Pennsylvania Scrapple is a delicious pork dish that was created by German settlers in Eastern Pennsylvania

Pennsylvania Scrapple, also known as Pennsylvania Dutch Scrapple or Philadelphia Scrapple, is a delicious pork dish that was created by German settlers in Eastern Pennsylvania. The word scrapple comes from "scraps" which is the definition for leftover bits of food and pieces of animal fat or cracklings. The original Pennsylvania Deutsche (name changed in time to Pennsylvania Dutch) immigrants were hard working people that used less noble parts of a butchered pig (pork skins, jowls, snouts, ears, heart, tongue, brains, kidneys, head meat, liver, pork bones, some claim that pork neck bones are the best) to make scrapple. Those leftover meats were used for making original scrapple though today's recipes often call for parts like loin or picnic. Originally buckwheat was an essential part of the recipe although many of today's recipes call for a mixture of cornmeal and buckwheat half and half.

Pork meat, 5 lbs - hearts, tongues, livers, head meat, brains, kidneys, jowls, picnics.

Pork bones, 3 lbs

salt - 110 g, 6 Tbs

pepper - 10 g, 5 tsp

3 onions

buckwheat flour

Optional spices: marjoram (2 Tbs), dry thyme (2 Tbs), nutmeg (1 tsp), sage (1 Tbs), mace (1/3 tsp), red pepper (1/3 tsp)

1. Cover the meat and bones with cold water, add salt, pepper and onions and bring to the boil. Reduce heat, skim off the foam cover with lid and simmer for 1-2 hours until meat is tender.

2. Remove the meat, scrape off the meat from the bones. Discard bones but save the stock.

3. Chop the meat very fine by hand or grind through 3/16" (4 mm) plate.

4. Place meat in stock, mix and taste. Add more salt or pepper if needed. Many recipes call for additional spices, now is the time to add them.

5. Make sure the stock with meat is hot and start slowly adding buckwheat flour stirring mixture with a paddle. Make sure it is smooth and thick - the paddle should stand up in the pot.

6. Pack the mixture into baking pans about 8 x 4 x 2" or 9 x 4 x 3". The pans should be either oiled or lined up with waxed paper. Cover and place in the refrigerator for 4 hours or overnight.

7. Unmold and cut into 1/2" individual slices. To freeze place the slices between pieces of butcher paper.

Serving: In a large skillet brown scrapple slices on both sides in a hot oil until brown and crisp on each side. You can dredge the slices with flour and fry them.