Goetta: Cincinnati's German-American Breakfast Sausage of Pork and Oats

Goetta (pronounced "get-uh") is Cincinnati's signature breakfast sausage — a meat-and-grain loaf of ground pork (or pork and beef) simmered with steel-cut oats, onions, and spices until it forms a thick porridge that cools into a sliceable brick, then cut into patties and fried until the crust is crisp and caramelized and the center stays soft and creamy. According to Wikipedia, goetta is a meat-and-grain sausage of German inspiration popular in metro Cincinnati, primarily composed of ground meat, steel-cut oats, and spices, and originally a dish meant to stretch servings of meat over several meals to conserve money; it descends from a family of German *grützwursts*, or "grain sausages," made to stretch meat scraps with inexpensive starches. Serious Eats calls it Cincinnati's breakfast staple, a meat-and-oat loaf that crisps into a breakfast-meat croquette — the pork and oats caramelize to a crunchy brown finish while the center remains soft and creamy. The Daring Gourmet provides a complete from-scratch recipe using steel-cut oats, beef, pork, onion, and garlic.

The dish came to Cincinnati with 19th-century German immigrants from Oldenburg, Hannover, and Westphalia, who used pinhead oats — the "traditional Low German cook's way of stretching a minimum amount of meat to feed a maximum number of people." The first commercial producer was Sander Packing, and today Glier's Goetta of Covington, Kentucky produces more than a million pounds a year, almost all of it eaten locally.

About the Ingredients

Meat — traditionally pork (and sometimes pork and beef); modern home versions use ground pork shoulder, with optional beef.

Oats — pinhead (steel-cut) oats are the defining grain; they give the dish its distinctive chew and its name (from the Low German *Götte*, meaning groats).

Spices — bay leaves, black pepper, thyme, and a little sage; some modern makers add a pinch of MSG.

Ingredients (makes one 9×5 loaf, about 12 slices): - 1 lb ground pork (or 1/2 lb pork + 1/2 lb beef) - 1 small onion, finely chopped - 2 cups water or broth - 1 cup pinhead (steel-cut) oats - 1 tsp salt - 1/2 tsp black pepper - 1/4 tsp dried thyme - 1 bay leaf - 1 tbsp butter or bacon fat, for frying

Instructions: In a heavy pot, combine the water, the chopped onion, the bay leaf, salt, and the meat; bring to a simmer and cook, breaking the meat up, 15 minutes. Add the oats, reduce the heat to low, cover, and cook 1 1/2 to 2 hours, stirring often, until the mixture is very thick and the oats are tender and the porridge holds a spoon upright. Discard the bay leaf.

Scrape the mixture into a buttered 9×5 loaf pan and smooth the top. Let cool to room temperature, then refrigerate at least 4 hours or overnight, until completely firm.

To serve, turn the loaf out and cut into 1/2-inch slices. Heat butter or bacon fat in a skillet over medium heat. Fry the slices 3–4 minutes per side until deeply browned and crisp on the outside and warm and creamy within. Do not move them while they crisp. Serve with fried eggs and toast.

The Mimosa Pairing Logic: The savory, crisp-and-creamy goetta and the rich fried eggs want a bright, refreshing drink that can cut the fat and echo the herbs. A classic Champagne mimosa is the safe and perfect choice — the citrus acidity balances the rich pork and the oats, and the wine's effervescence refreshes the palate of the fried patty. A blackberry sage mimosa is equally lovely, the sage a mirror for the thyme and the berry a bright contrast to the savory meat. This pairing is, in its way, the brunch equivalent of goetta and a glass of cold Cincinnati lager — a sparkling toast to Porkopolis and the German-American table.

Reference Links: - Goetta (German-American pork and oats sausage) overview: Wikipedia - Goetta (German-American Breakfast Sausage) recipe: Serious Eats - Goetta Recipe (Cincinnati Sausage Grain Patties): The Daring Gourmet

Make-Ahead: Goetta is the great make-ahead breakfast — the cooked loaf must be chilled overnight before slicing, and it keeps, wrapped, in the refrigerator for up to 5 days and freezes for up to 2 months. Make a double batch and freeze the extra; that is the Cincinnati tradition. Fry the slices to order; the crisp crust is the point and does not reheat well.

Pro Tips: Cook the oat-and-meat porridge long and slow until it is truly thick — a loose mixture will not set into a sliceable loaf. Pinhead (steel-cut) oats are essential; rolled oats turn to paste and lose the chew. Chill the loaf fully before slicing; warm goetta falls apart in the pan. Do not move the slices while they fry; the crust forms in stillness. The crust should be deep brown and crisp, the center soft and creamy — that contrast is the whole dish.