Golden goetta dish shines at breakfast

I had never heard of goetta, pronounced GET-uh, until I read about it in the February/ March issue of Cook’s Country magazine.

According to Cook’s Country the dish is of German-American origin.

However, my research failed to produce any similar German recipes or references to it in German cooking. I think it is more accurate to say goetta is German-American in much the same way corned beef and cabbage is Irish-American. They are American immigrant creations inspired by foods from the homeland.

But back to goetta.

The sausage-meets-oats meets-onion breakfast food is a Cincinnati staple and is also popular in areas of Kentucky and Indiana. But aside from these regions the dish is largely unheard of elsewhere (unless you read Cook’s Country).

Goetta looks like a hashbrown patty and tastes like nothing I’ve had before.

It may not sound so good at first - oats, sausage, onion and spices are cooked to porridge, then turned into a loaf pan and refrigerated until firm -but bear with me. The chilled mixture is then sliced and fried in hot oil until the outside is crisped and golden brown.

The combination is meaty and hearty, a little nutty and very flavorful. I enjoyed it with fried eggs (sunny-side up) and a generous sprinkle of coarsely ground black pepper. Joe preferred his eggs scrambled and a dab of ketchup on the goetta. Both ways are delicious.

Goetta

1 tablespoon butter

1 onion, diced

1 ½ teaspoons dried sage

1 teaspoon ground fennel

¼ teaspoon ground allspice

Water

12 ounces to 1 pound breakfast sausage OR link sausage, casings removed (I used hot sausage)

1 ¾ cups quick-cooking steel cut oats (do not use rolled oats)

Salt and ground black pepper

2 tablespoons vegetable oil, or as needed

Grease an 8 ½ -by-4 ½ -inch loaf pan.

In a Dutch oven or heavy saucepan, melt the butter over medium-high heat. Add the onion and cook until lightly browned and beginning to soften, about 5 minutes. Stir in the spices and cook 30 seconds.

Add 4 ½ cups water and the sausage. Mash mixture with a potato masher until the sausage and water are completely combined. Bring to a boil and stir in oats. Cover, reduce heat to low, and simmer gently, stirring occasionally, for 15 minutes.

Uncover and maintain heat at a gentle simmer about 15 minutes until mixture is very thick and a rubber spatula or wooden spoon dragged across the bottom of the pot leaves a trail for about 3 seconds.

Season to taste with salt and pepper.

Transfer mixture to the prepared loaf pan, smoothing the top and tapping the pan firmly on the counter. Cool at room temperature for about 20 minutes, then cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate until firm, 3 hours to 2 days.

Run the blade of a thin knife around the edge of the goetta, then briefly dip the bottom of the pan in hot water to loosen.

Unmold goetta and cut into ½ - inch thick slices.

Heat oil in a 12-inch skillet over medium heat until shimmering. Add as many slices as will fit comfortably without touching and cook until well browned on both sides, turning once or twice, about 5 minutes per side. Drain briefly on a wire rack or paper towels.

Serve warm.

Repeat as needed. Wrap any remaining goetta in plastic wrap and refrigerate for up to 3 days or freeze for up to 1 month. To cook from frozen, reduce heat to medium-low and increase cooking time to 7 to 9 minutes per side.

Makes 6 to 8 servings.

Recipe adapted from Cook’s Country