How to Cook Scrapple

Co-authored by wikiHow Staff

Last Updated: December 3, 2022

Scrapple is a food of the Pennsylvania Dutch, and is also known as pan rabbit. Scrapple isn’t made out of rabbit at all, but is instead pork scraps which would otherwise be thrown away, combined with cornmeal, wheat flour, and spices. It is a favorite food around the Mid-Atlantic states such as Pennsylvania, Maryland, and Delaware. Scrapple is commonly enjoyed in sandwiches, with eggs, or topped on pancakes or waffles. Scrapple can be served either pan-fried or oven-baked.

Ingredients

Pan-Frying Scrapple

½ loaf of scrapple
1 cup (110 g) of instant flour
Salt, to taste
Black pepper, to taste
1 tbsp (14 g) of butter

Makes 4 servings

Baking Scrapple in the Oven

½ loaf of scrapple

Makes 4 servings

Method 1

Method 1 of 2:

Pan-Frying Scrapple

1
Slice the scrapple into ¼ in (0.6 cm) thick slices. Use a sharp chef’s knife to evenly slice the 1/2 loaf of scrapple. The thickness of the slices depends on your own preference, however thinner slices tend to cook more quickly.^{[1]
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- While 1/4 in (0.6 cm) slices are the most common, try ½ in (1.3 cm) thick slices if you prefer them to be a bit chunkier.
- For even thicker slices, try ¾ in (2 cm). Bear in mind that these will need to be cooked for longer though.^{[2]
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2
Dip each scrapple slice into 1 cup (110 g) of instant flour. Pour the instant flour into a bowl and coat each slice fully in the flour. Dip each slice individually to make sure that every side is coated in instant flour.^{[3]
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3
Season the slices with salt and pepper to taste. Use table salt and freshly ground black pepper to sprinkle over each slice. Make sure you season both sides of each slice.^{[4]
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4
Heat 1 tbsp (14 g) of butter in a skillet or a deep frying pan. Using a medium heat for the frying pan is the key to making delicious, crispy scrapple. Make sure that the butter has melted before you put the scrapple in the pan.^{[5]
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- Don’t add too much butter to the pan, as the contents of the scrapple has enough grease. Too much butter will make the scrapple too oily when it has finished cooking.
- Since the scrapple in the pan will be producing grease, this makes it less likely to burn.
5
Pan-fry the scrapple slices for 3 minutes on the first side. Place each slice in the pan, and fry them until you can see the edges of the underside starting to look brown and crispy. Make sure that there is ½ in (1.3 cm) gap between each slice in the pan.
- The slices will stick together if they are cooked too close to each other in the pan.
6
Flip over each slice and fry them for a further 3 minutes. Let this side cook until it is brown and crispy too. You may have to do several batches of pan-frying the scrapple, depending on how many slices you are cooking and how big your pan is.^{[6]
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- The length of time that it takes to pan-fry the scrapple depends on the thickness of the slices. Thin slices can cook in as quickly as 3 minutes, while thick slices may take up to 10 minutes on each side. Watching for the crispy edges and browning color is the best way to monitor how the scrapple is cooking.
7
Remove the scrapple from the pan when it is brown and crispy. Once the scrapple slices are cooked, use a kitchen flipper to remove them from the heat. Place the scrapple on a plate, and make sure it is lined with a paper tower to absorb any extra grease.
- You could also use a frying fork to remove the slices from the pan if you prefer.^{[7]
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- Scrapple is best served when it has been left to sit for a few minutes on the plate first.
- Pan-fried scrapple slices are commonly served in sandwiches or with fried eggs, and leftovers can be refrigerated for up to 1 week.

Method 2

Method 2 of 2:

Baking Scrapple in the Oven

1
Preheat the oven to 415°F (213°C). A high temperature is the key to getting crispy, oven-baked scrapple. This will ensure that the scrapple is crispy on the outside and softer in the middle.
2
Cover an oven tray with non-stick foil. Non-stick foil will make sure that the scrapple slices don’t stick to the oven tray as they cook. You could also use baking paper if you don’t have any non-stick foil on hand.
- If you prefer, you could also use a light coating of spray oil on the oven tray instead.
3
Slice the 1/2 loaf of scrapple into ¼ in (0.6 cm) thick slices. Use a sharp chef’s knife to slice through the loaf. This should get you around 5 slices, depending on the size of the loaf.
- It is important to make the slices consistent in size, so that they all cook evenly in the oven.
4
Place the scrapple slices on the oven tray. Spread out the slices, leaving a small gap surrounding each slice. Make sure the sides aren’t touching, otherwise they may stick together as they bake.
- Leaving a gap in between each slice also lets the “crust” of each slice form properly.
- Baking scrapple slices makes them less greasy than using a frying pan.
5
Bake the scrapple for 15 minutes. Place the oven tray into the oven once it has preheated. Then set a timer for 15 minutes so that you can monitor the scrapple carefully.
6
Turn the slices over and bake them for a further 10 minutes. After the initial 15 minutes has passed, take the oven tray out and flip each slice over. Ensure that there is still a gap in between each slice, and return the tray to the oven to bake for 10 more minutes.
- When you are turning the slices over, be very careful as they will still be relatively soft at this point, and can easily break apart.
7
Remove the scrapple slices from the oven once they are cooked. When each slice is brown in color and has a crispy crust, remove the oven tray from the oven. If you want crunchier slices, leave the slices in the oven for a few more minutes, and then check them again.
- Baked scrapple is usually enjoyed alongside scrambled eggs or on waffles. Leftovers can be stored in the fridge for up to 1 week.