These famous German-influenced sausage grain patties from the Greater Cincinnati area have a fantastic flavor and are an absolutely delicious addition to your breakfast!
You may not have heard of goetta, but it’s famous. At least it is in Cincinnati where it’s practically a staple ingredient. So much so the people of the Greater Cincinnati area consume over 1 million pounds of it ever year. That’s 450 metric tons of goetta!
What’s more, there’s even an annual goetta festival, “Glier’s Goettafest”, that’s held every August near Newport, Kentucky and features goetta served every way imaginable. Music, dancing and other entertainment adds to the occasion of celebrating this beloved food as well as the German-American heritage of the Greater Cincinnati area.
So what is goetta (pronounced “getta”)?
Goetta is a mixture made out of meat, oats, onions and spices that is formed into sausages patties, fried, and eaten for breakfast. The dish is of German origin and the name comes from the German words Grötte or Grütze (depending on the region), which translates to “groats.”
The concept goetta is similar to Pennsylvania Dutch scrapple, Polish kishka and Scottish haggis in that, all these originally being peasant dishes, it was a way to make the most of every part of the animal – to use up the scraps – and to make them stretch to feed the most people possible.
In the case of goetta, it was brought to the Cincinnati area over a century ago by German immigrants from northern Germany. While the version in north Germany would have been made more commonly with buckwheat, barley or rye (the grains most prolifically grown in that area), oats were substituted once the immigrants reached Cincinnati (which is the more common crop in that area). Also, the original, peasant German version would have included more animal organ parts whereas goetta is made with the muscle meat only (when the German immigrants reached the United States they found that pork here was much cheaper).
There are several key spices in this that are essential to achieving the “old world” flavor that many German meats and sausages are associated with: Mace, marjoram, coriander, white pepper, cloves and ginger. Don’t omit or substitute any of these. Include all of them and once you’ve tasted the final result you’ll be very happy you did!
Before we get started…
SOME TIPS FOR HOW TO FRY GOETTA
Yes, this can be a point of frustration. You’ll find forums online of people venting and lamenting and asking for help on how to fry goetta so that it doesn’t completely fall apart in the pan.
I’ll say it right now, it is challenging keeping the patties together when you fry them and that’s just the nature of goetta. Goetta is not a firm sausage patty. It’s a fairly soft and loose patty with a browned and crispy exterior. And reducing the amount of water won’t help, neither will adding things like bread crumbs or eggs. That said, there is a way to keep goetta from falling apart and to ensure the patties keep shape.
Here are 5 essential keys to cooking goetta correctly:
The first key to helping them keep shape is slicing them thickly (at least 1/2 inch thick).
The second key is to avoid using any oil whatsoever. Oil will only make it soggier and fall apart more. Just use a dry non-stick pan over medium-high heat. Again, no oil.
The third key is waiting until the pan is preheated over medium heat and then letting them fry long enough on both sides to firm them up a bit. Fry them for 5-8 minutes on the first side until the top changes color (it’s very light/almost white to begin with and will become a little yellower in color,) and the bottom is fully browned. Then carefully flip it and brown the other side (this side will cook faster).
The fourth key is to avoid pushing or pressing down on the patties.
The fifth key is to leave it alone while it’s frying. Don’t push down on it or try to move it before it’s fully browned on the bottom or it will stick. Also, do not to overcrowd the pan.
Keep in mind, after implementing each of these tips the patties still won’t be “firm”, they’re not supposed to be. Ignore the imperfections in shape or appearance, just shovel the goetta onto your fork and into your mouth and then chew it with complete satisfaction.
Equipped with these 5 Keys To Goetta Success, it’s time to make some goetta!
Let’s get started!
Place the broth, oats, water, salt, bay leaves and marjoram in a large pot. Bring it to a boil then reduce the heat to low, cover, and gently simmer for 90 minutes, stirring occasionally, until it’s soft and the liquid is absorbed.
Add the meat, onions, garlic and spices. Return to a boil then reduce to low, cover and cook for another hour, stirring occasionally. If the liquid has not all been absorbed, remove the lid and continue to cook uncovered, stirring occasionally until the mixture has thickened.
Pour and press the mixture into 2 (9×5) greased loaf pans and let cool completely. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate overnight.
