Unless you live in, or visit, the Pennsylvania area, or the surrounding Mid-Atlantic states, you might not be familiar with this popular dish, which is commonly consumed at breakfast. It's essentially a mush of fried pork scraps with cornmeal, buckwheat flour and spices, although plenty of variations exist. During the 17th and 18th centuries, German settlers in Pennsylvania created this dish, a way to use left-over pork scraps they might not otherwise use, to avoid waste. When butchering a pig, they wanted to use every available bit, to maximum the value of that whole pig.
The term "scrapple" is derived from "scraps," a rather descriptive term for its use of pork scraps. The dish has its origins to the German dish "panhas," meaning "pan-rabbit" or "pan-meal." However, panhas didn't include the use of corn-meal as does scrapple. And although scrapple was created during the 17th and 18th centuries, the term itself seems to have first surfaced in Pennsylvania in the 1840s.
And FYI, National Scrapple Day is celebrated on November 9, and this holiday extends back at least to 2011.
For some, scrapple doesn't sound appetizing because of its use of pig organ meat or the pig's head. However, that's a psychological block which prevents you from enjoying the dish. As the meat is so finely chopped, and mixed with corn-meal/flour, you'd never know what type of pork was used, similar to what you might find in a sausage. Get past your thoughts and take a taste, and you might be very surprised that you actually enjoy it.
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I recently enjoyed some fried scrapple, pictured at the top of this article, which was made by Peter Bryant*, one of my friends from Maryland. He has his own special recipe, and brought me a couple pieces when he recently visited the Boston+ area. I've enjoyed scrapple before, usually when traveling as it's not commonly found in the Boston area, but it has been some time since I've eaten it. I took it home and fried up some slices, and was impressed with Peter's scrapple. The frying created a nice, crispy exterior, that contrasted well with its tasty, well-seasoned and slightly mushy interior. It would remind you in some ways to a sausage patty, but with its own unique textural elements.
It certainly made for an excellent breakfast dish, although it could also be eaten for lunch or dinner. At breakfast, you could cover it with a fried egg, or even make a breakfast sandwich with it, instead of using the usual bacon or sausage. For lunch or dinner, you could make a sandwich with it, topping it with your choice of condiments, veggies, or more. You could cover it with teriyaki sauce and place it atop a bowl of white rice. Just use your creativity!
Later in this article, I'll provide you Peter's recipe, so you can try to make scrapple at home.
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You might be surprised to know that scrapple was known in Massachusetts at least as far back as the mid-19th century. So, let's take a look at that early history, as well as see some of the recipes that were presented in these early Massachusetts newspapers. Maybe some of your Massachusetts ancestors even made their own scrapple.
The earliest Massachusetts newspaper reference I found to scrapple was from 1848. The Vox Populi, December 29, 1848, briefly noted, "With a pretty assortment of scrapple, butter and other greasy delicacies, Sylvanus Wilson came from his rural home in Chester county, and arrived in this virtuous city of Philadelphia on yesterday morning." This only referenced scrapple in Pennsylvania, but may hav intrigued readers in Massachusetts who wanted to know what it might be.
The Hampshire Gazette & Northampton Courier, August 19, 1862, presented an article on Rearing and Fattening Hogs by Gates Henry of Pennsylvania. It mentioned, "The way in which to realize the most money out of the hog meat is to cut every available scrap into sausage meat, and boil the rest into scrapple (curing only the hams), and selling it while fresh, and the sooner the better, as both sausage and scrapple command a higher price early in the winter than at any other season." Again, this is only a reference to Pennsylvania, although it's interesting to see that its price depended on the season.
The Massachusetts Ploughman, December 26, 1863, also noted a Pennsylvania article on killing and cutting up hogs. The article stated that in cutting up a pig's head, "skin the snout--and take off the flesh for scrapple and throw the nasal organs away."
