine and let it reduce, stirring, for a few minutes until the alcohol has evaporated.

Stir the tomato paste into the seared meat and vegetables and roast it for 1-2 minutes.

Add the tomato passata and beef stock to the pot.

Add the whole garlic cloves, the whole chili pepper, the bay leaves, and the rosemary sprig.

Stir in the Italian seasoning blend.

Bring the sauce to a boil, then reduce the heat to the lowest setting so it just gently simmers.

Cover the pot (or leave a small gap) and let the ragu simmer for at least 2 hours. Stir regularly to prevent sticking and ensure the meat becomes tender.

Season the ragu with coarse salt and freshly ground pepper towards the end of the cooking time.

Before serving the ragu, remove and discard the whole garlic cloves, chili pepper, bay leaves, and rosemary sprig.

The ragu is ready when the meat is very tender and the sauce has a nice, creamy consistency.

Enjoy this super delicious Family Wild Boar Ragu, a classic that tastes like home. It pairs wonderfully with pasta like pappardelle or polenta.