To serve, cut into thick slices, at least 1/2 inch (otherwise they’ll fall apart), and fry them in batches in a non-stick pan without any oil. Fry them on both sides for 4-5 minutes or until nicely browned. Serve immediately.
Enjoy!
Goetta (German-American Sausage Grain Patties)
Ingredients
- 2 1/2 cups steel-cut oats (aka pinhead oats)
- 4 cups beef broth
- 4 cups water
- 3 teaspoons sea salt
- 3 bay leaves
- 1 1/2 teaspoons dried marjoram
- 1 pound ground beef
- 1 pound ground pork
- 1 large yellow onion, finely chopped
- 5 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 teaspoon ground ginger
- 1 teaspoon ground mace
- 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground white pepper
- 1/2 teaspoon ground coriander
- 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
Instructions
- Place the broth, oats, water, salt, bay leaves and marjoram in a large pot. Bring it to a boil then reduce the heat to low, cover, and gently simmer for 90 minutes, stirring occasionally, until it's soft and the liquid is absorbed.
- Add the meat, onions, garlic and spices. Return to a boil then reduce to low, cover and cook for another hour, stirring occasionally. If the liquid has not all been absorbed, remove the lid and continue to cook uncovered, stirring occasionally until the mixture has thickened.
- Pour and press the mixture into 2 (9x5) greased loaf pans and let cool completely. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate overnight.
- To serve, cut into thick slices, at least 1/2 inch (otherwise they'll fall apart; I cut them inside the pan, if you invert the whole thing it will be very messy), and fry them in batches in a non-stick pan over medium-high heat without any oil. Again, do not use oil, use a dry, non-stick pan. Fry them on both sides for 4-5 minutes or until browned and crispy on the exterior. (See blog post for 5 Keys To Goetta Success.)
- READ THE BLOG POST FOR THE FULL LIST OF TIPS ON HOW TO SUCCESSFULLY FRY GOETTA.
Notes
Nutrition
Joy Day says
My grandma was also from Germany!
She made what she called Pin Oat Sausage using steel cut oats. Here is her recipe:
She always used pork shoulder for the meat! She would put the pork in a large pot cover with water and add a whole onion and bay leaves, cook this low and slow till meat falls apart remove meat, onion and bay leaves. Throw bay leaves away!!
Let meat and onion cool, put steel cut oats in the water and cook!
Now grandma used a hand grinder, but I use a food processor and grind the meat and onion up. When oats are pretty close to done put meat back in with the oats and stir! The spices that we use are coriander, allspice, Sage and salt and pepper! The spices are to taste, just remember that they become stronger after they sit.
J. Jones says
Have been making this my entire life. We used to make it in the oven but crock pot is much easier. I’ve always cooked the oats first in homemade beef stock then added the ground meats then cook on low. Put the mixture in a 9×13 and cool. When ready to fry, add a bit of bacon grease to the skillet, don’t overcrowd and fry on medium heat. the grease is a must.
Jacquelyn Hall says
I like the look of your recipe, but any measurements on spices? The pork was cooked first?
Anonymous says
I’ve always cooked in the oven on a cookie sheet, never falls apart.
Anonymous says
One tip you forgot or maybe didnt know when frying. Do NOT over crowd the pan. If they are touching while they cook they will stick together making it even more difficult to flip.
Emily says
Do you cook the meat before adding?
Kimberly @ The Daring Gourmet says
Hi Emily, no you do not.
Kimberley says
If you wanted to make the oats and spices portion in an Instant Pot rather than simmering it on the stove for 90 minutes, what is your guess for the time? I cook steel cut oats in mine frequently. Would I pretty much follow the method I use for those?
Kimberly @ The Daring Gourmet says
Hi Kimberley, I’m going to leave this open for our Instant Pot users to answer in case anyone here has made this with the IP.
Kevin G says
I think what’s missing in this for a lot of people, as with a lot of other goetta and scrapple recipes, is all the collagen that would come from cooking down the various leftover bits of bone and connective tissue to make the broth or stock. Store-bought doesn’t even come close to how this was traditionally made. With store-bought broth I added a half cup of gelatin to the recipe, which really solidifies the loaf and made it cut and fry perfectly.
Kimberly @ The Daring Gourmet says
That’s a good point, Kevin. What gelatin did you use?
