Pork Cream Sauce (Printable Version)

A thick and satisfying sauce made with pork, pancetta, milk, and herbs. No tomatoes, all flavor—ideal for your favorite pasta night.

# Ingredients:

→ Main Ingredients

01 - 1 cup whole milk
02 - 10 sprigs fresh thyme
03 - 2 sprigs fresh rosemary
04 - 1/4 tsp nutmeg
05 - 2-inch parmesan rind
06 - 4 oz pancetta, diced
07 - 2 cloves garlic, minced
08 - 2 stalks celery, diced
09 - 2 pounds ground pork
10 - 2 carrots, diced
11 - Salt, to taste
12 - 1 onion, diced
13 - 1 cup dry white wine
14 - 2 cups chicken broth
15 - 2 bay leaves

# Steps:

01 - Cook the diced pancetta in a large pot or Dutch oven over medium-high heat for about 5-10 minutes until it becomes golden and crispy. Scoop it out and set it aside.
02 - Turn the heat down to medium and toss in your diced onion, carrots, and celery. Keep stirring now and then, letting them cook for 10-15 minutes until they're nice and soft.
03 - Increase the heat to medium-high. Add the ground pork, tossing in the minced garlic too. Use a spatula to break the meat into little pieces and cook for 5-8 minutes. Sprinkle in just a bit of salt.
04 - Pour the white wine into the pot and give it a good stir to loosen up any browned bits stuck at the bottom. Let it cook for about 5 minutes so the wine reduces a little.
05 - Mix in the chicken stock, bay leaves, thyme, rosemary, nutmeg, and parmesan rind. Bring the mixture to a light simmer. Cover the pot, turn the heat to medium-low, and let it cook for an hour, stirring every now and then.
06 - Pour in the milk, cover up again, and let it cook for 45-60 minutes until the sauce is thickened. Leave it uncovered towards the end if you want a thicker sauce.
07 - Scoop off any extra fat floating on top. Stir the sauce, take a taste, and adjust the salt if needed.
08 - Mix into or serve over pasta like rigatoni, spaghetti, or pappardelle. Dig in and enjoy it!

# Notes:

01 - Try using ground veal or beef instead of ground pork for a slightly different twist.
02 - Keep leftovers in the fridge inside a sealed container for up to 3 days, or freeze it for up to 3 months.
03 - If you don’t have a parmesan rind, you can mix in ¼ cup of grated parmesan along with the milk.
04 - This sauce pairs beautifully with broader types of pasta that grab onto the creamy sauce.