Ozark Fried Mush / Scrapple

Weewah's Note:

Cheap, easy and so very good. This is an uncomplicated, traditional recipe. I've seen versions posted from cookbooks calling for superflous ingredients like milk and even carrots, and all that is gilding the lily. This is the old-timey way. Cooking time doesn't include CHILL TIME.

• Total Time: 25 mins
• Prep Time: 15 mins
• Cook Time: 10 mins

Ingredients:

Serves: 4-5

Yield: 1.0 loaf pan

• 4 cups cool water
• 1 1/4 cups cornmeal
• 1 1/2 teaspoons salt
• 1 lb raw breakfast sausage (adding sausage changes mush into 'scrapple' (optional)
• oil (for frying) or bacon grease (for frying)

Directions:

1. Line a standard loaf pan with plastic wrap, making sure it's pressed into the corners.
2. Place the water in a size appropriate pan with a heavy bottom, OR a double boiler (if you don't want to watch it as closely). To me, faster is better, & mush cooks up over direct heat about as quickly as a box of cooked pudding mix. If you have doubts, use the double boiler.
3. Add the corn meal and salt to the cool water and place the pot on med- high heat. Stir it every few minutes till it begins getting quite hot.
4. If you want scrapple, add the suasage when you add the meal & put your hand in the pot w/ it to break it up very thoroughly. You don't want chunks because it will be much harder to slice. Doing it this way beats frying the sausage seperately. It ends up too chunky for easy slicing, and overcooked. This way you keep all the flavor, and have less clean-up too. If you do make scrapple instead of mush,your loaf pan will be very full.
5. Turn heat down to medium as the mush begins to boil, stir CONSTANTLY untill it thickens. Once it begins to boil, it just takes a few more minutes on the heat.
6. When thick, remove from heat and pour into the plastic lined loaf pan.
7. Let the loaf cool thoroughly before covering it w/ plastic and placing it in the fridge overnight or until well chilled.
8. Turn the loaf out onto the top covering of plastic wrap, slice it as thick as you like, 1/3 to 1/2 inch is good. It's very delicate and can break up if you don't take care. A really good way to slice it is with a length of dental floss.
9. Fry slices in a non-stick pan in some oil, or bacon grease if you keep it. I am very sparing with the fat as mush will soak up oil like you wouldn't believe. Just a drizzle in a non-stick pan does nicely. Fry over med to med low heat till the slices are nicely browned and have formed the 'skin' that holds the heat-softened mush together. I take my time when frying this, you want to develop a nice crunchy crust over the soft mush inside.
10. Don't let the slices touch when you put them in the pan or they'll bond together, Also, mush cannot be frozen with good results because the formation of ice crystals causes it to break up when sliced.
11. Serve hot w/ honey, syrup, or w/ butter and hot sauce. Good cold too.