Anonymous says
It couldn’t be easier. One pound ground beef one pound ground pork 2 1/2 cups of pinhead oatmeal 5 cups beef broth 2 cups water. A couple of bay leaves salt and pepper. Every family has their own recipe. I let it come to a boil and put it in a 325 oven for a couple of hours. Stirring in between. My grandmother never used all the other spices because we couldn’t afford them. We still make it this way. Yum
Lois Walser says
I LEFT OUT A FEW SPICES THAT DID NOT APPEAL TO ME AND IT WAS FANTASTIC. TASTED JUST LIKE MY GRANDMOTHERS. THANK YOU
Kimberly @ The Daring Gourmet says
So glad you enjoyed it, Lois, thank you!
chris B says
I have made this twice now love it, the spice mix is great in my opinion
Kimberly @ The Daring Gourmet says
Thanks so much, Chris, I’m so happy you enjoyed it!
Diane Koester Sibert says
I thought I’d try this recipe as it sounded interesting. But, one of the first things my Aunt Rosie told me is to boil the oats and then drain to get rid of the starch. This batch I made from your recipe didn’t call for it and was very starchy. Also, 90 minute cooking is too much, the mixture began to dry up and I had to use more water, hence more starchiness. Also, my Aunt used pork (like from shoulder or ribs) and chuck boiling them in water to make a more fall apart meat. Also, the onions need to go in when boiling the oats in the start of the cooking. I have to throw it out now. My Aunt was an immigrant from Germany, coming here is the early 50’s.
Joseph Waxse says
My uncle used to mail frozen Glyer’s goetta to us for Christmas. It never fell apart. I’ve started using country pork ribs(no bones) and pressure cooking it for 30 minutes in the Insta-pot before adding it with the hamburger and onions. Tastes great and doesn’t fall apart as easily when frying. I fry it in bacon grease – mmmmm.
Donna C says
I love Goetta, but this last batch was terrible. I brought it in a roll at Krogers in Florence Mall Road. So I notice it was kinda soft and fell apart when slicing it. When I put the goetta in the skillet to fry and I did not use any oils. It was hard to fry and it fell totally apart the oats seem to not stay together. This was never happen to be before. Did you all not put in the right amount of binding material in this?
Kevin says
Try the goetta made at Bill Finke and Sons in Ft Wright, or Wassler’s goetta from Kremers Market in Villa Hills.
Sarah says
My husband originally lived just up the street from Finke’s. Their goetta is THE BEST!!! Their brats and mets are out of this world too! I’m giving this goetta recipe a try, fingers crossed :-)
Marc Hult says
A very good write-up.
But sorry. I didn’t like the taste at all. (¿Who ever heard of cloves in goetta ? ¿¡And what’s with the mace ¡? . And what can the cilantro/ coriander add besides a bit of confusion ?
Other times I have made goetta, the seasonings I used were salt, pepper and bay leaves. Tasted very close to commercial, just a lot fresher.
Also, the onions didn’t cook enough by just throwing them in with the meat.I I recommend sautéing them to translucent before adding.
Lastly, before sure to bring the water/broth mixture to a boil before adding the oats and then stand by the pot monitoring its boiling and turn the heat down to a simmer _*immediately*_.
Understood: “De gustibus non est disputandum“.
Just my opinion … Marc
Lois Walser says
CLOVES IS AN ORIGINAL SPICE IN GOETTA. MY GRANDMA CAME FROM GERMANY AND SHE USED CLOVES, BAY LEAVES, A PINCH OF CORRIANDER AND A LITTLE SALT & PEPPER. IF YOU DON’T LIKE THE OTHER SPICES, LEAVE THEM OUT, IT’S AS SIMPLE AS THAT. THIS IS A GREAT BREAKFAST FOOD.
ZippyTheBookWorm says
This recipe looks phenomenal, and I’m very interested in trying it.
What changes, if any, would you recommend for preparing this at high altitude? (Denver, to be specific.) I know that’s usually more of a baking concern, but figure it can’t hurt to ask – especially when first-timing a recipe that already has so many self-advertised finicky bits.
