Chances are, if you aren't from the Delaware Valley, you have never eaten (and have possibly never even heard of) scrapple. According to Taste, scrapple was brought to the mid-Atlantic region of the United States by German immigrants. The food is thought to have roots in panhaas, which is a German meat dish made by mixing pork leftovers with buckwheat and savory spices. Thrillist notes the dish was brought to the United States around the 17th or 18th century, and was first sold commercially by Habbersett Pork Products in 1863.
At its heart, scrapple is an offal dish. Historic local brand Habbersett lists the ingredients in their scrapple as pork stock, pork skins, cornmeal, wheat flour, pork hearts, pork livers, pork tongues, salt, and spices. Mental Floss describes the process behind making scrapple as boiling leftover pig scraps, mixing in flour, cornmeal, and spices, and then baking this blend into a loaf.
What does scrapple taste like?
Jersey Pork Roll, a company that specializes in shipping foods specific to the New Jersey area, suggests the best way to cook scrapple is by cutting the meat into half-inch-thick slices, sprinkling each side with flour, and pan-frying for at least five minutes per side. The Takeout describes eating scrapple as like sausage with a more complex texture. They call the flavor spiced, but not spicy, with a rich, savory quality.
The Daily Meal explains the dish is traditionally served with sweet or savory condiments, like ketchup, maple syrup, or grape jelly; nestled between two slices of white bread; or mixed into eggs. According to The Dialectic, scrapple is even kind of good for you! They claim scrapple is the healthiest of all breakfast meats, with a serving of the product containing 225 percent less sodium, 250 percent fewer calories, and 300 percent less saturated fat than a serving of bacon. One serving of scrapple will also supply you with 40 percent of your daily recommended amount of vitamin A.
