Recipe: Goetta (German oatmeal and pork dish - similar to scrapple)

Goetta
Source: Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, Thursday, August 31, 2000
By Arlene Burnett, Staff Writer

Goetta is of German origin, similar to mush and almost identical to what the Pennsylvania Dutch call scrapple. (Goetta is made with oatmeal and pork; scrapple is made with cornmeal and pork.)

The recommended oatmeal, pinhead, isn't available in this area, but a similar oatmeal, steel cut, is sold here and may be used as a substitute. Steel cut oatmeal can be found in specialty stores, health food stores and some large grocery stores.

The recipe itself is easy to make, but the oatmeal will stick if you don't stir more than occasionally.

Gail Deibler Finke tells us that goetta is very popular in Cincinnati, and everyone she knows uses this recipe.

1 pound ground pork and 1 pound ground beef
8 cups water
2 1/2 cups pinhead oatmeal (we used steel cut)
1 large onion, sliced*
1 to 4 bay leaves, optional*
2 teaspoons salt
Pinch of pepper

In a large pot with a lid, boil the water, add salt, pepper and oatmeal. Cover and let cook for two hours, stirring often.

Add the meat, onion and bay leaves. Mix well. Cook for another hour, stirring often. Remove bay leaf. Pour into bread pans (size doesn't matter). Refrigerate overnight.

To serve:
Slice the goetta and fry it until crispy or just until heated through. Goetta may be served with pancakes and eggs, on sandwiches or in place of meat at dinner.

*Two teaspoons of savory may be substituted for the onion and bay leaf.