It’s National Scrapple Day in NJ & PA — Love it or hate it?
It's an odd grey color, sold in the shape of a brick, you probably don't know (or don't want to know) what's in it, and you either love it or hate it... scrapple!
Scrapple — the culinary delight that's a staple of South Jersey and beyond.
And while the debate between "pork roll" and "Taylor Ham" rages in the Garden State, scrapple reigns supreme in many households.
What exactly is scrapple?
For people who don't know what it is, I've always described scrapple as everything that's not good enough to put in a cheap hot dog. And I don't think that's too far from the truth.
Scrapple is just that: scraps of meat that are left over from butchering.
Instead of these animal parts going to waste, they're all squished together into the familiar brick shape that you see in your local supermarket. Typically, scrapple is cut into slices, much like a loaf of bread, and sometimes it's first coated in flour, then usually fried.
And yes, I've read the label on a brick of scrapple... and I've blocked that information out of my mind.
Scrapple — love it or hate it?
Now, depending on where you are from, you may either love scrapple or hate it. I grew up in Williamstown and I love it. I'll be honest -- I'll take scrapple over pork roll any day when it's cooked properly.
So rejoice fellow scrapplites (I honestly don't know if there's a term for scrapple lovers), today is your day. Heat up those frying pans and dig into that glorious grey brick of goodness.
And if you're asking where you can get really good scrapple if you want to eat out, any good diner in the region, such as the ones below, are good places to visit...
The Absolute Best Diners in South Jersey
Gallery Credit: Chris Coleman
The 20 best dive bars in South Jersey
Gallery Credit: Chris Coleman