Goetta, a meat-and-grain sausage or mush popular in the greater Cincinnati area, consists primarily of ground meat (pork or pork and beef), steel-cut oats, and spices. It probably originated with German settlers who immigrated to the area in the nineteenth century. Here, a roasty porter adds depth and interest to this traditional dish.
Active preparation time: 90 minutes
Total time: 120 minutes
Serves: 4–6
1 cup onion, minced
1 Tbs (1/2 fl oz/15 ml) canola oil
2 cup (16 fl oz/473 ml) beef stock
2 cup (16 fl oz/473 ml) porter
1 lb (454 g) ground pork butt
1 lb (454 g) ground chuck
7½ cup (60 fl oz/1.8 l) water, divided
1 cup steel-cut (pinhead) oats
1 tsp white pepper
Canola oil for frying
4–6 eggs, fried to personal taste
In a large saucepan over medium heat with 1 tablespoon canola oil, sweat the onions until they are translucent, about 3 minutes. Add the stock, beer, ground pork and chuck, and 4 cup (32 fl oz/946 ml) of water to the pot. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to medium-low and simmer for 90 minutes.
While waiting for meat mixture to cook, bring 3½ cup (28 fl oz/828 ml) of water to a boil. Stir in the oats and reduce the heat to medium. Cook for 15 minutes and set aside until the meat finishes.
When the meat mixture is done, strain off the liquid, reserving 1 cup (8 fl oz/237 ml). Transfer the meat mixture, oats, and white pepper to a food processor and puree until the mixture becomes a thick paste.
Cool and form into 3 oz (85 g) patties. To a large frying pan over medium-high heat, add enough canola oil to coat the bottom of the pan. Pan fry the patties until they are brown on both sides and cooked through. Serve with fried eggs.
Beer Suggestions: Odell Cutthroat Porter (Fort Collins, Colorado), Rhinegeist Panther Porter (Cincinnati, Ohio), Madtree Identity Crisis Porter (Cincinnati, Ohio).