Goetta Recipe (Cincinnati Breakfast Classic)

1. Stage

Cook the oats: In a large, heavy-bottomed pot, bring the water, oats, and 1 teaspoon of the salt to a boil over high heat. Reduce to a simmer and cook uncovered, stirring often with a wooden spoon, until very thick and creamy, about 30 minutes.

2. Stage

Mix the meat and seasonings: In the bowl of an electric stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, combine the ground pork and beef, seasonings, and remaining 1 teaspoon salt. Mix on low speed until combined, about 1 to 2 minutes.  With the machine running on low, slowly pour in 2 cups of the beef stock and mix until sticky, about 2 minutes. Mixing the meats until they are sticky helps form a protein bond that’ll make your finished goetta less crumbly and have a more sausage-like texture.

3. Stage

Add the meat mixture and stock and cook until very thick: Transfer the meat mixture to the pot with the oats. Add the remaining beef stock and stir well to make a light pink sludge. Add the bay leaves, then raise the heat to medium-high and bring to a simmer, stirring constantly with a wooden spoon.  Reduce the heat as low as it can go and cook, uncovered, 1 to 2 hours, stirring every 5 minutes or so to prevent the oats from sticking to the bottom and scorching. It’ll slowly turn brown and then, as the liquid evaporates, it’ll look less like oatmeal and more like a chunky, brownish-gray peanut butter. It should require more and more effort to stir the longer it cooks (if in doubt, cook longer). When it’s ready, it’ll be quite stiff, and you’ll easily see the bottom of the pot when you drag the spoon through the mixture.  Taste and adjust the seasoning, if needed; it should be salty the way sausage is salty. Remove the bay leaves and set the pot aside for now.

4. Stage

Fill the loaf pans: Line the bottoms of two 8 1/2x4 1/2 or 9x5-inch loaf pans with parchment. Grease the pans and parchment with cooking spray. Divide the mixture between the pans and smooth the tops. Let the pans cool on the counter for at least 1 hour, then refrigerate, uncovered, for at least 12 hours to set. 

5. Stage

Wrap and store: Slide a thin metal spatula between the parchment and the goetta to loosen it, then unmold the loaf and wrap it well in plastic wrap. Refrigerate for up to 1 week or freeze for up to 1 year.

6. Stage

Fry the goetta to serve: Even though the goetta is fully cooked, it’s always served sliced and fried or griddled. Cut the loaf into 1/2-inch slices.  Heat 1 tablespoon of vegetable oil or bacon fat in a skillet (preferably nonstick or cast iron) over medium-high heat. Add the goetta, being careful not to crowd the pan, and cook 5 to 10 minutes per side, disturbing the goetta as little as possible so you don’t break up the crispy brown crust as it forms. You may need to lower the heat of the pan bit by bit to keep it from scorching. Love the recipe? Leave us stars and a comment below!