Goetta — the easy way

This old family recipe post is a follow-up to ‘Generations at the Stove’on my Back Burner blog. What my mom meant by “the easy way” is that she eventually started buying ground meats. Before then, she – like Grandma and my great aunt Rose – would grind the beef and pork herself using the special attachment on her old standing mixer. My adaptations are to use only meats from pastured animals, from farmers I know and trust.  Peasant dishes like goetta also offer a great way to increase your intake of whole-grain fiber and cut back on the meat in your diet.

1 ½ lb. grass-fed ground beef

1 ½ lb. grass-fed ground pork

3 cups organic steel-cut oats

8 cups water

1 large organic onion, chopped

2-3 large bay leaves

1 tsp. Allspice

2-3 tsp. Salt, or to taste

pinch fresh ground pepper

Bring water to boil in a heavy pot, then add oats, salt, pepper, allspice and onion. Cook for two hours, stirring often to reduce sticking. Keep lid on over low heat when not stirring.

Add meat and bay leaves, mix well. Cook for one hour, stirring well and often. Spread mixture onto a jelly roll pan to speed cooling, then transfer to loaf pans and refrigerate. Cover only when completely cooled, as condensation will make the loaves mushy. When chilled and firm, slice loaves and pan fry in butter until crispy brown. Serve with homemade applesauce.

Chilled goetta loaves also freeze beautifully. The firm loaf should release from the pan easily. Wrap in waxed paper, then in foil, freezer wrap or place in a plastic freezer bag. Thaw completely in the refrigerator before slicing and frying.