Goetta, it’s a Cincinnati Thing!

Goetta

I started eating goetta as child when I would visit Cincinnati for two weeks during the summer. I immediately fell in love with goetta! We didn’t have this in Chicago, or my favorite fast food Skyline Chili. Oh how I looked forward to my visits to Aunt Boo and Uncle Bob’s for the summer. The moment we stepped off the bus Uncle Bob would take us straight to Skyline or United Dairy Farmers (another Cincinnati original). Now Cincinnati has Graeters Ice Cream which I am particularly fond of. I don’t think I would have stayed here if weren’t for these four things! So what is Goetta? Goetta is a German breakfast sausage made from ground meat, oats and spices.

To cook goetta, you just treat it like sausage. I fry my goetta in a cast iron skillet with a very small amount of oil. I like my goetta cooked about medium crispy with over medium fried eggs.

Tips for preparing goetta

Slice goetta thin, about a 1\4 inch using a very sharp knife.

Do not let the slices touch each other in the pan… They will stick together and become one!

Once in the pan, don’t mess with it. Leave it alone until it gets golden brown.

And lastly. Never, ever, ever cook goetta without a shirt on! Goetta has a tendency to pop and explode while cooking. It only takes one pop of hot goetta on your chest to learn your lesson.

Skirt Steak and Eggs; Recipe

Skirt Steak and Eggs

Back in the early 1990s my group of friends would go for late night/early morning breakfast after a night of clubbing. One of our favorite places was the Addison House on Lake Street and Route 83. I always ordered the Skirt Steak and Eggs (Greek Style) and topped it with hot sauce.

Ingredients

Skirt Steak

2-3 Eggs

Olive oil

Salt

Pepper

Oregano

Preheat a small non-stick pan to medium heat.

Heat a Cast Iron or Heavy Skillet to medium high. Add a small amount of oil to barely coat the skillet. Season skirt steak with salt, pepper and oregano on both sides. Cook steak for 2-3 minutes per side or more to your liking. Do not move steak around the pan for at least 2 minutes so you can achieve a nice browned crust. Turn over and cook until browned on second side. Remove to plate and rest.

Spray your non-stick pan with Pam or cooking spray, add one egg at a time and cook for about a minute and a half. Spray the uncooked side with Pam and flip. Cook for 30 seconds or less and slide onto plate. repeat for more eggs using more cooking spray each time.

Season with more salt & pepper and hot sauce if you like.

This recipe works great with Rib Eyes, New York Strips and Sirloin.