Kimberly @ The Daring Gourmet says
Thank you! I’m not sure if there are any adjustments you’d need to make to this. I don’t “think” so, but I’m not positive. Hopefully all goes well and I hope you enjoy it! :)
Linda says
I grew up in the Cincinnati area and gotta was a Sunday morning breakfast treat. I now live in California and it’s no where to be found in ANY grocery store so I was forced to learn to make homemade. After a couple tries I got it. Using homemade broth from pork and beef bones cooked overnight in crock pot, I use Jimmy Dean Sage sausage, grated onions, pinhead oats and some barley, everything else is about the same. After it sets up all night, I slice it up and wrap in wax paper putting it in sandwich bags, then put sandwich bags in a freezer bag. Freeze and enjoy for the next few months. If you don’t like it creamy inside slice it thinner.
Linda says
P. S. Try it with maple syrup!
Joyce L Moore says
I was born and raised in Cincnnati and this is nothing like any goetta I have eaten, especially Glier’s.
LeAnn says
I’d encourage everyone to try eating goetta with apple butter. Delicious!
Pam says
I made this but I put a little too much mace in and it is overpowering the taste. I don’t mind it but my husband won’t eat it. Is there anything I can add to counteract the mace? I don’t want it to go to waste but I don’t want to eat all of it myself. Thank you
Kimberly @ The Daring Gourmet says
Hi Pam, I can’t think of anything, sorry :(
Andrea Byrne says
Anyone try this using an InstaPot?
foas says
I’m about to make this for umpteenth time so I figured high time to leave a review. I’ve tried other recipes and this is by far my favorite.
For those having issues with consistency, make sure that you’re using the right oats. Once I accidentally bought Quaker Quick 3-Minute Steel Cut Oats and it was a mushy mess. My go-to is McCann’s. I kept the quick ones around for a last minute addition if needed to thicken, but that’s rare. In fact, I’ve never been able to keep the recipe cooking as long as written without adding more liquid. Thickness I go for is that of mashed potatoes.
Some small changes and I often turn this into diet food. No it’s not the same but to me still delicious. I use half chicken and half pork. Simmer in a bit more water than the recipe calls for. Strain the meat, defat the water, use the cooking water in the recipe. Speeds things up, too.
Also, personal preference but I smooth it out in a lined sheet pan to cool, rather than A loaf pan. Chill, score lines, freeze, break into squares.
Kimberly @ The Daring Gourmet says
Fantastic, Foas, I’m thrilled to hear that and appreciate the feedback and tips, thank you!
Norman says
Hi I would love to try this.
Has anyone stuffed them in a casing?
Matt says
Great recipe, made a loaf that held its shape and was easy to slice. The goetta crisped up beautifully and retained a creamy (but definitely not oozy) centre. I left out the garlic, and the remaining spices reminded me of something between weisswurst and a good old meat pie.
For any Aussies reading this, I used Red Tractor brand steel cut oats from Coles (in the health food section, not with the breakfast cereal), a couple of spoons of Massel beef stock powder for the broth, and the standard supermarket pork/beef blend (Coles Bolognese mince is 70% pork, 30% beef, about 15% fat – not sure about Woolies pork/veal blend).
At no stage was I worried about things being too wet (if anything, I was tempted to add more liquid). The loaf had set while it was still warm, and once refrigerated was easy to lift out of the pan (careful – it still bends!) I’ve tried it with eggs, maple syrup, hot sauce – all great.
Kimberly @ The Daring Gourmet says
Fantastic, Matt, I’m so glad you enjoyed it, thanks for the feedback!
Wanda Hargis says
Looks just l ike scrapple 😋😋
Joan says
My mom always made it with pork or pork butt, simmer first with bay leaves and onion till tender. I take it out of the broth, chill overnight and shread or chop finely (i use my miny food processor).I also chill the broth overnight to remove the fat layer from the top. The next day, I return the broth to a low simmer and add the oats and meat to cook together until the oats are done. I put it in quart size plastic bags and store flat in my freezer.
Lisa says
So excited to try this. I grew up in Cincinnati but have lived in California for 25+ years.
Chris Lirely says
Thanks…will use up what we have and try again…do think I’ll use a bit less water and broth…in the hopes it improves the inner texture. Will report back once I do that.
chris lirely says
Soft and loose…but mine are crispy on the outside and practically liquid inside…press a fork down and the center squirts out.
