Scrapple
Ingredients
- 12 cups water
- 2 pounds pork hocks (~3 n/a ham hocks)
- 2 pounds pork shoulder – cut into 2-inch chunks (~3 n/a pork shoulders)
- 1 large onion – quartered
- 2 leaves bay
- 1 teaspoon black peppercorns
- 1/2 pounds pork liver – cut into chunks (~0.5 large pork livers)
- 1 1/2 cups yellow cornmeal
- 3/4 cups buckwheat flour
- 2 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt
- 1 teaspoon ground black pepper
- 1 1/2 teaspoons ground sage
- 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
- 1/4 teaspoon ground white pepper
- 3 tablespoons lard
- apple butter – for serving
- maple syrup – for serving
Instructions
- 1.
Combine the water, pork hocks, pork shoulder, onion, bay leaves, and black peppercorns in a large pot. Bring to a boil over high heat, skim foam, then reduce to a gentle simmer and cook until the shoulder is very tender and the hocks loosen from the bone, 2–2.5 hours.
- 2.
Add the pork liver to the pot and simmer until just cooked through and firm, 15–20 minutes.
- 3.
Lift all meats out to cool slightly. Strain the broth through a fine-mesh sieve and return 6 cups of strained broth to a clean pot (top up to 6 cups with additional liquid if needed). Bring to a bare simmer over medium heat.
- 4.
Finely chop all the cooked meats and skin, discarding bones and any tough gristle. Aim for a fine, even mince; do not puree.
- 5.
Season the simmering broth with the kosher salt, ground black pepper, ground sage, dried thyme, and ground white pepper. While whisking, rain in the yellow cornmeal and buckwheat flour. Reduce heat to low and cook, stirring frequently with a sturdy spoon, until very thick and bubbling like lava, 20–25 minutes.
- 6.
Stir in the chopped meats and continue cooking, stirring often, until uniformly thick and a spoon stands upright in the pot, 10–15 minutes. Taste and adjust seasoning as needed.
- 7.
Line two 8.5-by-4.5-inch loaf pans with parchment, leaving overhang. Scrape the hot mixture into the pans, press to eliminate air pockets, and smooth the tops. Cool at room temperature 1 hour, then cover and refrigerate until fully set, at least 8 hours or overnight.
- 8.
To serve, unmold a loaf and cut into 0.5-inch slices.
- 9.
Heat the lard in a large skillet over medium heat. Fry slices in batches, turning once, until deeply browned and crisp on both sides, 3–5 minutes per side. Drain briefly on paper towels.
- 10.
Serve hot with apple butter or maple syrup, if using.
Scrapple is a Mid-Atlantic breakfast staple with a crisp, deeply browned crust and a tender, custardy interior. Savory pork, warm sage, and the gentle nuttiness of buckwheat meld into a sliceable loaf that fries up beautifully. It’s hearty, comforting, and versatile on the plate, pairing just as well with eggs as with a drizzle of something sweet.
Its roots trace to Pennsylvania Dutch cookery and older German traditions of panhas, where thrifty cooks transformed broth, grains, and pork trimmings into sustaining food. In the 18th and 19th centuries it took hold in the Delaware Valley, where butchers and farm kitchens made loaves after hog butchering. Today it remains a beloved regional specialty in Pennsylvania, Delaware, Maryland, and New Jersey, served at diners, markets, and home tables alike.