Crispy, tasty, Pork Rapa scrapple! An American classic Old Southerners love! My Grandma and her husband McCloud use to make Scrapple at least twice a week! Lol!
They absolutely loved it and even made it for Lunch and Dinner even though it’s considered a breakfast side. It was just something that their generation loved and grew up eating and what I love most is how easy it is to make.
McCloud’s scrapple
Hey guys, today I’m gonna show you how to make homemade Scrapple the right way!!! And for those of you who don’t know what it is, you’ll learn everything you need to know about it here.
Scrapple is typically served as a breakfast side dish and it’s very popular among older country folks in the south. My grandma, Viola and her husband, McCloud, who are both originally from the South, would cook Scrapple all the time, no matter the time of day.
Another thing McCloud would loved to make was fatback! They would eat that all times of the day as well. Lol! One thing about older Southern folks is they never linked food to time, they eat what they want when they want!
I remember how I’d wake up in the wee hours of the morning and go downstairs for a midnight snack and see McCloud in the kitchen coating his fatback with flour as hot oil sizzled in his favorite cast iron skillet. MAAAAAAN, old southerners love them some pork fat don’t they?
McCloud ate pork like it was chicken or fish! One of the things he always made that I fell in love with was scrapple, which is considered an actual breakfast food. I fell in love with it the first time I tried it.
Something about its unique flavor and crispiness blew my mind and made my taste buds go crazy. Its definitely something you have to have an acquired taste for and kind of one of those things you either like or dont.
But I loved it!!! It’s packed with flavor, well seasoned, and fatty. And the best way to make it is crispy like he did. So I’m going to share this delicious scrapple recipe for my scrapple lovers out there, which is a modified version of how McCloud cooked it.
I do a few things different but this is pretty much exactly how he made it although he never used measurements. He always made it the exact same way though and this taste almost identical to his.
What is scrapple?
Ok, so I’m sure some of you haven’t even heard of Scrapple and are probably wondering what it is. I know because I’ve had quite a few people ask me what it is before. Well, simply put….
It’s nothing but a bunch of pork remains partially made up of fat. When food manufacturing companies are left with pork remains after cutting up the limbs of a pig, they gather and grind it all up.
Then they season, pack, and ship it to the grocery stores. Now, I’m sure it doesn’t sound like the most appetizing thing in the world, but it’s so good which is why us scrapple lovers enjoy it.
Scrapple, a thing of the past!
Now, what inspired me to do this recipe was a conversation my aunt Lorretta was having on my Facebook fan page with a subscriber of mine who never heard of Scrapple!!
That confused the hell out of my auntie because she’s a 60’s baby and grew up eating Scrapple. So for her, it was shocking to know so many people don’t know what it is.
Scrapple isn’t as popular as it use to be back in the day. We’re in an era now where people are not only becoming more conscious of the things they eat but are beginning to prioritize their overall health.
The vegan and “healthy eating & fitness” communities, who demonize red meat and pork are rapidly growing. LMBO! So food like Scrapple, which people call SLAVE FOOD, is becoming a thing of the past.
You rarely see younger people 34 and below at the grocery store picking up Scrapple and a bucket of Chitterlings or Pig’s Feet! I’m 31, and whenever I buy a bucket of Chitterlings from the store, I get looks of disgust from young people.
I also get a look of shock from older folks because they know most of my generation don’t prefer to eat such things, so they presume I’m getting it for my grandmom or something.
Anyway… let’s move on to the important stuff like the cookware and ingredients you’ll need. Make sure you have all these things so that making this recipe, which is easy and simple, can stay that way. Lol!
Cookware utensils you’ll need:
- Large Knife: You need a nice large chef knife for easy slicing of the scrapple.
- Cutting board: A cutting board to cut and rest them on before frying.
- A mixing bowl: This is for combining the flour and seasonings.
- Spatulas: To flip the scrapple.
- Non-stick skillet: Use a nice non-stick skillet.
- Cooking rack:Â A cooking rack is perfect to rest the scrapple on after they’re done.
Ingredients you’ll need:
- Scrapple
- Salt
- Garlic powder
- Black pepper
- All purpose Flour
- Vegetable oil
Thick vs Thin slices
Some folk like em thick, some like em thin… but it’s important not to slice them too thin! I found that when you slice the Scrapple too thin, they break easily while frying.
This is another reason I prefer to coat them with flour, especially if you prefer them thin! The flour forms a crispy exterior making it easier for you to flip the scrapple without it falling apart.
About the seasonings
Prepping it is pretty simple actually! You DON’T NEED MANY SEASONINGS because it’s already seasoned. Scrapple has a unique flavor that us fans of Scrapple LOVE and you don’t want to overpower it with a bunch of seasonings.
The only seasonings I use are salt, garlic powder & pepper, and I only use a little. It’s also pretty high in sodium so I use very little salt and sometimes I don’t use any Salt at all!
Flour or no flour?
Now I’m sure some of you just fry your scrapple as it is and there’s nothing wrong with that. But, I’m apart of the “coat with flour” club! I coat my scrapple with flour to give it an extra layer of crispiness and create the allusion of skin.
That’s the way Mr. McCloud made it. I just love how crispy it makes the Scrapple especially the edges. That’s probably what I like most about it.
About the oil and cooking time
I like to use vegetable oil to fry my Scrapple and I don’t fry them very long. I preheat the oil for a few minutes and once it’s hot I add in the Scrapple.
The first side, as with anything you fry, takes longer to brown than the 2nd side because the oil is hotter by the time you flip them over.