Kimberly @ The Daring Gourmet says
I should say soft, “wet” and loose. It shouldn’t be squirting out liquid, but it will be mushy-squishy, yes. Goetta tastes awesome but it’s definitely a beast to deal with. You’ll find whole forums about it online, people venting their frustration ;)
Robert says
Chris, I come from a long line of Germans and have been eating homemade Goetta since I was a child (69 years ago), your meat mixture should not be overly wet. You need to cook it a bit longer, stirring often to keep it from sticking, until it’s rather thick to the stir. It may take you a time or two to get the feel, but hang in there you won’t regret it.
Debbie Friend says
I am currently making this recipe and have noticed nowhere in the recipe, comments or responses does it say to remove the bay leaves. I am assuming that this is an oversight. Happy Eating!
Chris Lirely says
I made the recipe and it seemed more liquid than I thought it should be when I put it in the loaf pans. When I sliced it to remove it, I should have used an ice cream scoop. Too soft for slices I ended up scooping it into the pan…cooked both sides five minutes on medium heat. It browned beautifully…but when I served it and we cut into it, the center was not crispy at all…it just ooozed out when I cut into it with a fork and I was very disappointed with the result. It seemed to me by putting the lid on the pan it added extra water…I thought I might try next time without the lid at all. I’d like that crispy center instead of a crispy top and bottom and liquid center. Any suggestions???
Kimberly @ The Daring Gourmet says
Hi Chris, goetta does not have a crispy center; it’s a soft and loose patty with a browned exterior.
Robert Kupper says
Kimberly, do you remove the bay leaves at any point, and if so, when? Also, if you half the recipe, what happens to your cook times?
Kimberly @ The Daring Gourmet says
Hi Robert, yes, just discard them at the very end. Cooking times will remain the same. Happy cooking!
Tim Wiedman says
Absolutely phenomenal, the best I’ve had! Thanks also for all the additional tips on frying, those were very helpful. Thank you for this fantastic recipe, my go-to from now on.
Kimberly @ The Daring Gourmet says
I’m so glad to hear that, Tim, thank you!
John says
Hi – I made this over the weekend, following the directions to the letter. While it tastes great – the loaf (after being refrigerated overnight) was more mushy/liquidy than I expected. I was worried it was going to collapse into a big blob when I removed it from the loaf pan. Held my breath, and it barely kept its shape when I sliced it. How “dry” and set up should it be?
Kimberly @ The Daring Gourmet says
Hi John, it’s not dry at all, it’s very soft and moist. I don’t remove the entire thing from the loaf pan, I cut slices from it inside of the loaf pan and carefully slide them out, then fry.
Darren says
You need to simmer at a higher temperature and perhaps a little longer. I had the same issues with it being watery so I added some more oats, raised the temp and stirred often. It thickened up and still tasted great.
Maria says
Kimberly, I usually make mine in the crockpot. Have you tried this recipe in the crockpot? I always play around with spices and am still looking for a magical combination. I hope my husband likes this one.
Kimberly @ The Daring Gourmet says
Hi Maria, I haven’t made it in the crockpot but you can probably follow the crockpot method you’re used to using these ingredients. Let us know how it goes!
Christine says
I love this recipe, I am going to try a poached egg on top of the Goetta, I think it would compliment the flavours beautifully.
John says
I was born outside of Cincinnati, but moved away in 1st grade. However, Goetta has been a part of family meals most of my life. My mother makes it from scratch once or twice a year, and she always freezes / saves me some. At 48 years of age, I’ve never made it myself. Oddly enough, I have never asked my mother for the family recipe. I need to do so. Your recipe is simmering on the stove, and I look forward to how it turns out.
FYI… I do know my mother often uses quick oats, which are steel cut / pinhead. Her recipe is basically reversed. She uses a beef roast to create the broth / stock, and meat is finely pulled and chopped. The pork is cooked the same way in a separate pot. This is the greatest time consuming part. The meat and the spices are put back in the strained beef stock and simmered. Oats are added last (I’m sure with water), being quick oats. I’d assume playing with the water / broth ratios, you could probably do something simular here. I only added because I saw someone ask about the quick oats.
Kimberly @ The Daring Gourmet says
Fantastic, John, please let us know what you think once you’ve tried it!
