Glier’s Goetta is a beloved food item in the Cincinnati-Northern Kentucky region. This savory breakfast dish has a rich history that extends beyond Cincinnati’s city limits and into neighboring Covington, Kentucky. Glier’s Goetta is the Covington Business Council’s Member of the Week. Read more about this local gem below!
To understand the history of Glier’s Goetta in Covington, we first need to take a look at the origins of goetta itself. Goetta is a traditional German breakfast food that originated in the Rhineland-Palatinate region of Germany. The dish was originally known as grützwurst, a sausage made from a mixture of ground meat, grains, and spices.
German immigrants brought the recipe for grützwurst to the United States in the 19th century, and over time, the recipe was adapted to reflect the ingredients and preferences of the local community. In Covington, Kentucky, early German settlers brought with them a love of sausage and other cured meats, and they quickly adapted the recipe for grützwurst to create goetta.
Goetta quickly became a staple in the region, with many families making their own versions of the dish at home. In the early 20th century, local butchers began to produce goetta on a small scale, and the dish began to gain popularity beyond the German-American community.
While goetta had been a popular dish in Covington for decades, it was the Glier family that would eventually become synonymous with the dish. The Glier family had been producing goetta in Cincinnati since the 1940s and, by the 1960s, had expanded their operation to include a production facility in Covington. The plant was located on 12th Street, and it quickly became an essential part of the city.
The Covington plant was a state-of-the-art facility that produced goetta on a large scale. The Glier family had developed a process that allowed them to make goetta more efficiently, which allowed them to keep up with the high demand for their product. The plant employed hundreds of people, and the company became a sponsor of many local events and organizations.
One of the most significant factors in the success of Glier’s Goetta in Covington was the city’s proximity to Cincinnati. While the Glier family was based in Cincinnati, the Covington plant allowed them to reach a broader audience and expand their customer base. The plant’s location also allowed them to serve the needs of customers on both sides of the Ohio River.
Over the years, Glier’s Goetta became a household name in Covington and the surrounding area. The company’s reputation for quality and consistency helped to solidify its place as a go-to brand for goetta lovers. Many local restaurants and diners began to feature Glier’s Goetta on their menus, and the company’s presence continued to grow throughout the region.
While the Covington plant is no longer in operation, the legacy of Glier’s Goetta lives on in the city. Today, there are a number of restaurants and eateries in Covington that continue to serve Glier’s Goetta, and the dish remains a popular breakfast food throughout the region.
One of the most notable examples of Glier’s Goetta in Covington is the annual Mainstrasse Village Oktoberfest. This event, which takes place each September, celebrates the German heritage of the area with food, music, and dancing. Of course, no Oktoberfest would be complete without plenty of goetta, and vendors at
the festival serve up Glier’s Goetta alongside other traditional German foods.
In addition to Oktoberfest, there are a number of other events and festivals in the region that feature Glier’s Goetta. The company is a sponsor of many local events, including the Riverfest fireworks display and the Flying Pig Marathon. Glier’s Goetta has become an essential part of the local culture, and it’s hard to imagine the Cincinnati-Northern Kentucky region without it.
Glier’s Goetta has a rich history in Covington, Kentucky, and its story is closely tied to the city’s German-American heritage. The Glier family’s dedication to producing high-quality goetta on a large scale helped to make the dish a staple throughout the region, and the company’s legacy continues to live on today.
Whether you’re a lifelong resident of Covington or a visitor to the region, no trip to the area is complete without trying Glier’s Goetta. Whether you prefer it crispy and fried or soft and creamy, there’s a version of this savory breakfast food that’s sure to please your taste buds.
So the next time you’re in Covington, be sure to seek out some Glier’s Goetta and experience a piece of the city’s rich culinary history. From its origins in Germany to its rise to fame in Covington, Glier’s Goetta is a food item that has stood the test of time and continues to bring joy to the people of the region.
