What Makes Cincinnati Scrapple Different From Philadelphia Scrapple - The Daily Meal (2024)

What Makes Cincinnati Scrapple Different From Philadelphia Scrapple - The Daily Meal (1)

Cory Woodruff/Shutterstock

The phrase "how the sausage gets made" sure has a negative connotation for such a delicious result. Sausage takes many forms — among them include hotdogs, bratwurst, salami, breakfast sausage patties, and even (arguably) pâtés — but no matter the shape, sausages ensure we preserve and use as much of the animal as possible. Since the word sausage can mean different things to different people, it's probably no surprise that there are forms of this food most of us haven't encountered before.

In Philadelphia and the greater Mid-Atlantic, scrapple is one of those unique and unheralded forms of sausage. It's earned a reputation of being made out of "everything but the oink," per The Philadelphia Inquirer. But while the name's origin isn't clear, the connection between those scraps of meat and "scrapple" is certainly plausible, especially when it comes to the different takes U.S. cities Cincinnati and Philadelphia respectively have on the dish.

A scrapple a day keeps boring breakfast away

What Makes Cincinnati Scrapple Different From Philadelphia Scrapple - The Daily Meal (2)

Robert Hale/Shutterstock

Philadelphia's German settlers didn't waste an ounce of their pork and scrapple was a big part of that frugality. After cutting off the bacon, the pork chops, the ham, and the shoulder, there's still a lot of pig remaining. Those meat odds and ends are called "offal," according to Sand & Succotash. The term is used as a catchall for skin, organs, the head, and feet, and anything that's left after butchering off the muscle. Using offal to make sausage or other delicacies is a culinary tradition practiced around the world (perThe Guardian).

According to Penn State's WPSU, Philadelphia scrapple is that offal being simmered till tender. You're left with a rich pork broth and all of those meaty bits. Those bits are strained out, ground (or chopped), seasoned, and added back to the broth that's been thickened with cornmeal. The cornmeal binds this sausage into a cohesive porridge that gets poured into a loaf pan and cooled. Now, you can lop off a slice, fry it till crispy, and you're well on your way to a hearty City of Brotherly Love breakfast. That golden crust hides an unctuous, soft interior that's supremely meaty. The blog,What is Scrapple!,identifies that the most common ways to adorn this are with ketchup or maple syrup.

Scrapple in Cincinnati? Goetta load of this

What Makes Cincinnati Scrapple Different From Philadelphia Scrapple - The Daily Meal (3)

DnDavis/Shutterstock

Cincinnatian settlers were just as frugal as Philly's. In Cincinnati, it's goetta (pronounced, GET-uh per Merriam-Webster) that squeezes every ounce of pork from a pig. The Northern Kentucky Tribune explains that German immigrants brought oat-based Gruetzwurst to Cincinnati. It's made the same way as scrapple but instead of cornmeal, they use oats to bind their "goetta."

Goetta can be served just like scrapple, but OhioMagazine.com reveals that goetta's crumblier texture is perfect for being fried into crispy bits that find their way onto nachos, pizza, and just about anything else. The people of Porkopolis love their goetta so much that the local favorite, Glier's Goetta, has started Goettafest. It's a two-weekend affair celebrating all of the ways you can use this specialty.

Can't make a trip to scrapple or goetta country? There's no shortage of mail-order options. Don't eat pork? That's not a problem either. Beef and poultry versions have become common. Plant Power Couple even offers a way to make your own vegan scrapple from walnuts.

Recommended

What Makes Cincinnati Scrapple Different From Philadelphia Scrapple - The Daily Meal (2024)

FAQs

What Makes Cincinnati Scrapple Different From Philadelphia Scrapple - The Daily Meal? ›

Cincinnati-style scrapple is called goetta, which is made the same way as Philadelphia scrapple, but it uses oats as a binder in the broth instead of cornmeal.

What is the Cincinnati version of scrapple? ›

Technically goetta is a type of scrapple, though scrapple has become associated with Germans who settled in Pennsylvania, while goetta is associated with Germans who settled in Cincinnati. Both dishes were created as a way to use up scraps of meat, especially the offal, and are traditionally pan fried.

