Goetta - Dave G's grandmother's recipe (slightly modified)

It is best to make this "by the pot".  A pot makes (3) 2 lbs loaf pans of Goetta

But, making a "batch" which is actually 6 pots will make (18) 2 lbs loaf pans.  This is something you may want to do because a batch is a nice amount to end up with

Per pot ingredients:

(1) 2 lbs bag of pinhead oats, Dorsel's brand preferred
(1) lbs shredded pork
(8) cups of broth from cooking pork
(3) to (4) additional cups of water
(1) small onion
(1) teaspoon of salt
(1/2) teaspoon of poultry seasoning
(1/2) teaspoon of pepper (as needed)
(1/4) teaspoon of Italian seasoning, used for sage
(3) 2 lbs loaf pans

Per batch ingredients:

(6) 2 lbs bag of pinhead oats, Dorsel's brand preferred
(6) lbs shredded pork
(48) cups of broth from cooking pork
(18) to (24) additional cups of water
(3) small onions
(6) teaspoons of salt
(3) teaspoons of poultry seasoning
(3) teaspoons of pepper (as needed)
(1-1/2) teaspoons of Italian seasoning, used for sage
(18) 2 lbs loaf pans

 

click for a larger picture I was going to make a "batch", so I started with one 5.85 lbs uncooked weight pork tenderloin. 

This later turned out to be about half of the meat that is desired.  I should have started with 2 of these tenderloins
click for a larger picture On sale at Meijers for $1.49 per lbs
click for a larger picture I cut the tenderloin into 3 pieces
click for a larger picture Doesn't that look good?
click for a larger picture One large yellow cooking onion was used instead of (3) small ones
click for a larger picture Cut onion into thirds
click for a larger picture Cut up into big chunks
click for a larger picture Put pork and onions into 3 pots
click for a larger picture Cover with water, cook for 2 hours on low
click for a larger picture  I learned I should have finely chopped the onions, so I took them out and did that early in the cooking process
click for a larger picture  The cooked pork, ready to shred
click for a larger picture  Save the broth, I transferred one pot of it into the other 2 to make more room on the stove
click for a larger picture  Taking the fat off and shredding the pork
click for a larger picture  From the 5.85 lbs uncooked tenderloin, I ended with just under 3 lbs of shredded pork
click for a larger picture  I dived up the shredded pork into plastic bags, each one was just under 1/2 lbs
click for a larger picture  The 6 bags of shredded pork
click for a larger picture  I used  2 lbs packages of pinhead oats that I got from Kroger in the organic area, they were $3.29 per package.

Dorsel's brand pinhead oats are also available at the Cincinnati area Kroger stores, in the baking section, by the flour and cornmeal.  Dorsel's brand is the preferred brand and as it turns out is cheaper.

I learned that pinhead oats are also called steel cut oats and Irish oatmeal
click for a larger picture  The spices I used
click for a larger picture  The first pot after the oats had absorbed the (8) cups of broth from cooking the pork
click for a larger picture  The first 2 pots I made using only 8 cups of broth, later because I didn't think that was enough because these first 2 pots barely filled only 5 loaf pans,  I added more water (and meat)
click for a larger picture  Wrapping the loafs with saran wrap
click for a larger picture  The first 2 pots worth ready to cool in the refrigerator
click for a larger picture  OK, because the first 2 pots did not full the 3 loafs (each),  I decided to add more meat.  Many other recipes for Goetta seemed to use more meat than I used for the first 2 pots

For pot number 3, I also decided to add 3 additional cups of water to the oatmeal when cooking it down.  This was also in an effort to make the oats fill out the loaf pans better.

For pot number 4 I used 4 additional cups of water, and it seemed to be OK too.  I will see in the morning which is better, 3 or 4 additional cups of water
click for a larger picture  The results of pot number 3, filled 3 loaf pans as it should

The following is yet to be done, I will be cooking up my first batch Christmas morning:
Keep chilled in refrigerator. 

It also freezes well. 

When ready to eat, slice thinly, maybe a 1/4 to 1/2 inch or so thick and place in a frying pan with melted Crisco

Cook on medium heat until browned.  Turn to cook other side.  I like to salt ours too.  Enjoy!
click for a larger picture  Preparing to cook up a pan full
click for a larger picture  Slice in pan, almost all the way down, then use spatula to lift a section out.
click for a larger picture  Finish cut with knife or spatula on plate
click for a larger picture  Put some shortening in a pan and heat it up
click for a larger picture  Fry the Goetta at medium heat, one side at a time
click for a larger picture  Almost ready to flip
click for a larger picture  Frying the other side
click for a larger picture  The first batch!
click for a larger picture  The second batch!
click for a larger picture  The stuff to pack it away in the freezer

Cut a piece of cardboard 5 x 8.5 inches for a "lid"

This lid will allow you to stack the loafs in the freezer
click for a larger picture  Cover with foil
click for a larger picture  Cover with the cardboard lid
click for a larger picture  Put a piece of masking tape on top, long enough to go all the way around the long dimension
click for a larger picture  Fold tape over and seal on itself
click for a larger picture  Same for short dimension, tape long enough to go all the way around
click for a larger picture  Fold over and seal on itself
   
click for a larger picture  Label with date
click for a larger picture  Tut in cheap storage bag, do not seal top corner till later
click for a larger picture  put short center tape folding bag over, then 2 other short tapes
click for a larger picture  Seal bag and add 2 piece of tape in long dimension
click for a larger picture  My first batch, 11 loafs!  Freezing 9, will eat off the other 2 in week to come

Hope this helps someone, Enjoy!
click for a larger picture  My first batch, 11 loafs!  Freezing 9, will eat off the other 2 in week to come
click for a larger picture  Goetta goes well with eggs, here is my first pan of Goetta and eggs
click for a larger picture  On the plate, ready to eat!

Hope this helps someone, Enjoy!