The first article mentioning that scrapple was available in Massachusetts was from 1864. The Salem Register, January 25, 1864, printed an advertisement for the Essex Market, which sold a variety of meats and vegetables, including "Scrapple" which is "partially cooked and a portion of the fat extracted." Who was eating scrapple at that time? Were they eating it for breakfast?
A scrapple recipe! The New England Farmer, March 31, 1866, presented the first scrapple recipe in a Massachusetts newspaper. It was in a letter submitted from a reader in Vermont, who seemed familiar with Pennsylvania. The reader begins, "But I wonder if she ever heard of anything called Scrapple. If not, I conclude she is not a Pennsylvanian." For the recipe, it states, "I take the upper half of a hog's head, upper joints of the legs, and the bloody pieces about the neck where the hog is struck, and all the rinds that come off the meat, and boil them until I can remove the bones easily."
The Hampshire Gazette & Northampton Courier, August 19, 1862, presented an article on Rearing and Fattening Hogs by Gates Henry of Pennsylvania. It mentioned, "The way in which to realize the most money out of the hog meat is to cut every available scrap into sausage meat, and boil the rest into scrapple (curing only the hams), and selling it while fresh, and the sooner the better, as both sausage and scrapple command a higher price early in the winter than at any other season." Again, this is only a reference to Pennsylvania, although it's interesting to see that its price depended on the season.
The Massachusetts Ploughman, December 26, 1863, also noted a Pennsylvania article on killing and cutting up hogs. The article stated that in cutting up a pig's head, "skin the snout--and take off the flesh for scrapple and throw the nasal organs away."
The meat will eventually be seasoned with salt, pepper and sage. Later, you will add 2 handfuls of sifted wheat flour and 1 handful of Indian meal. Once done, it's placed into tin pans to cool, and 24 hours later, you can cut it into half-inch slices and fry it up. "It is very handy for breakfast these cold mornings..."
A week later, the Springfield Daily Republican, February 8, 1872, discussed a man in New York talking about the amount he paid for food each week. His wife allotted 45 cents for breakfast, and the man stated, "Could I do it for less eating scrapple? I know what it is; it's an old Pennsylvania dish, and my wife's folks come from Bucks county. Don't think we would like it every day of the week." He also noted that one of his daughters is delicate so "must not eat greasy food."
The Boston Semi-Weekly Advertiser, February 9, 1872, referenced an article in the New York Times which gave advice on managing a limited income, and it noted that scrapple was a cheap dish.
Scrapple in the Arctic? The New England Farmer, April 5, 1884, reported on the outfitting of the Greely Relief Expedition to the Arctic. Also known as the Lady Franklin Bay Expedition, its purpose was to establish a meteorological-observation station. They needed to pack food supplies for 140 men for 2 years, 60 dogs and their drivers. Their cargo included 2000 pounds of Philadelphia scrapple, and it was said, “Scrapple is a hash of meat well boiled and mixed properly with corn meal and buckwheat flour.”
Scrapple and the holidays! The Boston Globe, November 11, 1885, in an article on Good Things for Thanksgiving, noted, "Scrapple from Philadelphia is ten cents a pound." And the Boston Globe, December 19, 1886, presented suggested menus for Christmas week dinners and one of those supper menus included Fried Scrapple, Stewed Prunes and Bread.
The Evening Herald, August 13, 1895, presented an amusing item, which probably wasn't actually true, about scrapple at Philadelphia hotels. "Scrapple and fried mush are the principal breakfast dishes in Philadelphia. The hotels print these two dishes in black type at the head of their bills of fare. If you pass them over and order something else, the waiter looks at you with astonishment. Then he brings you as little as he can of the dishes you order and extra large portions of scrapple and fried mush besides. He stands at your elbow and watches you eat. If you don't tackle the scrapple and mush at once, he will push the other dishes out of your way."
The Boston Evening Transcript, November 20, 1896, briefly mentioned that Philadelphia scrapple "has now become a feature of the most fashionable cafes in New York." Such a humble dish making its appearance in such fashionable spots.
