Also, the addition of cornmeal makes scrapple more distinctly American. One significant difference is that scrapple does not include blood in the recipe. Scrapple is similar to European black puddings, so it’s easy to see the influence of the culinary customs German and Swiss immigrants brought with them. This group of immigrants formed a community in Pennsylvania and developed unique cultural practices, which combined influences from their European homeland with their new home. Part of that heritage is the Pennsylvania Dutch culinary tradition, which is responsible for all sorts of delicious foods, but perhaps no dish is more quintessentially Pennsylvanian than scrapple. The term comes from the German word for their native tongue: “ Deutsch.” The term Pennsylvania Dutch is a bit of a misnomer, since these settlers were not Dutch. Whether their country of origin was Germany or Switzerland, they spoke German as a shared language. The first Pennsylvania Dutch immigrated to Pennsylvania during the 17th and 18th centuries. Scrapple is a Pennsylvania Dutch creation that reflects the heritage of those early colonial settlers from Germany. Get yours now! The History of Pennsylvania Scrapple As we’ll see, though, there are many ways you can prepare and enjoy scrapple. Pouring the thickened mixture into loaf pans to cool results in the classic loaf shape that characterizes scrapple. At this stage, many people slice scrapple into half-inch slabs and lightly pan-fry it before serving. This mixture forms a slurry or mush that needs to cook for a long time until it thickens. We combine the minced meat with some stock and mix in buckwheat and cornmeal, the traditional combination of starches for Pennsylvania scrapple. Every scrapple chef puts their unique touch on the recipe with different spice combos, but salt and pepper are staples in nearly every recipe. Then, we separate the meat from the stock and process it until we achieve the perfect consistency. The meat simmers in water until it’s cooked through and tender. So, how do we make scrapple? We start with cuts of pork and offal. Clyde Weaver use the same recipe those immigrant farmers did, and people still love the results. Today, Pennsylvania Dutch companies like S. Some scrapple can also include onions and other flavor additions, but the above ingredients are the essentials in delicious Pennsylvania scrapple.įarmers originally made scrapple to avoid wasting the trimmings when they butchered a hog. The addition of flour or meal made the meat go further and added to the unique texture. Spices: Spices such as salt, pepper and various herbs season the scrapple.Stock: Pork stock is what helps bring together the various ingredients into one slurry.Flour: A coarse flour such as cornmeal, buckwheat or both is another main ingredient in scrapple.It is a mixture of organ meat and other trimmings from a butchered hog. Offal: Offal is another pork ingredient.Pork: One of the main ingredients is finely minced or ground pork, which can come from various cuts of pork.Traditional scrapple ingredients include the following. Looking at a slice of scrapple, you may wonder what’s in it. Shop Our Scrapple What Is Scrapple Made Of? Essentially a type of meat pudding, scrapple is usually made from finely minced ground pork meat and offal, spices and a course flour such as cornmeal or buckwheat. This dish has both Dutch and German origins, and it’s most popular in areas of Pennsylvania with Dutch and German roots.
But have you ever tried, or even heard of, scrapple?Īlso nicknamed “poor man’s bacon,” scrapple is a breakfast and brunch favorite in Lancaster County. When it comes to breakfast meats, you’re probably used to the classics: sausage and bacon. Combine that with a steaming cup of freshly brewed coffee, and your morning is off to a great start. There’s nothing like the sizzling sounds and mouthwatering smell of breakfast meat frying up in a pan.