Here's The Difference Between Livermush And Scrapple

There are endless options of dishes when it comes to a hog. Your simple bacon, porkchop, pork belly, and so much more are just a few of the well-known favorites. Two less common dishes are known as livermush and scrapple. Both come from pork scraps and trimmings of a pig, according to Foods Guy.

Thinking of eating something that is made from scraps and trimmings may not be on your to-try list anytime soon, but Julia's Simply Southern says it's worth it, even though it may sound weird. Looking at them both they aren't too easy to tell apart, as they look almost the same (via Foods Guy).

Livermush and scrapple are both from the U.S., but are mostly eaten in different places. The Mid-Atlantic states like New Jersey and Virginia are well-known for their scrapple, whereas livermush reigns supreme in the Southern U.S. (via Foods Guy). Even with the similarity in appearance, the taste and cooking process are what really put these two apart.

It's all in the technique

The way these two are prepared in the kitchen and the ingredients are what really separate these two unique dishes. Livermush almost always contains pork scraps and liver, while scrapple is usually not cooked with liver (via Foods Guy). The scraps were used to create these two dishes to ensure no pig went to waste.

Scrapple is usually cooked in butter or oil and pan-fried to golden perfection. The quarter-inch thick slices are great served for breakfast with eggs and toast (via Jersey Pork Roll). Unlike livermush, scrapple is not usually served as a main course. Livermush can be served up as the star of the night alongside grits. It is also great atop a toasted roll as a sandwich.

Since livermush has, you know, liver, it is bound to have a different texture than scrapple. Livermush will offer a coarse and chopped kind of texture, similar to pâté, whereas scrapple is more of a meatloaf (via Foods Guy). Adding cornmeal to both only further adds to their similarities, but the herbs and spices give each a unique flavor.

If you are wanting to expand your pork palate, either often is a prime choice to add to your cookbook.