crock pot pork ragu with gnocchi

I love my crock pot. It doesn't matter how many times I use it, I love it more and more. And more and more.  Pork ragu is so good, and so savory like a stew, but it's different enough to make dinner interesting.

Pork. This is a picnic roast, a shoulder. You can use a leg or shoulder, but the boston butt will be too fatty. You want something fairly lean.

Step 1 is smoked paprika, salt, pepper and minced onion. Also add full cloves of garlic.

Step 2, steakhouse seasoning.

Step 3, canned diced tomatoes, liquid smoke and a can of tomato paste. Low in the crock pot for 6-8 hours.

Oh. Hello.

Take some of the sauce out and mix together 2 tablespoons of cornstarch and pour back into the crock pot. Let cook and additional 30 minutes.

Now, take all the meat out.

Using a hand blender (or you can pour it into a blender) mix until it's fairly smooth. Not too smooth, but fairly smooth.

Keep cooking this while you cook the gnocchi.

Okay... I cheated!! I used packed gnocchi. You can make your own, but I didn't have the time. For packaged gnocchi, these are pretty tasty. Serve this and guess what... the leftover are even better!

Crock Pot Pork Ragu with Gnocchi
Thank you, Simply Delicious!
2 lbs pork shoulder or leg
1 large onion, chopped
1 15 oz canned diced tomatoes
1 6 oz canned tomato paste
4 garlic cloves, peeled and left whole
2 Tablespoons butchers or steakhouse rub
2 Tablespoons soy sauce
1 Tablespoons smoked paprika
1 Tablespoon sugar
2 Tablespoons cornstarch
Salt and pepper to taste
1 package refrigerator gnocchi

Trim any excess fat from the pork. Place into a large crock pot and top with onion, whole garlic cloves, rub, soy sauce, paprika, sugar and salt and pepper. Add in canned tomatoes and paste and stir to combine. Cook in the crock pot for 6-8 hours. Remove meat and bones from sauce. Take 1/2 cup of sauce and mix with cornstarch. Pour back into the pot and mix to combine. Using a hand blender, or place into a blender, pulse until smooth. Add back in meat and keep cooking on low while the gnocchi cook. Cook the gnocchi according to the package directions. When draining, make sure gnocchi are completely dry. Pour ragu over gnocchi and enjoy!