Goetta is a blend of oats, pork, beef, whole grain and seasonings, brought to the U.S. by German immigrants who moved to the Cincinnati, Ohio, area in the late 1800s. Traditionally, goetta is a breakfast sausage, often prepared like sausage patties. Over time, the goetta industry grew and the product is now available in link and bun form, as well as in a burger format, and is no longer just a breakfast item.

Goetta is a ground meat, often made from pork shoulder, but sometimes also contains beef. It is seasoned with bay leaves, thyme, rosemary, sage, salt and pepper; goetta sometimes contains onions or other vegetables. In a breakfast meal, goetta is often served with ketchup, jelly, sugar or syrup.

If made from scratch, the ingredients are mixed and simmered until thick. The mixture is then poured into loaf pans and refrigerated until firm. Finally it is sliced for frying or frozen for later use.

Originally, goetta was a peasant dish that stretched the amount of meat available over several days. A similar product known as scrapple is popular in the Pennsylvania Dutch area. Along with pork, scrapple contains cornmeal, as opposed to the oats used in goetta.

Goetta is a regional favorite in the greater Cincinnati area. The largest commercial processor of goetta is Glier’s, a Northern Kentucky company that produces about 99% of the product consumed in the area. Another local producer, Eckerlin Meats, sells its homemade goetta at Findlay Market in Cincinnati.

Over time, festivals celebrating goetta became popular. One such event began in 2001 and is known as the “original” Goettafest. It is held in Covington, Kentucky, in MainStrausse Village, an area of businesses and restaurants located a few blocks from the Ohio River. Another festival honoring the German sausage like-product, hosted by Glier’s Goetta, is held nearby at Newport, Kentucky, in August. Both festivals encompass food, dancing, art, music and other entertainment.

The food that was first a cold-weather breakfast staple has actually become hip. As the popularity of the product spread, goetta pizza and even reuben sandwiches are sold. The Great American Ballpark in Cincinnati even sells goetta burgers and goetta dogs in its concession stands. Goetta, also known as oatmeal sausage, is readily available in grocery stores in the Northern Kentucky and Southwestern Ohio areas. Local restaurants feature goetta in omelets, hash, nachos and more on their menus, as well.