Amish and Pennsylvania Dutch - Hog maw

  Hog maw on sale

Hog maw is the stomach of a pig. More specifically, it is the lining of the stomach, it is very muscular and contains no fat, if cleaned properly. It can be found in soul food, Chinese, Pennsylvania Dutch, Mexican, Portuguese and Italian dishes. In addition, it can be prepared in various ways including stewed, fried, baked, and broiled.

Hog maw (sometimes called "Pig's Stomach" or "Susquehanna Turkey" or "Pennsylvania Dutch Goose") is a Pennsylvania Dutch dish. In the Pennsylvania German language, it is known as "Seimaaga",originating from its German name Saumagen. It is made from a cleaned pig's stomach traditionally stuffed with cubed potatoes and loose pork sausage. Other ingredients include cabbage, onions, and spices. It was traditionally boiled in a large pot covered in water, not unlike Scottish haggis, but it can also be baked or broiled until browned or split, then it is drizzled with butter before serving. It is usually served hot on a platter cut into slices or cold as a sandwich. Often served in the winter, it was made on hog butchering days on the farms of Lancaster and Berks Counties and elsewhere in the Pennsylvania Dutch Country.

It remains a traditional New Year's Day side dish for many Pennsylvania German families; in fact, many families believe that it is bad luck if not even a small piece is consumed on New Year's Day, as is the case with pork and sauerkraut. The stomach is purchased at one of the many traditional butchers at local farmers' markets. The original recipe was most likely brought to Pennsylvania from the Palatinate area of Germany, where it is called Saumagen and served with sauerkraut, another Pennsylvania Dutch food. Indeed, Saumagen is reported to be a favorite of former German Chancellor Helmut Kohl, a native of the Palatinate (Rheinland-Pfalz) Region.

Hog Maw

Ingredients:
4 baking potatoes, peeled and cubed
1 large pork stomach
1 1/2 pounds bulk pork sausage
  
1 medium head cabbage, separated into
leaves and rinsed
salt and pepper to taste

Directions:
1.     Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C). Place the potatoes into a large pan with enough lightly salted water to cover them. Bring to a boil, and cook until tender, about 10 minutes. Drain and let cool.
2.     Wash the pork stomach thoroughly in cold water. Alternate stuffing the pork stomach with potatoes, sausage, and cabbage, seasoning with a little salt and pepper, until the stomach is full. Try to make even layers, imagining how it will look when it is done and you slice it. Fold closed, and place in a shallow roasting pan. If you have any leftover stuffing ingredients, just place them in the pan around the outside.
3.     Roast uncovered for 40 to 50 minutes in the preheated oven, until the sausage is cooked through and the stomach is browned and crispy. When done, slice into 2 inch slices and serve piping hot. You can make gravy out of the drippings if desired, but it is good by itself as a whole meal.