- Gather the ingredients.
Gather the ingredients.
- Cook the pork mixture.
In a large stockpot or Dutch oven add the pork, onion, garlic, bay leaves, peppercorns, and salt. Cover with enough water to submerge the meat. Bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce the heat to low and simmer until the meat is fork-tender, about 3 hours.
- Remove pork and set aside.
With a slotted spoon, remove the pork pieces to a large bowl and set aside.
- Strain the broth and discard solids.
Strain the broth through a fine-mesh strainer into a large bowl; discard the solids.
- Shred pork and refrigerate.
When the pork is cool enough to handle, shred it, discarding any bones. At this point, you may refrigerate the meat and broth in separate bowls and finish later or the next day.
- Prepare the pork broth.
Add 4 cups of the pork broth to a large saucepan. Add the sage, thyme, and oregano. Bring the broth to a boil; reduce the heat to low, and simmer for 5 minutes.
- Chop the herbs for flavor.
With a slotted spoon, remove the sage leaves and thyme to a cutting board. Chop the sage and remove the thyme leaves from the stems; set the herbs aside.
- Whisk cornmeal into broth.
Gradually whisk the cornmeal into the simmering broth. Bring the mixture to a boil. Reduce the heat to low and simmer until thickened, 12 to 15 minutes.
- Process the shredded pork finely.
Meanwhile, put the shredded pork in a food processor, in batches if necessary, and pulse until finely chopped. Alternatively, chop the pork by hand as finely as possible.
- Mix all ingredients together.
Combine the ground pork, cornmeal, reserved herbs, and pepper in a large bowl. Adjust the seasonings to taste.
- Chill the scrapple mixture.
Line a 9 x 5-inch loaf pan with parchment paper, leaving some overhang. Spoon the scrapple mixture into the pan, spreading and flattening it to form a loaf. Let cool, then cover and refrigerate until firm, 3 hours or more.
- Calories:250 kcal
- Protein:10 g
- Carbohydrates:250 mg
- Sugar:605 mg
- Salt:51 g
- Energy:1870 kJ
- Fat:58 g
Scrapple, a traditional Pennsylvania Dutch food, is typically made with pork scraps or parts you might otherwise discard, such as trotters, liver, or heart. Some recipes use the head of the animal. This version uses easy-to-find cuts of pork—a combination of pork butt and bone-in pork shanks, hocks, or rib tips. Tender, long-cooked pork is finely chopped in a food processor or meat grinder, and the cornmeal cooks in the savory herbed broth. The pork, cornmeal mixture, and seasonings come together to form a tasty loaf with a sausage-like flavor.
There are several steps and long cooking and chilling times, but preparation is not complicated. You may plan to make the scrapple in one day or divide it up and make it over two days. The cooked shredded pork and broth can be refrigerated in separate containers until the next day.
Cut the chilled loaf into 1/2 to 3/4-inch slices, dust with flour, and fry it up for a tasty breakfast or lunch. It’s a delicious protein to serve with eggs, hash browns, pancakes, or baked beans. Add a bit of ketchup or applesauce on the side, or drizzle the scrapple with maple syrup.
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Gather Ingredients
Gather the ingredients.
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Cook Pork and Vegetables
In a large stockpot or Dutch oven add the pork, onion, garlic, bay leaves, peppercorns, and salt. Cover with enough water to submerge the meat. Bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce the heat to low and simmer until the meat is fork-tender, about 3 hours.
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Remove Pork
With a slotted spoon, remove the pork pieces to a large bowl and set aside.
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Strain Broth
Strain the broth through a fine-mesh strainer into a large bowl; discard the solids.
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Shred Pork
When the pork is cool enough to handle, shred it, discarding any bones. At this point, you may refrigerate the meat and broth in separate bowls and finish later or the next day.
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Prepare Broth with Herbs
Add 4 cups of the pork broth to a large saucepan. Add the sage, thyme, and oregano. Bring the broth to a boil; reduce the heat to low, and simmer for 5 minutes.
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Chop Herbs
With a slotted spoon, remove the sage leaves and thyme to a cutting board. Chop the sage and remove the thyme leaves from the stems; set the herbs aside.
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Whisk Cornmeal
Gradually whisk the cornmeal into the simmering broth. Bring the mixture to a boil. Reduce the heat to low and simmer, stirring frequently until thickened, 12 to 15 minutes.
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Process Shredded Pork
Meanwhile, put the shredded pork in a food processor, in batches if necessary, and pulse until finely chopped. Alternatively, put it through a meat grinder fitted with a coarse disc, or chop the pork by hand as finely as possible.
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Mix Ingredients
Combine the ground pork, cornmeal, reserved herbs, and pepper in a large bowl. Adjust the seasonings to taste with salt and more pepper, if desired.
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Prepare Loaf Pan
Line a 9 x 5-inch or 8 1/2 x 4 1/2-inch loaf pan with parchment paper, leaving some overhang for easy removal later. Spoon the scrapple mixture into the pan, spreading and flattening it to form a loaf. Let cool, then cover and refrigerate until firm, 3 hours or more.
Fry the Scrapple
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Gather the scrapple and other ingredients.
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Heat 2 tablespoons of oil in a large, heavy-duty skillet.
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Remove the scrapple from the loaf pan by the parchment handles. Discard the parchment. Cut the scrapple into 1/2- to 3/4-inch thick crosswise slices. Dredge the slices in flour, if desired.
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Fry the scrapple, in batches if necessary, until crisp and golden brown, 3 to 4 minutes per side. Drain on a paper-towel-lined plate, and serve.
How to Store
- Refrigerate the scrapple loaf in a covered container for up to 4 days.
- To freeze, wrap the loaf (or individual slices) in plastic wrap and foil and put it in a resealable freezer bag labeled with the name and date. Freeze scrapple for up to 12 months. To reheat, defrost the scrapple enough to slice and fry as directed, until hot and golden brown.
Can you eat scrapple raw?
Whether homemade or store-bought, scrapple is fully cooked, but it tastes best when it’s fried until hot and crispy on the outside.
Is scrapple gluten-free?
This scrapple is gluten-free if you skip the flour coating, but always check the label on the cornmeal to be sure.