Whenever you add food to oil, especially large pieces of meat, the temperature of the oil drops for a few minutes before it reaches the temperature you set it to again.
When do you flip them?
So I noticed while creating this recipe, the Scrapple took close to 4 minutes to brown on the first side and a little over 2 minutes to brown on the second side.
So be mindful of that and just flip them when they brown and don’t worry too much about the time because cooking time depends heavily on the type of stove you’re using.
You can also tell when it’s time to flip them by looking at the edges but for a rule of thumb fry for 3-4 minutes on the first side and 2-3 minutes on the second side.Â
How to make scrapple
1. Slice the scrapple into medium size square pieces.
2. Season the flour.
3. Coat the scrapple with the seasoned flour and preheat oil.
4. Fry until crispy on each side and remove.
Tips for best results:
- Remove excess flour: If you do decide to go with flour, make sure you shake off the excess flour before adding the scrapple to the skillet.
Too much flour will not only make the scrapple too crispy, but the excess flour will burn at the bottom of the skillet before you get to add in the 2nd batch and darken the oil. - Use 2 spatulas: Scrapple is not the easiest thing to flip. Using 2 spatulas will prevent the scrapple from breaking and make it very easy to flip.
- Rest on cooking rack: Once the Scrapple are done frying, make sure you sit them on a cooking rack to drain the excess oil. It’s best to use a cooking rack and place paper towels below the rack so the bottom of the scrapple doesn’t soften
What to serve with scrapple?
- Scrambled eggs: I have a Scrambled Eggs Recipe you can try that’s really good. I know yall see the sunny side up eggs in the photos which are a good option too. But scrambled eggs just hit differently with scrapple. Haha!
- Bacon: Bacon taste great with everything so bacon is definitely a good option.
- Grits: I love making grits when I cook scrapple. I even break the scrapple up sometimes and put it in the grits and eat it together. Yum so good! Btw, I have a Delicious Creamy Grits Recipe here.
- Toast: Toast with jelly taste great with the savory taste of scrapple. The crispy savory and sweet jelly combo is fire.
Ok guys, that’s about it!! If you never had Scrapple before give this recipe a shot, I think you’ll enjoy it. Let me know what you think in the comment section below.
Enjoy, later!
McCloud’s Easy Southern Scrapple Recipe
Crispy, tasty, Scrapple fried with flour. A delicious breakfast side that taste great with grits, bacon, eggs & toast.
- Total Time: 30 mins
- Yield: 4-6
Ingredients
1 Lb (16oz) Original Scrapple
1/2 Cup Vegetable Oil
1/4 Cup Flour
1/4 Tsp Garlic Powder
1/4 Tsp Black Pepper
1/8 Tsp Salt (optional)
Instructions
1. Add flour to a medium size mixing bowl then add in the seasonings, and stir well.Â
2. Slice the Scrapple into twelve 1/8 inch size pieces.
3. Coat both sides of the Scrapple with the seasoned flour, shake off the excess flour, then set aside.
4. Place a skillet over medium-high heat (7), then add in the oil.
5. After 3 minutes, add 6 slices of Scrapple to the skillet.
6. Fry for 3-4 minutes on the first side and 2-3 minutes on the second side.
Notes
I used a gas stove to make this recipe. Cooking time may vary depending on what type of stove and skillet you’re using so just flip the Scrapple once the edge start to brown. That’s another way to tell when it’s time to flip them.Â
The Scrapple is nicely seasoned but using 1/8 Tsp Salt gives them more taste.Â
- Prep Time: 15 Mins
- Cook Time: 15 Mins
- Category: Breakfast
- Cuisine: Southern
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 4-6
by
11 Responses
Habbersett also puts out the Rappa scrapple. It’s the same company.
I’m almost 70 and I have never heard of store bought scrapple. My grandma ( born 1878) taught me to make it as a child. Our version is basically cooked cornmeal mush with browned ground sausage added. After it sits we prepare the same as you do the scrapple. I love it with syrup but my husband, raised in a different state, like side pork gravy on his. we often have it hen we have breakfast for dinner. Yummy! Ya’all need to try this recipe! Thanks for posting it Phillyjay!!!
My neighbor used to make it when I was growing up in upstate PA, but there are a few brands out of Philly PA that make it. Home made is best, but beggars can’t be choosers.
Great blog site !!!
Excellent! Thank you!
Scrapple is already precooked. Wife and I love it with breakfast. Also sandwiches ( no cheese) just Mayo. Also it’s great dipped into pancake batter. ( covered) the fry like you would a pancake. Delish.
Have never eaten it but husband had. Used your recipe using the flour. I loved it. Was nice and crisp. Husband did not care for the crisp so next time will do it half & half. We also used syrup. Thanks
Love me some scrapple and I love Philly Boy Jay’s recipes and youtubes….another poster mentioned Rapa scrapple…nah, G, y’all need Habbersett brand scrapple….waaay better than Rapa, imo
I was raised on scrapple in Ohio, and when I retired recently from NYC to upstate NY, I was afraid I’d never find scrapple again. But a Mennonite grocery carries it, and I’m in heaven once more. I will try dusting it with flour as in the recipe, and I have ample maple syrup, but the touch of garlic powder is new to me, so thanks for all the advice. You can never have enough scrapple!
Spample is all i can get around here. Sounds good tho. Fan girl 🤤
Oh my gosh. Scrapple is my favorite, top with King Syrup. This ole’ Baltimore girl was raised on it and still eat it to this day. I don’t use flour, but my, my, my Rapa Scrapple is the BEST of the BEST. Love me some scrapple.