Show Fried scrapple and baked scrapple are both great ways to prepare this traditional German dish. Image Credit: Akchamczuk/iStock/GettyImages In This Article
Scrapple is a traditional German dish, and it's a favorite in many Pennsylvania Dutch communities and in areas of the south. Although you can purchase packaged scrapple for slicing and baking or frying, making your own scrapple from scratch allows you to use up excess pork meat and include the seasonings you prefer. Scrapple recipes can vary quite a bit, but most involve three main ingredients: pork, flours and spices. The dish tastes something like breakfast sausage because it has a soft interior and crispy exterior. What Is Scrapple?Scrapple originated in Pennsylvania and is one of an array of dishes that arose from the frugal attempts of residents to use more parts of the pig. It dates back to the time when many Germans immigrated to the area, and has long been a part of the local culture. In fact, the _Philadelphia Inquirer_ referred to the state as "Scrapple Paradise" in 1890, according to Pennsylvania State University (PSU). This dish consists of pork meat that is mixed with flour and cooked in stock until it thickens. It's then allowed to cool and set until it becomes stiff. Scrapple is then traditionally fried in a skillet or baked in the oven until crispy. Traditionally, scrapple meat is made of the parts of the pig left behind after the standard parts are removed to make hams and chops. Parts such as the jowls, kidneys and liver are boiled in water to extract natural gelatin and flavor. The meat is removed, minced and then returned to the broth, where it's flavored with spices like sage, thyme and marjoram. Pennsylvanians use more than one type of flour for scrapple ingredients. It's common to combine buckwheat with wheat flour or cornmeal. Today, manufacturers in the mid-Atlantic states make beef and turkey versions of scrapple. Recipes for nut and vegetarian versions are available as well, according to PSU. How to Make ScrappleThe scrapple recipe below is adapted from Utah State University. You can enhance this recipe by adding any spices that you like. Try traditional scrapple ingredients like dried thyme and sage.
Instructions
Once cool, you can bake or fry scrapple before eating it. How to Fry ScrappleFrying scrapple is a great way to cook it. It doesn't take long, and you can season it even further to your liking. Many people like to add a light batter to scrapple before frying it by dusting the slices in some flour mixed with salt and pepper. To make fried scrapple, slice it into 1/4-inch slices and coat the slices with some flour, salt and pepper. Then, fry the sliced scrapple over medium heat in an oiled frying pan for 3 to 5 minutes on each side, or until browned to your liking. You can serve fried scrapple with condiments like maple syrup or ketchup. How to Bake ScrappleBaked scrapple is another way to cook it that requires little effort. This method takes longer than frying scrapple, but you don't use a lot of extra oil during cooking, which may be ideal if you're trying to cut back on fat. To bake scrapple, simply:
TipTry it as a scrapple sandwich, serve it plain or pour a little syrup or molasses over the top and serve with veggies to enjoy scrapple the traditional way. How do you know when scrapple is done cooking?To cook scrapple, start by slicing it into ¼ inch slices. Then, dip them in flour and season with salt and pepper. Once you've coated the scrapple slices, heat 1 tablespoon of butter in a skillet or deep frying pan. Fry the slices for 3 minutes on each side or until they're brown and crispy.
Can scrapple be undercooked?You can technically eat scrapple raw
By the time it hits the pan, scrapple is fully cooked. You could eat that stuff "raw," like dumping SPAM out on a plate directly from the can (mmmm!!!!!!!!!!). But we like it best when it's nice and crispy.
How long does it take for scrapple to cook?Place your scrapple slices on a parchment lined baking sheet. Be sure to leave space in between each slice on the sheet. Bake for 30 to 40 minutes, depending how crispy you like your scrapple to be. You can flip halfway through to ensure even cooking, but that is not absolutely necessary.
How do you cook store bought scrapple?Pre-heat pan with butter or oil until very hot or the scrapple will fall apart in the pan. Fry in a buttered or frying pan until browned on each side. (At least five minutes per side or it will fall apart.)
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