Scrapple
The Pennsylvania Dutch breakfast: shredded simmered pork and cornmeal mush set in a loaf, then sliced and fried until crisp outside and soft inside.
How to Cook Scrapple
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Put the pork, onion, bay leaves and water in a large pot. Bring to the boil, skim off any scum, then simmer gently for 1 hour 30 minutes, until the pork is very tender.
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Lift out the pork and shred it finely with two forks. Strain the broth, measure out 1 litre and discard the onion and bay leaves.
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Whisk the cornmeal and flour with 250 ml of the cold broth to a smooth paste. Bring the remaining 750 ml of broth to a simmer in a large saucepan and whisk in the paste. Cook for 10 minutes, stirring constantly, until very thick.
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Stir in the shredded pork, salt, pepper, sage, nutmeg and cayenne. Reduce the heat to low, cover and cook for 15 minutes, stirring often.
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Line a 23 x 13 cm loaf tin with cling film and pour in the mixture, pressing it in firmly and smoothing the top. Cool for 30 minutes, then cover and refrigerate overnight until completely set.
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Turn out the loaf and cut it into slices 1.5 cm thick. Dust the slices with flour. Heat the oil in a large frying pan over medium-high heat and fry the slices in batches for 4 to 5 minutes on each side, until crisp and deep brown. Serve with fried eggs, apple butter and maple syrup.
What Can Go Wrong
- Whisk the cornmeal into cold broth first. Sprinkled straight into hot liquid it forms lumps that never dissolve.
- Stir the mush constantly while it thickens and keep the heat low once the pork goes in. Cornmeal mush spits and sticks to the base of the pan.
- Fry the slices in plenty of hot fat and turn them only once. Moving them tears the crust, and a hot pan gives the crisp edge that is the whole point.
About This Recipe
Scrapple is a breakfast meat of Pennsylvania, Delaware and Maryland, and it belongs to the cooking of the Pennsylvania Dutch, the German-speaking settlers who came to the region in the eighteenth century. They were farmers who used every part of the pig when it was killed, and scrapple was the way of using the trimmings and the cooking broth, mixed with cornmeal, spiced, set in a loaf tin and sliced. The German name is panhaas. The mixture is a kind of firm, savoury polenta that is full of shredded pork, and it is seasoned with sage, black pepper and a little nutmeg or cayenne. Once it is cold it can be cut into slices, dusted with flour and fried in a pan until it has a very crisp brown crust, and inside it is soft and creamy, in a mixture of meat and cornmeal. It is served with fried eggs, and with apple butter, maple syrup or ketchup, according to the household. The traditional version uses offal and other parts that are hard to find now, and this one is made with pork shoulder, which gives the same rich flavour with easily bought ingredients. It sets overnight in the fridge, so it is a project for the day before, but it is not difficult, and it keeps well for the days ahead. The frying is the last step, and it should be done in a hot pan with plenty of fat.
On the Table Alongside
Fried eggs · Apple butter · Maple syrup
Leftovers
The unfried loaf keeps in the fridge for up to 5 days. Fried slices are best hot. The sliced loaf freezes for 3 months.
Common Questions
How long does Scrapple take to make?
About 2 hours 40 minutes of hands-on work — 30 minutes of preparation and 2 hours 10 minutes of cooking — plus 8 hours of Setting overnight, so allow 10 hours 40 minutes from start to finish. The recipe serves 8.
What are the key tips for making Scrapple?
Whisk the cornmeal into cold broth first. Sprinkled straight into hot liquid it forms lumps that never dissolve. Stir the mush constantly while it thickens and keep the heat low once the pork goes in. Cornmeal mush spits and sticks to the base of the pan. Fry the slices in plenty of hot fat and turn them only once. Moving them tears the crust, and a hot pan gives the crisp edge that is the whole point.
What should I serve with Scrapple?
Fried eggs; Apple butter; Maple syrup.
Can Scrapple be made ahead or frozen?
The unfried loaf keeps in the fridge for up to 5 days. Fried slices are best hot. The sliced loaf freezes for 3 months.
Is Scrapple suitable for a special diet?
This recipe is dairy-free. Those labels are checked against the ingredient list, so a dish is only marked when nothing in it contradicts the claim.
How many calories are in Scrapple?
About 265 kcal per serving, with 13 g protein, 24 g carbohydrate and 13 g fat. The figures are calculated from the ingredient list and are an estimate.
Scrapple Nutrition Facts
Per serving, calculated from the ingredient list. Treat these as an estimate — brands and cuts vary.
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Written and tested by Turab
One person, one kitchen — no test kitchen, no team. How every recipe on this site is checked before it goes up.
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