Kathy says
Can I use quick oats in place of steel oats?
Kimberly @ The Daring Gourmet says
Hi Kathy, no, they cook at a different rate and create a different texture.
Doug Schnorbus says
What a mess! Thought I was following the recipe but after 15 min of cooking on low heat the concoction was very dry and sticking to the pan. I was stirring often. I added about 6 oz of water and later added another 6 oz to keep from sticking. Kept overnight in the fridge and it firmed some but still very runny. Perhaps I also added too much ground cloves but the cooked product was very clove tasting and the goetta was lumpy. I disposed of it. I think i’ll wait for the Anchor Grill in Covington for my next goetta meal.
Kimberly @ The Daring Gourmet says
Doug, this calls for 8 cups of liquid (64 ounces) to 2 1/2 cups of oats. I can’t imagine how it was dry to the point of sticking to the pan. Something definitely went wrong in the process of following the list of ingredients or instructions.
George M Keen says
Kimberly, I’m from Dayton, but my mother (who was very German heritage) introduced me to Goetta years ago. I’m currently planning a trip to Ohio and was trying to figure out how to bring back enough Goetta. So I was searching for where to buy Goetta and saw the recipes links. I read through a number of other recipes and I just knew they didn’t have enough spice or bite to them. Bland would not be worth the time. But when I read your recipe I knew it was exactly what I was looking for. MY grandfather, and great grandfather and up ran a German meat packing operation in Dayton, Ohio for years until it closed in 1976. There are just certain spices that really compliment the meat (in my humble opinion)!
I’m not a big cook, but I just subscribed to your blog. If you can do this, then I want to learn from you how to do many other things. Thank you for a fantastic detailed and accurate recipe.
Kimberly @ The Daring Gourmet says
Hi George, thank you so much for the compliment and your kind words. And I’m so glad you subscribed, welcome! I hope you enjoy this Goetta and any other recipe you try here. Happy cooking and Guten Appetit! :) Kind regards, Kimberly
Nahlah arling says
Wonderful recipe!
Kimberly @ The Daring Gourmet says
I’m so glad you enjoyed it, Nahlah, thank you!
Liz says
My husband and I are both from Cincinnati but are currently living in California. It’s been so long since he’s had goetta, so I decided to make this for him. I looked for many recipes but this one caught my eye because there were so many ingrediants. He absolutely LOVED it. I will definitely be making this again. Thank you for having such clear explanations! And the pictures really helped as well!
Kimberly @ The Daring Gourmet says
I’m so thrilled to hear that, Liz, thank you!
MaryJo says
This weekend I was looking for lard rendering info and found your excellent post on that from 2017, and it was enormously helpful.
Then this morning I started browsing your other posts and found this one and it cracked me up because just yesterday I served my family something called gretzwurst from a local Minnesota butcher shop. I was hoping it would turn out like goetta because the ingredients listed on the package were nearly identical to the recipes I have seen, but it was a sad disappointment. It was watery and mushy, not at all like the crispy brown goetta that I first encountered at a (now closed) little restaurant in Dunedin, Florida. I had never heard of it, but I’ve always been intrigued by regional and ethnic recipes and the first time I tried it I was in love. I researched and found some recipes but never made it from scratch myself and I’ve never seen it in stores until that butcher shop. Your photos of the fried goetta look exactly like what I used to order at that restaurant. With your excellent post, I’m going to give it a try, but maybe a half recipe since my family is now skeptical. In case no one else will eat it, I like your suggestion to another comment to slice, then freeze the slices.
I’m subscribing and looking forward to binge-reading more of your posts! =0)
Kimberly @ The Daring Gourmet says
Thank you for the compliments, MaryJo, and I’m so glad you’ve subscribed! Hopefully this will restore your family’s confidence after their encounter with that gretzwurst :) Happy cooking!
Albert MERKEL says
WUNDERBAR! WUNDERBAR! Max Gut, this is wonderful! Thank You – Thank You, Kimberly! You have made my day. Genuine Authentic Deutschen Goetta. I love it. Danka Schoen, Opa Al
Kimberly @ The Daring Gourmet says
You’re welcome, Opa Al, and thank you for the challenge, it was fun! :)
Mary Franzman says
I made Goetta. I thought I would try some German food as that is my heritage. Your instructions were perfect especially pertaining to careful cooking without oil etc. I had to buy some spices but I used them all as you suggested for a great success. Now to try some others that I can’t pronounce:-)! WUNDERBAR!
