Homemade Scrapple
Scrapple is a delicious dish hailing from the Pennsylvania Dutch. Made with pork trimmings, it's a cross between a large sausage and meatloaf. A good slice of scrapple is irresistibly crispy, flavorful and satisfying. Serve it for breakfast, lunch or dinner!
Servings: 12 servings
Calories: 308kcal
Ingredients
- 4 pounds pig trimmings knuckles/hocks, head, tails, shanks and/or feet
- 3 pounds pork shoulder or pork butt
- 1 large onion chopped
- 1 large carrot chopped
- 3 stalks celery chopped
- 4 large bay leaves
- 1 tablespoon black peppercorns
- 1 tablespoon juniper berries optional
- 3 heaping cups cornmeal
- 1 cup buckwheat flour or wheat flour (optional)
Seasonings
- 1 tablespoon salt or to taste
- 2 tablespoons black pepper freshly ground
- 2 tablespoons fresh sage chopped, or 2 teaspoons dried sage
- 1 teaspoon dried thyme
- 1/2 teaspoon cayenne or paprika
Instructions
- Add the pig knuckles and pork shoulder into an 8-quart pot and cover with cold water. Add the onion, carrot, celery, bay leaves, black peppercorns and optional juniper berries.
- Place the pot on high heat and bring to a boil, removing grey scum that appears on the surface using a skimmer or slotted spoon.
- Cover the pot and reduce the heat to low. Simmer for 3 hours or until the meat is starting to fall off the bone.
- Remove the pig knuckles and meat to a large cutting board. Use a fork to pick all the meat and skin off the bones. Discard the bones.
- Pour the rest of the pot contents through a mesh strainer and into a bowl. Discard the solids and reserve the liquid stock.
- Place the meat in a food processor and pulse several times until you reach a coarse consistency. (Alternatively, you can mince it yourself on a cutting board using a chef's knife.)
- Place the empty pot over medium-high heat. Add 4 quarts of stock along with the minced meat. Bring to a boil.
- Reduce the heat to medium-low and gradually add the cornmeal. Let the mixture bubble for 10 minutes until thickened, stirring continuously to achieve a thick pancake batter consistency. (You can add extra cornmeal or optional flour for extra thickening if desired, or add more water if it gets too thick.)
- Stir in all of the seasonings: salt, pepper, sage, thyme and cayenne. Taste the mixture and adjust the seasonings as needed.
- Pour the mixture into a terrine pan or small loaf pans lined with parchment to minimize sticking. Use a rigid spatula to pack the mixture in firmly to eliminate any air pockets.
- Cool uncovered until it reaches room temperature. Then cover with plastic wrap and chill overnight to firm up completely. Slice and fry to serve.
Notes
- How to Cook Scrapple: Ensure the scrapple has cooled completely and has ideally been refrigerated overnight to firm up. Cut into 3/4-inch thick slices using a sharp knife. Place a nonstick skillet over medium-high heat until hot. Add a teaspoon of canola oil to the pan followed by the slices. Fry until brown and crispy, about 3 to 4 minutes per side. Serve hot.
Nutrition
Serving: 4oz | Calories: 308kcal | Carbohydrates: 4g | Protein: 30g | Fat: 18g | Saturated Fat: 7g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 8g | Cholesterol: 108mg | Sodium: 789mg | Potassium: 539mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 1g | Vitamin A: 1102IU | Vitamin C: 2mg | Calcium: 47mg | Iron: 2mg | Net Carbs: 3g