What's the difference between goetta and scrapple? ›

The main difference between scrapple and goetta lies in their primary ingredients. Scrapple is made with pork scraps and cornmeal, while goetta is made with ground meat and steel-cut oats.

What do they call scrapple in Ohio? ›

The first time anyone told me about goetta after I moved to Cincinnati, they said it was "sort of like scrapple, except with oats instead of cornmeal." "Oh, OK," I thought, because I'd heard of scrapple and knew what it was: cornmeal and meat scraps. I have since repeated this to Cincinnati newcomers. "Yeah, goetta.

What is Philadelphia scrapple? ›

Scrapple, which came to the Philadelphia region from Germany, is a loaf of cooked pig parts thickened with cornmeal or buckwheat usually spiced with sage and pepper. Once cooled, the loaf is sliced, fried, and served as a breakfast side dish, often with syrup.

What is the southern version of scrapple? ›

In the South, scrapple is often called livermush.

What parts of the pig are in scrapple? ›

Scrapple is typically made of hog offal, such as the head, heart, liver, and other trimmings, which are boiled with any bones attached (often the entire head), to make a broth. Once cooked, bones and fat are removed, the meat is reserved, and (dry) cornmeal is boiled in the broth to make a mush.

Do Amish eat scrapple? ›

Scrapple originates from the frugal notion of wasting nothing in the kitchen. Made from pork offcuts and cornmeal, this dish is an embodiment of resourcefulness. It's a traditional breakfast staple in many Amish households.

Is scrapple good for you? ›

Scrapple can compose an important part of any diet, but should not be the only source of vitamins, minerals, and protein. Moderation and Balance: Enjoying scrapple as an occasional treat within a well-balanced diet is key.

What is the scrapple capital of the world? ›

Delaware is the undisputed capital of scrapple, a poor man's dish made from pork scraps.

Is spam a scrapple? ›

What sets SPAM® apart from other products that are made from chopped meats that are cooked and pressed together (we're thinking about scrapple): Spam is made from pork shoulder and pork ham, with no other scraps from the hog. Pork shoulder is considered a high-quality cut of pork today, although in 1937, it was not.

What part of the pig is souse meat? ›

Souse features meat from various parts of the pig, including the feet, the head, the ears, and the tail. However, various parts from cows and chickens can also be used.

What is the original scrapple? ›

This dish has both Dutch and German origins, and it's most popular in areas of Pennsylvania with Dutch and German roots. Essentially a type of meat pudding, scrapple is usually made from finely minced ground pork meat and offal, spices, and coarse flour such as cornmeal or buckwheat.

What is scrapple called in kentucky? ›

The scrapple universe is large. In Cincinnati (and Northern Kentucky) there's goetta, made with oats instead of cornmeal. In the Carolinas, there's livermush (and liver pudding).

What is similar to scrapple? ›

Both scrapple and pudding are made from a mixture of pork, pork skins, pork livers, and seasonings. The main difference is that scrapple also has cornmeal and buckwheat flour added to this mixture. The cornmeal and buckwheat flour (both gluten free) help bind the various ingredients together.

What is another name for scrapple? ›

Synonyms for Scrapple
  • head cheese.
  • roast.
  • ponhaws. n.
  • goetta.
  • livermush.
  • jelly. n.
  • boiled meat.
  • forcemeat.

Is goetta a Cincinnati thing? ›

Goetta gets its origin from the German immigrants who settled in what is now the Over-the-Rhine neighborhood of Cincinnati. In order to stretch their food dollar, they used the scraps from local butchers and hog slaughterhouses to make a satisfying, inexpensive dish.

Top Articles
Latest Posts
Article information

Author: Stevie Stamm

Last Updated:

Views: 5892

Rating: 5 / 5 (60 voted)

Reviews: 83% of readers found this page helpful

Author information

Name: Stevie Stamm

Birthday: 1996-06-22

Address: Apt. 419 4200 Sipes Estate, East Delmerview, WY 05617

Phone: +342332224300

Job: Future Advertising Analyst

Hobby: Leather crafting, Puzzles, Leather crafting, scrapbook, Urban exploration, Cabaret, Skateboarding

Introduction: My name is Stevie Stamm, I am a colorful, sparkling, splendid, vast, open, hilarious, tender person who loves writing and wants to share my knowledge and understanding with you.