Pennsylvania Dutch Scrapple

Ingredients

Equipment Needed

• •Large stockpot (6-quart minimum)
• •Meat grinder or food processor
• •Two 9x5-inch loaf pans
• •12-inch cast iron skillet
• •Fine-mesh strainer
• •Long wooden spoon

Instructions

1. 1

   Simmer the pork

   Place the pork shoulder in a large stockpot with the cold water. The water should cover the meat by at least two inches. Add the quartered onion, whole cloves, bay leaves, peppercorns, and one tablespoon of salt. Bring to a gentle simmer over medium heat, skimming any gray foam that rises to the surface during the first fifteen minutes.

   German farmwives used every part of the pig. The shoulder gives you the silky fat and collagen that makes scrapple luxurious. Don't shy away from a fatty cut.
2. 2

   Cook until tender

   Reduce heat to maintain lazy bubbles, just a few rising every few seconds. Simmer uncovered for one and a half hours, then add the pork liver. Continue simmering until both meats are completely tender and falling apart, another forty-five minutes to an hour. The shoulder should offer no resistance when pierced with a fork.

3. 3

   Strain and reserve broth

   Transfer the meats to a large bowl using a slotted spoon. Strain the cooking liquid through a fine-mesh strainer into a clean pot, discarding the onion and aromatics. You need six cups of this porky broth. If you have more, simmer it uncovered until reduced. If less, add water to reach six cups. Keep the broth warm over low heat.

   This broth is liquid gold, rich with gelatin from the shoulder bone. It gives scrapple its silky texture when set. Taste it. It should be deeply porky and well-seasoned.
4. 4

   Grind the meat

   Remove and discard any bones, cartilage, or large pieces of gristle from the cooked meats. While still warm, pass the pork shoulder and liver through the fine plate of a meat grinder. Alternatively, pulse in a food processor until you achieve a coarse but spreadable texture. You're not making pâté. Some texture is welcome.

5. 5

   Prepare the cornmeal

   In a large bowl, whisk together the cornmeal and buckwheat flour. Add one cup of cold water and stir until you have a thick slurry with no dry pockets. This step prevents lumps when the meal hits hot broth. The mixture will look like wet sand.

6. 6

   Cook the mush

   Bring the reserved broth to a steady simmer. While whisking constantly, pour the cornmeal slurry into the simmering broth in a thin stream. The mixture will seize and thicken almost immediately. Reduce heat to low and switch to a wooden spoon. Cook, stirring frequently and scraping the bottom, for fifteen minutes. The mush will bubble and spit like a mud pot. Stand back and keep stirring.

   A long-handled wooden spoon protects your knuckles from the volcanic bubbles. This is aggressive cooking. The cornmeal must cook through completely or your scrapple will taste raw and gritty.
7. 7

   Combine and season

   Remove the pot from heat. Stir in the ground meat mixture until thoroughly combined. Add the sage, thyme, allspice, ground cloves, cayenne, and black pepper. Mix well. Taste this mixture now, while it's warm. Season aggressively with additional salt. Remember that you'll be eating this cold and fried. It needs to taste almost too salty at this stage.

8. 8

   Mold the loaves

   Line two 9x5-inch loaf pans with plastic wrap, leaving generous overhang on all sides. Divide the hot scrapple mixture evenly between the pans, pressing firmly to eliminate air pockets. Smooth the tops with a wet spatula. Fold the plastic wrap over to cover completely. The mixture will still be warm and porridge-like.

9. 9

   Chill until firm

   Refrigerate the loaves for at least eight hours, preferably overnight. The gelatin from the pork broth will set the scrapple into a firm, sliceable loaf. When properly chilled, it should feel solid throughout and release cleanly from the pan when inverted.

10. 10

    Slice for frying

    Unmold a chilled scrapple loaf onto a cutting board. Using a sharp knife, cut slices between one-quarter and one-half inch thick. Thinner slices crisp more completely. Thicker slices retain more creamy interior. Both are correct. This is a matter of family tradition and personal conviction.

    If slices crumble, your scrapple needs more chilling time. Return to the refrigerator for another few hours. Patience is a virtue in scrapple making.
11. 11

    Fry until crisp

    Heat a cast iron skillet over medium heat. Add enough bacon fat or butter to coat the bottom generously, about two tablespoons. When the fat shimmers, lay scrapple slices in a single layer without crowding. Fry undisturbed for four to five minutes until the bottom develops a dark, crackling crust. Flip carefully using a thin spatula and fry the second side another three to four minutes. The exterior should shatter when you press it with the spatula.

12. 12

    Serve immediately

    Transfer fried scrapple to a warm plate. The contrast between the shattering crust and creamy interior fades quickly, so serve immediately alongside eggs, toast, and whatever condiments your family demands. Apple butter is traditional. Maple syrup has its partisans. Ketchup is tolerated in some households. I take mine plain.

Chef Tips

• •Ask your butcher for pork shoulder with the bone in. The bone releases gelatin into the cooking liquid, which is what gives scrapple its smooth, sliceable texture. Boneless shoulder works but produces a slightly less cohesive loaf.
• •Stone-ground cornmeal from a local mill makes a difference you can taste. Commercial degerminated cornmeal lacks the corn oil that gives old-fashioned scrapple its rich, almost nutty quality. Seek out the good stuff at farmers markets or order from Pennsylvania Dutch country.
• •The liver is traditional and adds depth. If the flavor concerns you, reduce it to half a pound. Purists will shake their heads, but it's your breakfast.
• •Bacon fat is the proper frying medium. It reinforces the pork flavor and promotes an honest crust. Butter works beautifully too. Vegetable oil will fry scrapple adequately but adds nothing. Why settle for adequate?
• •Leftover scrapple freezes well. Wrap individual slices in wax paper, then seal in a freezer bag. Fry directly from frozen, adding a minute or two per side.

Advance Preparation

• •Scrapple must be made at least one day ahead. The loaves need a full eight hours of refrigeration to set properly. This is not optional.
• •Chilled loaves keep refrigerated for up to two weeks, tightly wrapped. The flavor actually improves after a few days as the spices meld.
• •Unsliced loaves freeze beautifully for up to three months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator before slicing and frying.
• •You can slice and arrange portions on a sheet pan the night before a big breakfast. Cover tightly and refrigerate. The slices fry perfectly from cold.

Frequently Asked Questions

Nutrition Information

1 serving (about 65g)