Kimberly @ The Daring Gourmet says
Wonderful, Mary, I am so thrilled to hear that, thank you!
Denning C says
How does this differ from SCRAPPLE—the Pennsylvania/Maryland Sausage?
Kimberly @ The Daring Gourmet says
Hi Denning, goetta is made with steel-cut oats whereas scrapple is made with cornmeal, sometimes buckwheat. Another difference is that goetta uses strictly muscle meat whereas scrapple also incorporates “scraps” (e.g., liver, heart, tongue, etc).
Jim Guderian says
I’m the only one in my family who will or can eat this kind of food. Even with a half recipe’, I’ll have left-overs. Can this be frozen for later use?
Kimberly @ The Daring Gourmet says
Hi Jim, yes, it freezes well. You can wrap the loaf pans and freeze them for up to 2-3 months. Let it fully thaw before slicing and frying. Alternatively, you can pre-slice the loaf and place the slices between wax paper, then freeze. That way you can conveniently grab however many slices you need at a time without thawing the whole loaf.
Shari Weber says
Can you half them is recipe? I do love the explanations and stories you give. Great directions too!
Kimberly @ The Daring Gourmet says
Thanks, Shari! Yes you can and simply use one loaf pan. Happy cooking!
Jim Durrett says
You have the best explanations AND instructions of any food blog I have ever visited.
I love your German recipes. Was stationed there in the late 60’s in the Army. Beautiful country. Iron curtain then, but all the people were wonderful.
Kimberly @ The Daring Gourmet says
Thanks so much, Jim, I appreciate the compliment. It really is a beautiful country and I hope these recipes provide an enjoyable walk down memory lane for you. Kind regards, Kimberly
Anna Kristín Guðmundsdóttir says
I want to try this for my family. I am sure it tastes as good as it looks!
Sandra | A Dash of Sanity says
Such an awesome idea! My family will surely love this!
Erin says
This looks incredibly delicious!
Jamielyn says
Goetta is so delicious! Great recipe!
Toni | Boulder Locavore says
I would love to give this a try! Looks like it will be a hit with my family.
Demeter says
I have never heard of this before! It sounds so interesting….great job!
Amanda says
Goetta is my all time favorite and I cannot wait to try this fantastic recipe
Toffeeapple says
Are the oats added at the start with the broth?
Kimberly @ The Daring Gourmet says
Yes they are, thanks Toffeeapple!
Evelyn Rioux says
This recipe is one that my family uses when making sausages actually stuffed into intestines that you can buy from a quality meat shop—thereby bypassing the need to fiddle around with it crumbling in the pan
Really nice flavour and texture when held by the casings😃
Kimberly @ The Daring Gourmet says
Serving this in the form of sausage links sounds like a fun alternative, Evelyn. I regularly make sausages so I always have casings on hand. I’ll need to experiment, perhaps increase the meat-to-oats ratio so the sausages are a little firmer. Does your family call it goetta or by some other name?
Anonymous says
Sounds like what my family made. It was called kishka. A polish sausage.
Julie says
What percentage of beef is used? 80/20? 85/15? Also, could it be made light with turkey? Thanks!
Kimberly @ The Daring Gourmet says
Hi Julie, I use lean ground beef, about 90%, but that’s just personal preference. I haven’t tried it with turkey but that shouldn’t be a problem substituting it.
Steve Junker says
I’ve tried several recipes and this by far is my favorite. I love the flavors of the spices. I grew up in Cincinnati and I’ve had my fair share of goetta. This recipe is right in there with the best I’ve tried anywhere. I love the hint of ginger and the mace. My only deviation from this recipe is to error on the side of more pork than beef. Grinding your own meat (course grind) adds a little extra texture. These are just preferences. Also, much debate about stove top vs oven. I prefer oven method in Dutch oven for 3.5 or 4 hours. I find it is easier and provides great consistency. Thank you again!
Kimberly @ The Daring Gourmet says
I’m so thrilled to hear that, Steve, and appreciate the feedback, thank you!