Slow Cooker Pork Ragu with Creamy Polenta

Directions

1. Roughly chop the onion, celery, carrot, and garlic. Place in the bowl of a food processor and mince using a pulsing technique. Scrape down the sides of the bowl often. Continue pulsing until the vegetables are finely minced. Work in batches, as needed.
2. Add 2 tablespoons of olive oil to a pan and sauté the minced vegetables until softened and the onions are fragrant. Add the sautéed veggies to a slow cooker along with the tomato sauce, tomato paste, and red wine. Stir to combine.
3. Cut the pork shoulder into 4-5 smaller chunks. Season all sides generously with Olivelle Sicilian Seasoning Salt. Nestle the pork into the sauce in the slow cooker and add the fresh herbs and bay leaf.
4. Cook in the slow cooker for 8 hours on low or 4 hours on high until the pork is cooked through and tender. Remove the cooked pork and shred with two forks. Return to the sauce.
5. Make the Creamy Polenta: Meanwhile, prepare the polenta. Use a 1:4 polenta to liquid ratio. Bring the chicken stock to a boil in a medium-sized sauce pan. Once boiling, whisk in the polenta. Whisk vigorously until the mixture begins to thicken -- this helps to ensure there is no clumping. Turn to low, cover, and simmer until the polenta is tender. Stir every 5 minutes while cooking, about 25-30 minutes altogether. Once smooth and tender, turn off the heat and mix in the butter and cheese. Add salt according to taste.
6. Serve the pork ragu on a bed of polenta and garnish with more grated parmesan cheese and a few leaves of fresh thyme.