Ragù di Cinghiale

Ragù di cinghiale—wild boar ragù—is Tuscany's most emblematic pasta sauce, a slow-braised, wine-dark, intensely flavoured meat sauce that captures the rugged character of the Maremma woodlands and the Chianti hills where wild boar roam in abundance. The boar (cinghiale) is one of Tuscany's defining ingredients: wild populations thrive in the region's forests and macchia, and hunting them during the autumn season is a cultural tradition woven into the fabric of rural Tuscan life. The ragù follows a slow-cooking logic similar to Bolognese ragù but with a distinctly Tuscan character: the wild boar meat (shoulder or leg, coarsely ground or hand-chopped) is first marinated overnight in red wine (Chianti or Sangiovese) with rosemary, bay leaves, juniper berries, garlic, and black peppercorns—a step that tames the meat's gamey intensity while infusing it with aromatic depth. The marinated meat is browned in olive oil, the strained marinade vegetables are softened, and the reserved wine is added. Tomato (San Marzano or passata) joins the pot, and the ragù simmers for 2-3 hours at the gentlest possible heat, the meat gradually breaking down into tender shreds while the sauce concentrates into a dark, rich, deeply flavoured reduction. The final ragù should be thick, meaty, and aromatic—with a hint of juniper and rosemary threading through the wine-dark sauce. It is traditionally served with pappardelle (wide egg noodles whose broad surface catches and holds the chunky sauce) or pici, accompanied by grated pecorino toscano. The ragù improves over 2-3 days in the refrigerator, making it ideal for advance preparation.