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300th Recipe! WooHoo!
I've been saving this recipe for this day. I'm so excited to share my 300th recipe with you!
A special weekend breakfast in the colder weather wouldn’t be complete without Goetta, a family favorite and, although simple, a treat nonetheless. When we were young, you couldn't get steel-cut oatmeal here in the Northeast easily, so on every trip home from Cincinnati, we would have what was called Pinhead Oatmeal secretly packed in our suitcases.
Goetta, pronounced "get-uh," is a unique and flavorful dish that comes from the German neighborhoods of Cincinnati Ohio. Growing up, we thought it was a dish from Germany, but we had that myth dispelled a few years ago. 😅
It's a savory breakfast sausage made from ground meat (typically pork and beef), steel-cut oats, onions, and spices. The mixture is cooked and then either left as is like we make it or formed into a loaf. You then fry it like corned beef hash if it is free form, or slice some off the loaf and cook it until it is golden brown and crispy.
A Taste of Cincinnati
While Goetta can be found in other parts of the United States, it's most closely associated with the Cincinnati region. The city's German immigrants brought their culinary traditions with them in the 19th century, and Goetta is a testament to their ingenuity and resourcefulness. It was a way to stretch limited ingredients and create a hearty, filling meal.
History on a Plate
Goetta's origins can be traced back to the frugal farming communities of Northern Germany. Similar dishes, like Grützwurst and Knipp, were made with oats and barley to extend the meat supply. When German immigrants settled in Cincinnati, they adapted their recipes to the available ingredients, giving rise to the Goetta we know today.
Where to Find Goetta
If you're in the Cincinnati area, you'll have no trouble finding Goetta at local butcher shops, grocery stores, and restaurants. Many restaurants feature Goetta on their breakfast menus, often served with eggs, toast, and home fries. It always makes me smile when I see it on a menu.
Culinary Heritage
Goetta is more than just a breakfast food; it's a symbol of Cincinnati's German and my family’s heritage. I remember both of my grandmother’s making it. One was more free from, as I make it today, and the other slicing it from a loaf. I still have the cast iron skillet my grandmother used to make Goetta when we visited.
It is definitely a beloved family tradition. As a matter of fact at a recent family reunion, we started talking about favorite dishes, and when I mentioned Goetta, most everyone sighed and smiled.
Here's the recipe!
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