scrapple reinvented: a new look at an old recipe

Those of you in the mid atlantic are very familiar with scrapple or pon hoss. I grew up making it with my family and butcherings and enjoyed it all my life. The method goes way back in Europe and was brought to the new world by the Dutch and German settlers of Pennsylvania. This is a good link to the history of pon hoss in Europe: https://whydyoueatthat.wordpress.com/2011/04/27/scrapple-its-final-european-history/

The old timers tell me that there is a difference between scrapple and pon hoss although most treat the 2 terms the same. According to those i have interviewed locally tell me that that pon hoss is make exclusively with the pork stock and corn meal, scrapple includes the meat. Others say the difference is what the thickener is, buckwheat which is the old school german thickener, and cornmeal which is the new world thickener. You will find many other interpretations in the interweb. There is even a 1970 publication that lists 2 separate recipes fro "panhaus" and scrapple.



Regardless of the differences between pon hoss and scrapple, I have been testing recipes for about 6 months in an attempt to create a new barbecue version of scrapple. As many of you know I am opening a new BBQ venture where I will be focusing on early american/virginian food traditions. My new creation will be on the menu if I can get it right. Now, for you scrapple traditionalist please exit now because what Im about to show you is not traditional. Consider your self warned and spare me the "that's not the way my momma made it" speech.

Traditionally during butcherings a large kettle (copper or cast iron) that contains water is heated and bones and other scraps are tossed in the kettle throughout the day to create the pork stock. The pork stock is the most important part of scrapple, without it you loose the flavor imparted by the bones. Since it is not feasible to create the stock like this in a restaurant setting I start with pork picnics. They are cheap (these were 0.94 cents a lb) and they contain sizable bones.



I then trim and season with my pork rub and smoke







After I reach about 165-170 I finish in the oven. I do this to capture the juice which I need for the stock.



I then pull the meat and transfer the juices to a large heavy bottom stock pot.



And add some more rub as well as some other goodies.



The stock will simmer for about 12 hours, then I strain the stock and return to the pot.



The next step is to grind the pork, everything is included, especially the bark



And that is added to the stock and simmered for 2 more hours





I then add the cornmeal



and then stir continuously and season to taste until I get the texture and taste I want.



Its then added to pans and refrigerated to set. the standard pans used are the small loaf pans (as seen in back). I prefer the 4x4x16 loaf pans because they make the perfect sandwich size slices



once chilled and set you get this



the 1/4" slices are then floured (some people do not flour the slices)and fried till crispy. there is an art to this step. If you don't let each side get crisp it will fall apart.



Here is where I am once again wandering off of the traditional scrapple path. Scrapple is traditionally eaten as a breakfast meat, it it is wonderful in that role. My rif of the classic breakfast food is more suited for a BBQ sandwich because of the smoked (not boiled) pork it contains. I choose to either serve in on white bread with onions or like this on a (Dutch) potato roll



perfectly crispy edges, soft middle and a smoky taste. The texture is familiar yet different. So, many of you are asking "why?" right about now. Well, for one I am not open in the morning. But mostly because I want to investigate old school foods and introduce them in a different way. Although I have not perfected it yet, I feel I am getting there. Please stop by and get you some in a few months!

Oh, I forgot about the kicker. Scrapple freezes well so it is possible to have a BBQ sandwich on any night of the week....

c farmer said:

Looks great. I have made a lot of scrapple in the big kettles.

But I feel scrapple need to have some organs in it.

You are right about cooking it, most want to flip it too soon.

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they say the only rule of scrapple is: don't ask what is in the scrapple. You are correct, my version omits the lips and a$$holes.

cowgirl said:

I add organ or scrap meat from butchering too. Last batch I made similar to Shenco's with pork butts but added store bought smoked sausage to the mix. Figured it was close to "mystery meat" as I was going to get at the time. :laugh:

Yours looks delicious Shenco! I do almost the same but add corn meal to thicken instead of corn starch. :thumb:

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Thanks cowgirl, I use corn meal as well, I need to go edit that. I'm famous for thinking one thing and communicating something else!

robbq said:

Really cool post, thanks. One thing I don't get - it went into the pans as liquid and solidified, I assume because of gelatin from the bones. Once you slice it and heat it up again I am surprised it holds together instead of melting. Either way, looks great, and I never had any idea how scrapple is made, so thanks.

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It's more of a pudding than a liquid, the flour or cornmeal being the binder. But you are correct, if not fryed properly it will fall apart. Some even bake it at high temps.

Swine Spectator said:

I'd try it. It seems like a distant cousin of head cheese (frommage du cochon).

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Similar ingredients. The pensylvania Dutch call head cheese "souse", which is a pickled version.

oifmarine2003 said:

I want to try it this year. We are butchering in a couple of weeks and I know Adam will give me crap if I don't make it this year.

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Great! Where I'm eventually going with this is a way to utilize the bones and scrap leftover from a whole hog cook. in the spirit of using everything scrapple bbq can be made from the remains of the bbq pig.