Can You Freeze Scrapple?
Scrapple is one of those obscure cultural dishes that not many have heard of but love when they are brave enough to try it. It’s a pork dish, and if you love other pork products, then you will most likely enjoy scrapple as well.
A little bit of scrapple is very filling and goes a long way.
So, can you freeze scrapple? The good news is, you can freeze scrapple for up to 12 months, and the process is simple. Most people freeze it after it has been cooked, but you can also freeze a prepared scrapple loaf before it is fully cooked as well.
In this guide, we will walk you through how to freeze scrapple as leftovers and how to freeze your scrapple loaf before it has been cooked.
Can You Freeze Scrapple? A Complete Guide
This dish was originally a traditional dish of rural America, particularly in the Mid-Atlantic states.
Scrapple is a unique blend of pork meat but can sometimes contain other meats. It has added offal that includes the head, liver, and heart. These parts are boiled and then finely minced.
The whole concoction is then mixed with flour and cornmeal and seasoned to perfection. When finished, it can resemble meatloaf.
Freezing scrapple before you slice it and fry it can actually be beneficial to your process. Scrapple needs to set up in order to solidify slightly so that it doesn’t fall apart when you fry the individual slices.
When you freeze scrapple, you help this process along.
So, not only does freezing scrapple help to keep it fresh and edible for an extended period, but it can actually be helpful when you’re ready to fry up that scrapple and serve it as a meal.
When you thaw scrapple, you can easily slice and cook it and you will find that it is less likely to fall apart or crumble because you froze it into solidity.
We will share with you how to freeze your scrapple before frying it as well as some tips for freezing scrapple after it has been fried.
If you are going to freeze scrapple, it is best to freeze it before you fry it and then only fry what you need. However, you can freeze it either way.
Freezing Scrapple Before Frying
The scrapple freezing process is really pretty simple and you will find that using it after it has been frozen is straightforward as well.
Remember that if you are going to freeze scrapple, it is best to do so before you get to that final frying step. In fact, freezing at this point can also be beneficial to your frying process.
If you fried up the whole loaf and have leftovers, don’t worry – you can still freeze it. It just works better to freeze before that step.
Here are the steps to freezing your scrapple loaf before you fry the slices:
- Before you freeze your scrapple, determine if you are going to freeze the full loaf together or whether you prefer to freeze individual slices. If you want to freeze in slices, go ahead and slice your preferred portions before continuing with the following steps.
- Wrap either the loaf or individual slices in plastic wrap or freezer paper.
- Place the wrapped scrapple into either a heavy-duty freezer bag or an airtight container that is freezer-safe.
- Label, date, and seal up all packaging appropriately. Try to keep your scrapple airtight to prevent freezer burn.
- Store in the freezer in this manner for up to 12 months.
As you can see, this process is really pretty simple. There isn’t much to it, apart from getting it wrapped so that it can be airtight while it is stored away.
You also just have to make a decision as to whether you will freeze slices or the entire loaf. However, this is a matter of preference. If you are concerned the slices won’t hold up, just freeze the loaf as a whole. You can always slice it later.
Now, let’s talk about freezing scrapple after you have fried it.
How to Freeze Scrapple (After Frying)
Freezing scrapple after you have fried it works well too. It doesn’t freeze for quite as long as your uncooked scrapple, but it does freeze just fine.
We recommend freezing your scrapple uncooked if possible, simply because the process works better overall. However, if you went ahead and fried up the whole loaf, that’s totally ok.
You can follow these steps to freeze your fried scrapple slices:
- Let your cooked scrapple slices cool to room temperature.
- Use a paper towel to pat the scrapple slices dry and soak up excess oil or moisture from the frying process.
- Wrap the individual slices with freezer-safe plastic wrap.
- Place slices into a heavy-duty freezer bag or an airtight container that is freezer-safe.
- Label and date the packaging so you know when they were prepared and frozen.
- Seal all packaging to be as airtight as possible.
- Freeze your scrapple using this method for up to 6 months.
Again, you will notice that the process is pretty simple overall. There isn’t a lot of difference, aside from the fact that you already fried this scrapple and it may not freeze quite as long.
Using Scrapple After Freezing
You successfully froze your scrapple, but now what? While we aren’t going to go into full reheating methods in this guide, we did want to share a few tips for the best way to handle your scrapple after it has been frozen.
The nice thing is that you can work with scrapple that is still mostly frozen. In fact, if you froze the whole uncooked loaf, it might actually help you out to have a frozen loaf. It helps it stay together better when you are frying up the slices.
Once you have frozen it, you just need to thaw it. You can allow scrapple to thaw overnight in the fridge, but we actually don’t recommend it. The best way to use your scrapple is from a mostly frozen state. It holds up better this way.
You will need to be able to cut into that frozen scrapple loaf, so let it thaw out in the fridge for just long enough that you can slice into it. You don’t want it fully defrosted, just softened slightly.
Once it is soft enough, you can cut just the number of slices that you plan to fry and then re-wrap the remaining loaf and toss it back in the freezer. Or you can slice and fry the entire loaf. It’s up to you!
If you fried your scrapple before freezing it, then just pull out the slices that you want to heat and use at that time. You can let them thaw or you can just go ahead and reheat them from a frozen state.
Scrapple is fairly versatile when it comes to freezing and reheating. You can absolutely freeze your scrapple and this is a rare instance where it might actually turn out better when you do!
Related Questions
We hope that you find this guide to freezing scrapple to be a valuable resource. Give it a try and see what works for you!
We invite you to take a look at our question and answer section. There just might be some additional information that you find helpful.
What Can You Serve With Scrapple?
Like sausage, scrapple is typically a breakfast food, so try serving it with breakfast items.
You can try things like a breakfast casserole or breakfast hash, or you can keep it simple and just make some eggs, hash browns, and toast to go with your scrapple.
Some people eat scrapple as the meal on its own as well.
How Long Can Scrapple Last in the Fridge?
Scrapple has an unusual shelf life that most meat products simply don’t have. According to the USDA, scrapple can actually be refrigerated for up to 50 days.
This is abnormally long. We recommend sticking to 3-5 days to be safe and freezing if your scrapple won’t be used within that time frame.
Can You Eat Scrapple Without Frying It?
You can eat scrapple without frying it, but it’s typically not recommended. It does go through a cooking process when you prepare the loaf, so it is safe to eat.
However, to really enjoy scrapple the way it was intended, you should bake it or fry it.
