Delicious Scrapple Recipe

A friend grabbed my arm at the farmers market last spring, practically dragging me toward a vendor’s table. “You HAVE to try this,” she said, pointing at golden-brown slices sizzling on a griddle. I’d never heard of scrapple recipe before, and honestly, when the vendor explained it was pork and cornmeal loaf, I wasn’t sure. But my friend had that look – the one that says trust me. One bite changed everything. The outside crackled like the crispiest hash brown, while the inside stayed smooth and packed with sage and pepper.

Why You’ll Love This Homemade Scrapple Recipe

From making this every weekend for the past year and serving it to everyone from my picky eaters to my foodie neighbors, here’s why it keeps winning people over. This Pennsylvania Dutch scrapple recipe works because you’re in control – no weird fillers, no mystery ingredients, just pork shoulder, cornmeal, and spices you recognize. You make it once on Sunday, slice and fry throughout the week. Lina loves that it’s crunchier than bacon, and I love that it stretches our grocery budget while tasting better than anything from the store.

The prep happens in stages, which sounds annoying but actually fits into a normal weekend. Simmer the pork one day while you’re doing laundry or watching TV. The next day, mix it with cornmeal and pour it into loaf pans to chill overnight. Then you’ve got breakfast ready whenever you need it – just slice and fry until the edges get dark and crispy. It freezes well too, so I usually double the batch and stack slices between parchment paper in freezer bags. One Saturday of cooking gives you weeks of breakfasts.

Ingredients for Scrapple Recipe

The Pork Base:

• Pork shoulder or pork butt
• Pork liver
• Pork bones for broth
• Bay leaves
• Black peppercorns
• Fresh sage

The Binding:

• Yellow cornmeal
• Buckwheat flour
• Reserved pork broth
• Salt
• Black pepper

Spice Blend:

• Ground sage
• Dried thyme
• Garlic powder
• Onion powder
• Cayenne pepper
• Ground cloves

For Cooking:

• Bacon fat
• Butter or lard for frying

See recipe card for quantities.

How To Make Scrapple Recipe Step By Step

Day One – Build the Broth:

• Place pork shoulder and bones in your largest stockpot
• Cover completely with cold water, about 2 inches over the meat
• Drop in bay leaves and peppercorns
• Bring to a boil, then reduce to gentle simmer for 3-4 hours
• Meat should fall apart when you poke it with a fork
• Add liver in the last 30 minutes if you’re using it
• Strain everything through mesh strainer, save that broth
• Pull meat apart with two forks until it’s shredded fine
• Toss the bones and bay leaves

Day One – Make the Mush:

• Measure 6 cups of your pork broth into clean pot
• Bring to simmer over medium heat
• Pour cornmeal in slowly while whisking constantly
• Keep whisking to break up any lumps that form
• Cook and stir for 20-25 minutes until it’s thick like oatmeal
• Stir in your shredded pork and all the spices
• Mix until pork is spread throughout

Setting It Up:

• Grease two loaf pans with butter or cooking spray
• Pour the mixture into pans, split it evenly
• Smooth tops with spatula dipped in water
• Press plastic wrap right on the surface
• Refrigerate overnight, needs at least 8 hours to firm up
• Should slice clean without crumbling when ready

Frying Day – The Good Part:

• Serve right away while still crackling hot
• Slice your chilled scrapple about half-inch thick
• Heat cast iron skillet over medium heat
• Add bacon fat, butter, or lard – enough to coat the bottom
• Lay slices in pan without crowding
• Fry 4-5 minutes until bottom is dark brown and crusty
• Flip once and fry other side same way
• Edges should be almost black, that’s the good stuff

Smart Swaps for Your Scrapple Recipe

Meat Options:

• Pork shoulder → Ground pork (cuts cooking time way down)
• Pork liver → Skip it entirely (add extra sage instead)
• Pork bones → Chicken or turkey bones work fine
• Traditional pork → Turkey scrapple (use all turkey parts)

Grain Choices:

• Yellow cornmeal → White cornmeal (no real difference)
• Stone-ground → Regular cornmeal (texture won’t be quite as good)
• Buckwheat flour → Just use all cornmeal
• Traditional → Gluten-free cornmeal (check the label)

Broth Alternatives:

• Pork → Beef broth (changes the flavor a lot)
• Homemade → Store-bought pork or chicken broth
• Fresh → Concentrated broth diluted with water

Equipment For Scrapple Recipe

• Heavy-bottomed stockpot (at least 8 quarts)
• Two standard loaf pans
• Long-handled whisk (the cornmeal bubbles and spits)
• Cast iron skillet (10 or 12 inch)
• Sharp slicing knife
• Fine mesh strainer

Scrapple Recipe Variations

Spicy Breakfast:

• Add diced jalapeños to the mush
• Extra cayenne pepper
• Serve with hot sauce on top
• Top with melted pepper jack cheese

Apple Sage:

• Fold in dried apples (chopped small)
• Double the fresh sage
• Drizzle with maple syrup when serving
• Side of warm applesauce

Southern Style:

• Use grits instead of cornmeal
• Add crumbled breakfast sausage
• Season with Cajun spices
• Fry in bacon grease (always)

Herb Garden:

• Fresh rosemary (chopped fine)
• Lots of fresh parsley
• Minced garlic (more than recipe calls for)
• Lemon zest stirred in

Storing Your Scrapple Recipe

Refrigerator (1-2 weeks):

• Keep in loaf pan covered tight with plastic wrap
• Or slice and wrap each piece individually
• Separate slices with parchment paper
• Ready to fry straight from the fridge anytime

Freezer (3-4 months):

