Of course it’s a tradition to eat pork on New Year’s Day. If you’re in the south, you eat it with Black Eyed Peas, right? I was raised in a Pennsylvania Dutch household, so we serve it with sauerkraut. I loathe sauerkraut. I hate the smell, the texture, everything. And if you’re “really Pennsylvania” the way I am, then you’re familiar with the concept of fire companies and hunting camps making their own sauerkraut (like my dad’s hunting camp) and selling it in 5lb buckets for a fundraiser. Who in the world needs 5lbs of sauerkraut?? 

This was one tradition I was eager to ditch as an adult with my own household (the sauerkraut part). For many years, we just did a pork tenderloin but it didn’t really feel like a special holiday meal, because we have pork tenderloin frequently throughout the year. Then my hubby found this recipe, and we use country style pork ribs as the meat base. This has become our new New Year’s Day pork tradition and we’ve been doing it for almost 6 or 7 years. I really enjoy it, it’s fantastic left over! It takes a good part of the day to cook, which makes it feel more like a holiday “special” meal. Definitely not something I’d make during the week!

Short Rib Ragu with Pappardelle and Pecorino Romano

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From Bobby Flay

Ingredients
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
3 1/2 to 4 pounds short ribs, each about 2-inches long, cut flanken style, across the ribs
Salt and freshly ground pepper
1 dried bay leaf
2 sprigs fresh rosemary
5 sprigs fresh thyme
2 sprigs fresh flat-leaf parsley
4 small carrots, diced
2 stalks celery, diced
1 medium onion, diced
2 medium shallots, diced
1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
2 tablespoons tomato paste
1/2 cup ruby port
2 cups red wine, such as cabernet
1/2 head garlic, cloves separated and peeled
3 1/2 cups homemade beef stock
1 pound pappardelle or other long, flat pasta
Chopped parsley
Grated Pecorino Romano, for garnish
Directions
Heat oven to 325 degrees F.

Place a 5-quart casserole or Dutch oven over medium heat. Add oil, and heat until it is almost smoking. Season short ribs generously with salt and pepper. Working in batches if necessary, add short ribs to the hot oil. Cook ribs until browned on both sides. Remove ribs from casserole, and transfer to a large bowl. Set aside.

Meanwhile, prepare bouquet garni: Place bay leaf, rosemary, thyme, and parsley in the center of a square of cheesecloth. Bring edges together, and tie with kitchen string. Set bouquet garni aside.

Add carrots, celery, onion, and shallots to oil in the casserole, and cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until vegetables are softened and golden, about 10 minutes.

Add flour and tomato paste to the casserole, and stir to combine. Add ruby port; stir with wooden spoon until all browned bits have been scraped from the pan and the bottom of the casserole is clean. Add red wine, and simmer until the liquid is reduced by half. Add garlic, beef stock, and the reserved bouquet garni.

Return browned ribs to the casserole. Bring the liquid to a simmer over medium-high heat. Cover the casserole, and place it in the oven. Cook until ribs are very tender, about 3 hours.

Remove the cooked ribs from the casserole. Set the casserole on the stove top over medium heat, and simmer to thicken sauce just slightly. As soon as the short ribs are cool enough to handle, remove the meat from the bones, and shred into small pieces. Degrease the sauce and discard the bouquet garni. Return shredded meat to casserole, and simmer to reduce sauce by about half.

Fill a large pot with water and add a few tablespoons of salt. Set over high heat, and bring to a boil. Salt well, and stir in pasta. Cook until pasta is al dente. Drain pasta, and serve with short-rib ragu, sprinkle with the parsley. Serve with freshly grated Percorino Romano.

Photo courtesy of DeLallo foods.