Scrapple is a great example of a polarizing food—people either love it or think it’s abominable.
I happen to love it because it’s substantially similar to Panhas, a traditional Westphalian food that was one of my comfort dishes growing up. (The recipe for Panhas was imported by German immigrants, which is why it’s mostly made and eaten in and around Pennsylvania and parts of the mid-Atlantic region.)
Panhas and scrapple used to make use of the broth and pig parts left over after pig-butchering and sausage-making. The ingredients, preparation, and flavor place scrapple and Panhas (and their close cousin, the Dutch Balkenbrij) in the black pudding family.
Slice it, fry it up, serve it with eggs and bread. Now you, too, can eat like a 17th century Westphalian peasant!
I’m from SE PA. My mom’s family (both sides) were farmers. I grew up eating Scrapple. Tasty with scrambled eggs & toast.
Until the fateful day teenaged me read the packaging and saw what it was made from. Couldn’t stomach it after that.
My dad was from Pennsylvania and my mom from Mississippi. I grew up eating what my dad called scrapple and my mom called “ corn meal mush”. Mom would cook up corn meal. I think she’d boil it with salt and pepper and broken up bits of sausage then after it thickened, let it harden into loafs. Then it was sliced up and fried in butter or bacon grease. I regret never havng gotten her recipe for that and her fried chicken.
Was browsing your website and I found noticed Descent is missing on the Palladium War page. FYI.
Every diner I have eaten at in Central or Eastern Pennsylvania has served scrapple. The debate in my family was whether to serve it with ketchup or maple syrup. I always preferred maple syrup. Went to one diner which advertised the scrapple they served as “artisanal” from a butcher near Gettysburg which had me scratching my head !
Artisanal scrapple. That’s a good one.
I usually have it with homemade ketchup at my parents house, but if you haven’t tried it with apple butter, I recommend that also.
Being Dutch, I know Balkenbrij, can’t say I like it but I do like you digging up these kinds of European traces in the US.
While growing up,m near Philadelphia there was a company called Haversetts who basically made scrapple and nothing else. They were near Media Pennsylvania. Which is kind of funny because that’s not really a German area. Central Pennsylvania. Is nearly 100% German, but I don’t think scrapple is a big deal there. It’s identified as a Philly thing.
Scrapple and scrambled eggs is the best. My wife is from the Virginia and introduced me. Just don’t read the list of ingredients and you will enjoy!
Good stuff! All the local diners and greasy spoons have scrapple on their menus here in south-central PA, where there is a noticeable Pennsylvania-Dutch heritage. Also available in our local family-owned grocery stores.
Not had it but looks like something I’d like.
It is interesting that it is popular on the east coast. A lot of Germans settled in Texas in the 1800’s before Texas became a republic and then a state. However, I am not aware of panhas being served here. Maybe the Germans that settled here were not from Westphalia.
Marko, happy to see you’re enjoying yourself on vacation. A little jealous of all of the food you’re sampling…
Oh, we’re back at Castle Frostbite. This is just some regular home cookin’.