Another amusing article. The Boston Evening Transcript, September 28, 1897, published an article titled, "Pennsylvania's Depraved Diet." It noted, "Sausage is so suspiciously made from doubtful parts of pork meat as to be shunned by many. The parts too poor for sausage--literally scraps--these, with a liberal admixture of corn-meal, the whole being boiled to homogeneity and cooled in pans, constitute scrapple." It continued, "Scrapple would seem to be an evolution or hard times and frugality...for every gustatory law is apparently violated in scrapple."
And we finish with a deadly scrapple! The Boston Globe, February 3, 1899, reported that, "Ptomaine poisoning caused by eating scrapple has just killed a man in Philadelphia, but any true Philadelphian will brave death cheerfully rather than give scrapple up."
This appears to have actually happened. The Harrisburg Telegraph (PN), February 1, 1899, reported that Charles H. Taylor, age 59, died, apparently from ptomaine poisoning, "the result of impure meat used in the manufacture of scrapple, which article of food he ate for breakfast." This article was repeated in a number of other Pennsylvania newspapers.
So, we have seen some of the history of scrapple in Massachusetts during the 19th century. I've provided a number of early recipes, which vary to one degree or another, and also showed that it was commercially available at different times. Today, it's rare to find scrapple in Massachusetts on restaurant menus or at grocery stores.
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Peter Bryant's* Scrapple Recipe: Peter generously shared his recipe with me, allowing me to post it on my blog. His recipe has options so you can make a more traditional version, or Peter's variation (which might appeal more to those who are squeamish about using offal). I enjoyed the scrapple prepared using his variation, and it's certainly a dish that many people would enjoy if they were willing to taste it.
Ingredients
2 pounds of pork shoulder
1/2 pound of pork liver (see substitution below)
3 quarts of stock (from cooking, see below)
1/4 cup of sage
1/4 cup of salt (I substitute about a quarter of this with MSG)
1/4 cup of black pepper (I substitute half of this with Old Bay seasoning)
1 pound of corn meal
12 ounces of flour (substitute corn flour or buckwheat for gluten free).
Directions
Cook the pork shoulder in about 3 quarts of water. Bone-in is preferred for flavor. Go a little heavier to account for bone weight. I use an Instapot, high pressure for 45 minutes.
If you are using liver, put this in there as well. Liver is traditional and I don't mind it. However, I prefer to substitute in 1/4 pound of sausage and 1/4 pound of thick cut bacon. Fry that up and set aside.
Remove the meat from the stock. Strain the stock but save it. Put 3 quarts of that into a pot along with spices and set to boil.
Shred the pork and fine chop liver (or the bacon and sausage).
Once the water is boiling, carefully whisk in the grains and return to a boil (keep stirring).
Once it is boiling, mix in your meats.
Turn off the heat and put into pans for cooling. I use mini loaf pans as I'm the only one in my house that eats scrapple.
Once it's cool enough, cover and put in the refrigerator over night. You can vaccu-seal what you don’t eat and freeze it for later.
If you are using liver, put this in there as well. Liver is traditional and I don't mind it. However, I prefer to substitute in 1/4 pound of sausage and 1/4 pound of thick cut bacon. Fry that up and set aside.
Remove the meat from the stock. Strain the stock but save it. Put 3 quarts of that into a pot along with spices and set to boil.
Shred the pork and fine chop liver (or the bacon and sausage).
Once the water is boiling, carefully whisk in the grains and return to a boil (keep stirring).
Once it is boiling, mix in your meats.
Turn off the heat and put into pans for cooling. I use mini loaf pans as I'm the only one in my house that eats scrapple.
Once it's cool enough, cover and put in the refrigerator over night. You can vaccu-seal what you don’t eat and freeze it for later.
*Peter Bryant is an engineer, game designer, artist, and food enthusiast. You can find him and his work on Instagram @peterbbryant or at solariangames.com
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Are you a fan of scrapple? Do you make your own recipe at home? Have you enjoyed scrapple at any Boston+ area restaurants? Do you purchase scrapple at local grocery stories and cook it at home?
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