Homemade Pennsylvania Dutch Scrapple

Why you’ll love it

• Crispy outside, creamy inside: golden fried slices with a savory, sage-scented center.
• About $1.10 per serving: one inexpensive pork shoulder makes a whole loaf for 8.
• Make once, fry all week: the loaf keeps up to a week in the refrigerator and freezes well.

Quick facts

Ingredients

For the pork and broth

• 2 lb (900 g) bone-in pork shoulder (pork butt), or 1 1/2 lb (680 g) boneless, cut into 3 or 4 large chunks
• 8 cups (1.9 liters) water
• 1 medium onion, halved
• 2 bay leaves
• 1 tsp kosher salt

For the scrapple

• 6 cups (1.4 liters) of the pork broth (add water if you have less)
• 1 1/2 cups (210 g) fine or medium yellow cornmeal
• 1/2 cup (60 g) buckwheat flour (or all-purpose flour)
• 2 tsp kosher salt, plus more to taste
• 1 1/2 tsp dried rubbed sage
• 1 tsp dried thyme
• 1 tsp black pepper
• 1/4 tsp ground nutmeg
• 1/4 tsp cayenne pepper (optional)

For frying and serving

• 1/2 cup (65 g) all-purpose flour, for dredging
• 4 tbsp (55 g) butter, bacon drippings or vegetable oil, divided
• Maple syrup, apple butter, ketchup and fried eggs, for serving

Step-by-step method

1. Simmer the pork. Put the pork, water, onion, bay leaves and 1 tsp salt in a large pot. Bring to a boil over high heat and skim off the foam that rises to the top. Lower the heat and simmer, partly covered, for 2 to 2 1/4 hours, until the meat falls apart easily.

2. Strain the broth. Lift the pork onto a cutting board to cool slightly. Strain the broth into a large bowl, discarding the onion and bay leaves, and skim off most of the fat on the surface. Measure 6 cups (1.4 liters) of broth, adding water if needed.

3. Chop the meat. When the pork is cool enough to handle, discard the bone, skin, gristle and large pieces of fat. Chop the meat very finely with a knife, or pulse it in a food processor until finely minced but not pasty. You should have about 3 cups (450 g).

4. Make a smooth slurry. In a medium bowl, whisk the cornmeal and buckwheat flour with 2 cups (480 ml) of the broth until smooth; this keeps lumps from forming. Bring the remaining 4 cups (960 ml) of broth to a boil in a large heavy pot, then whisk in the cornmeal mixture.

5. Cook the mush. Add the 2 tsp salt, sage, thyme, pepper, nutmeg and cayenne. Reduce the heat to low and cook 25 to 30 minutes, stirring often with a long wooden spoon (it bubbles and sputters, so partly cover the pot), until very thick. Stir in the chopped pork and cook 5 minutes more. Taste and add more salt or sage if needed; it should taste well seasoned.

6. Mold and chill. Grease a 9×5-inch (23×13 cm) loaf pan and line it with plastic wrap, leaving some overhang. Pour in the hot mixture, smooth the top and let cool 30 minutes. Cover and refrigerate at least 8 hours or overnight, until completely firm.

7. Slice and dredge. Lift the loaf out of the pan using the plastic wrap and cut it into slices 1/2 inch (1.25 cm) thick. Dredge each slice lightly in flour and shake off the excess.

8. Fry until crisp. Heat 2 tbsp of the butter or drippings in a large cast iron skillet over medium heat. Fry the slices in batches, without crowding, 4 to 5 minutes per side, without moving them, until a deep golden brown crust forms. Add more fat between batches as needed.

9. Serve. Serve hot with maple syrup, apple butter or ketchup and a couple of fried eggs.

How to know it is done

The pork is ready when it shreds easily with a fork. The cornmeal mixture is done when it is very thick, like stiff polenta: a spoon stands up in it for a second and the mixture pulls away from the sides of the pot as you stir. After chilling, the loaf should be firm enough to slice cleanly. The fried slices are perfect when both sides have a deep golden brown, crisp crust and the center is steaming hot and creamy.

Tips for the best result

• Always mix the cornmeal with some cool broth first; dumping it straight into boiling broth makes lumps.
• Season the mush boldly; the flavor softens once the loaf is cold.
• Let the loaf chill overnight; slices from a loaf that is not fully set fall apart in the pan.
• Do not flip too soon: leave the slices alone until the crust releases easily from the skillet.
• A well-seasoned cast iron skillet gives the crispiest, most even crust.

Variations and substitutions

• Old-fashioned: replace 8 oz (225 g) of the pork with pork liver, adding it for the last 30 minutes of simmering, for the traditional rich flavor.
• Gluten-free: use buckwheat flour in the loaf and dredge the slices in cornmeal instead of wheat flour.
• Sausage-style: add 1/2 tsp crushed red pepper flakes and 1/2 tsp fennel seeds with the spices.
• Leftover pork: use 3 cups (450 g) finely chopped leftover pork roast and 6 cups (1.4 liters) low-sodium chicken broth; start at step 4.
• Baked slices: brush the floured slices with oil and bake on a parchment-lined sheet at 425°F (220°C) for 15 minutes per side.

Make ahead

Scrapple is made to be prepared ahead. Simmer the pork and make the loaf up to 1 week before you plan to fry it; keep it tightly wrapped in the refrigerator and slice off only what you need each morning. You can also cook the pork 1 day ahead and refrigerate the meat and broth separately; the fat will set on top of the broth and is easy to lift off before you continue.

Storage and reheating

Refrigerate the unsliced loaf, well wrapped, for up to 7 days. To freeze, cut it into slices, separate them with parchment paper and freeze in a freezer bag for up to 3 months; fry straight from frozen, adding about 2 minutes per side. Leftover fried slices keep 3 days in the refrigerator; reheat them in a dry skillet over medium heat or in a 375°F (190°C) oven for 8 to 10 minutes, until crisp and hot.