Food - Drink
Goetta: Cincinnati's Unique Breakfast Sausage Blend
By CLARICE KNELLY
What is Goetta?
If your breakfast meat selection ranges from bacon to sausage, then Cincinnati’s goetta breakfast patties might change your life. Created by German immigrants, goetta is a thin pan-fried patty made from pork or beef along with oats, onions, and plenty of seasonings to create a sweet and spicy flavor.
History
Goetta originated in the 19th century when an influx of working-class German immigrants settled in what is now Cincinnati’s trendy Over-the-Rhine neighborhood. Many of these immigrants had little money so to emulate German sausages they used meat scraps and other cheap ingredients to create filling patties.
Ingredients
While similar German sausages are made with barley or buckwheat, goetta's main ingredient is rolled oats, which were more accessible in Ohio. Along with oats, goetta is made with chopped onions, ground meat, and a spice blend typically consisting of ginger, coriander, white pepper, cloves, garlic, mace, and marjoram.
Eating Goetta
Whether you’re making goetta from scratch or sourcing it from your local butcher, you’ll have to fry it in a skillet for about 5 minutes, just remember not to fuss with it while cooking as it can easily crumble. Once cooked, it’s ready to be enjoyed as a tasty breakfast side, in a hamburger bun, or on its own.