Ultimate Homestyle Breakfast Delight: Classic Scrapple Recipe

Ingredients

• One smoked ham hock
• 4 quarts of water
• 2 teaspoons of chicken soup base
• 3 cups of cornmeal
• 1 ½ teaspoons of dried thyme leaves
• 2 teaspoons of rubbed sage
• 1 teaspoon of ground savory
• A hint of ground allspice, nutmeg, and clove
• 1 teaspoon of ground black pepper
• ½ teaspoon of ground white pepper
• A pinch of cayenne pepper
• Salt and pepper to your liking
• 2 tablespoons of butter
• 1 diced onion
• 2 cups of optional shredded sharp Cheddar cheese

Step 1

Begin by bringing the ham hocks and water to a lively boil in a generously sized pot set over high flames. Let it simmer gently, covered, until the pork reaches a melt-in-your-mouth tenderness, which should take roughly 2 hours. Once ready, transfer the ham hocks to a plate to cool down to room temperature. Proceed to shred the succulent meat, making sure to discard any unwanted fat, skin, and bones. Don't forget to strain and save about 2 1/2 quarts of the flavorful cooking liquid.

Step 2

Next, reintroduce the 2 1/2 quarts of broth to a rolling boil in the same pot over high heat. Mix in the chicken soup base until it completely dissolves into the liquid. In a separate bowl, combine the cornmeal with a medley of aromatic spices such as thyme, sage, savory, allspice, nutmeg, clove, black pepper, white pepper, cayenne pepper, and salt. Gradually whisk this cornmeal mixture into the bubbling broth, then lower the heat to a gentle simmer. Let it cook for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Step 3

During this time, heat up some butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Sauté the onion until it turns soft and translucent, which should take around 5 minutes. After the cornmeal has simmered for 15 minutes, fold in the cooked onion, shredded ham hock, and a generous amount of Cheddar cheese. Keep stirring and cooking for an additional 15 minutes until the mixture thickens enough for a spoon to stand upright in it. Remember to taste and adjust the seasoning; a well-seasoned scrapple is key to avoiding a bland outcome when fried.

Step 4

Prepare three 9x5 inch loaf pans by greasing the bottom and sides with oil. Pour the scrapple mixture into the pans, cover them with plastic wrap, and let them chill in the refrigerator overnight.

Step 5

When you're ready to indulge in your homemade scrapple, carefully remove it from the loaf pans and slice it into 1/4 to 1/2 inch thick pieces. Fry these slices in melted butter in a skillet over medium-high heat until they achieve a delightful golden-brown crispiness on both sides, which should take approximately 10 minutes. Serve and enjoy the fruits of your labor!