• Slice before freezing (way easier than after)
• Wrap each slice in plastic wrap
• Stack in freezer bags with parchment between layers
• Label with the date
• Fry from frozen (add 2 minutes per side)

Make-Ahead Magic:

• Always have breakfast ready to go
• Make full batch on weekend when you have time
• Portion into meal-sized amounts
• Freeze what you won’t use in a week

What to Serve With Scrapple Recipe

From years of Saturday morning breakfasts, here’s what works best with this crispy, savory scrapple recipe. The standard plate is fried eggs with runny yolks, hash browns or home fries, and buttered toast. For a Southern spin, pair it with cheesy grits, biscuits and gravy, or fried apples with cinnamon. If you’re doing the sweet and savory thing, scrapple goes surprisingly well alongside pancakes or waffles with maple syrup – the sweetness plays off that salty, porky flavor. Lina always requests scrambled eggs with cheese, toast cut into triangles, and orange slices on the side.

The best pairing is something that cuts through the richness. I usually serve scrapple with fried eggs and a side of sliced tomatoes with salt and pepper. That bright, acidic bite from the tomatoes balances out the fatty, savory scrapple. My grandfather ate it this way every Saturday for forty years, and now I get why. You can also go lighter with a simple green salad, sliced avocado, or fresh berries if you’re watching what you eat but still want that crispy scrapple.

The Dish My Mother Swore By (And Still Does!)

My mother has been making this scrapple recipe every Sunday since before I was born. Growing up, I’d wake up to the smell of it frying in her old cast iron skillet – that mix of sage, pork, and crispy edges that meant the weekend had started. She learned it from her mother, who brought the recipe over from Pennsylvania when she married my grandfather. For years, I thought it was just some weird family thing nobody else ate.

Then I met my friend at that farmers market, tried her version, and realized my mom had been sitting on something good all along. When I called to ask for her exact measurements (she’d never written anything down), she laughed and said “took you long enough to appreciate it.” Now Lina requests it every Saturday, and my mom loves reminding me that she’s been right about this dish for fifty years. Some things mothers know best, even when their kids take decades to catch on.

FAQ

Time for a Real Farmhouse Breakfast!

Now you’ve got everything you need to make proper Scrapple Recipe the way Pennsylvania Dutch cooks have for generations. This recipe connects you to a time when nothing went to waste and breakfast was the most important meal made with care. My grandfather would be proud knowing another generation is frying up these crispy slices on Saturday mornings.

Want more hearty morning favorites? Pour our Delicious Breakfast Gravy Recipe over biscuits alongside your scrapple for a serious stick-to-your-ribs breakfast. Need something different for brunch? Check out our Top 7 Tips for Easy Garbage Bread Recipe that uses up all those leftovers in your fridge. Or try our Easy Homemade Stollen Recipe for a sweet balance to all that savory pork.

Share your scrapple success! We especially love seeing how different families serve theirs!

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Pairing

These are my favorite dishes to serve with Scrapple Recipe

Scrapple Recipe

A crispy, savory Pennsylvania Dutch breakfast loaf made from pork shoulder, cornmeal, and spices. This homemade Scrapple Recipe delivers old-fashioned flavor and modern convenience prep ahead, slice, and fry for hearty breakfasts all week.

Ingredients  

1x2x3x?

• 2 lb Pork shoulder or pork butt – Boneless preferred
• ½ lb Pork liver Optional – traditional flavor
• 1 lb Pork bones – For making broth
• 2 – Bay leaves – Whole
• 1 tablespoon Black peppercorns – Whole not ground
• 2 tablespoon Fresh sage – Or 2 teaspoon dried sage
• 6 cups Reserved pork broth – From simmered meat
• 1½ cups Yellow cornmeal – Stone-ground preferred
• ¼ cup Buckwheat flour – Optional adds texture
• 1 teaspoon Salt – Adjust to taste
• ½ teaspoon Black pepper – Freshly ground
• 1 teaspoon Ground sage
• ½ teaspoon Dried thyme
• ½ teaspoon Garlic powder
• ½ teaspoon Onion powder
• ¼ teaspoon Cayenne pepper – Optional for heat
• 1 pinch Ground cloves – Optional for warm spice note
• As needed – Bacon fat / butter / lard – For frying scrapple slices

Equipment

• 1 Heavy-bottomed stockpot (8 qt or larger) (For simmering pork and making broth)

• 2 Standard loaf pans (9×5 inch, greased)

• 1 Long-handled whisk (Prevents splatter while whisking hot cornmeal)

• 1 Cast iron skillet (For frying scrapple slices)

• 1 Fine mesh strainer (To strain broth)

• 1 Sharp slicing knife (For clean slices)

• 1 Spatula (For smoothing loaf surface)

Method 

1. Simmer pork shoulder, bones, and seasonings in water for 3-4 hours. Add liver in the last 30 minutes. Strain and shred the meat.

2. Simmer 6 cups of the reserved broth. Slowly whisk in cornmeal and cook until thick. Stir in shredded pork and spices.

3. Pour the mixture into greased loaf pans. Smooth the tops, cover with plastic wrap, and refrigerate overnight.

4. Slice chilled scrapple into ½-inch slices. Heat a skillet with bacon fat or butter.

5. Fry slices 4-5 minutes per side until crispy and golden brown. Serve hot with your favorite breakfast sides.

Nutrition

Serving: 100gCalories: 120kcalCarbohydrates: 10gProtein: 9gFat: 6gSaturated Fat: 2gPolyunsaturated Fat: 0.5gMonounsaturated Fat: 2.5gCholesterol: 35mgSodium: 220mgPotassium: 170mgFiber: 1gVitamin A: 50IUVitamin C: 1mgCalcium: 15mgIron: 1mg

Notes

Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.