Hash - A Delicacy of South Carolina

By John Waldrop (South Carolina Barbeque Association Senior Judge)

Today, hash is a very popular complimentary dish to South Carolina
barbeque and a Iavorite oI many South Carolina Barbeque Association
judges that get excited when they see it being oIIered as a competition
category Hash is another Ieature oI South Carolina barbeque`s uniqueness
Hash-making began with the by-products oI 'hog-killing time on the early
Iarms and plantations oI SC In those days, the less desired and tougher parts
oI the pig were used to make this long cooking stew In the low country, it
was typically served to the slave populations along with Carolina Rice as a
part oI a high protein high carbohydrate diet Many oI the slaves that came
to South Carolina by way oI Barbados brought with them chilies and spices
Irom that region These creative AIrican cooks added the imported
ingredients along with a Iew potatoes and onions making it such a tasty dish
that it soon became very popular in the 'Big House as well
Historically hash was cooked in large cast-iron wash pots and syrup kettles
as it is still done Ior personal consumption today Today most hash is made
with pork shoulders or butts and beeI chuck roasts Like barbeque, the
recipes vary widely Irom cook to cook and have become a source oI
competitive pride Ior these 'Hash Masters It typically takes about 24 hours
to cook a pot oI hash requiring a constant watch and Irequent stir to keep it
Irom sticking Hash with rice is still the most popular way to serve it, but
historically it was rice in the low country and with bread in the up-state
Hash is really good with grits Ior breakIast as well

According to historian and Southern Iolk-liIe documentary Iilm maker Stan
Woodward, hash is a Ioodway that Ied Iarm Iolk during good times and hard
times AIter the Civil War, small Iarms struggled in the Low-country and at
hog-killing time nothing went to waste Land-owner and sharecroppers alike
ate hash, and the dish spread into the Midlands and the Piedmont
Because oI its early provenance, this cross between a stew and a meat gravy
became established as the South Carolina stew oI choice long beIore
Brunswick stew made its way down Irom Virginia or up Irom Georgia -
whichever way the migration took place
Hash masters became known locally Ior their hash and began cooking it on
special occasions when Iarming neighbors were invited Ior a social time
together and on holidays, when the hash would be sold to members oI the
local community In this way hash-making began to occur in screened-in
"hash houses", where it was sold to satisIy the local community's taste Ior
hash and to supplement the Iarmer's income Today it is cooked ritually in
black iron pots at Iamily reunions, church gatherings, on holidays and as
Iundraisers Ior volunteer Iire departments And there are still a Iew barbecue
houses where the traditional Iarm recipes Ior hash are cooked in burbling
cast iron pots that are "grandIathered-in" It is served as an accompaniment
to pit-cooked barbecue and can be Iound on most buIIet lines

Stan Woodward`s documentary 'Carolina Hash: A Taste oI South Carolina
is pretty much the deIinitive answer on just about anything you`d like to
know about hash For inIormation, go to: (wwwstanwoodwardcom) This
quirky and lively documentary carries the viewer across South Carolina to
uncover the story oI one oI the Palmetto state's most unusual indigenous Iolk
heritage Ioodways - hash

Two oI the Up-state South Carolina Iestivals that Ieature a hash cook-oII
along side their barebeque cook-oII are 'The Festival oI Discovery in
Greenwood, SC - wwwIestivaloIdiscoverycom and 'The Piedmont Blues
and Hash Bash in Abbeville, SC wwwbluesandhashcom
Below is a recipe that has been simpliIied to create in the crock pot The
original recipe Irom my grandmother's Iarm included beeI, pork, and the
occasional critter such as rabbit or turtle Seasonings were mainly salt &
pepper The selected seasonings are only suggestions, please season as you
like Every SC Hash varies on the preIerence oI the cook It is a hard thing to
deIine Traditions vary greatly Irom region to region and oIten block to
block
CrockPot Hash
4 to 4 lb Boston butt roast
to 2 lb beeI chuck roast
3 large baking potatoes, peeled and diced
3 medium onions, peeled and diced

Seasonings: (use only as a guide)
Tbl white vinegar (or cider vinegar)
2 Tbl spicy brown mustard
Tbl red pepper Ilakes
2 tsp cayenne pepper
4 Tbl tomato paste
stick butter
2 Tbl worcestershire sauce
salt and cracked black pepper to taste
Step : In a quart crock pot on high Rub both roasts with salt and cracked
pepper, then place in the crock pot Add the diced potatoes and onions, and
then Iill the pot with hot water or stock and cover Let it cook 6 to 7 hours
until the meat Ialls apart Keep check on the water level
Step 2: Remove the meat Irom the pot and pull apart to let cool Next
remove the bone, Iat, and connective tissue Pull the meat apart in small
pieces and then give it a light chop Break up the potatoes and onions in the
pot with a potato masher Return the meat to the pot Still on high, let it cook
another 4 hours Add the butter and reduce heat to the lowest setting Let it
cook another 6 hours or until it is the consistency you like
Step 3: Add your seasonings one at a time and taste as you go
Step 4: Place over your choice oI white rice, or white bread
Enjoy!

**********************************************************




Barbecue Hash - SC style This ain't chunky hash This is traditional lowland
South Carolina style hash, served over cooked rice It should have the
consistency oI thin pudding, be a reddish/brown color, with small hunks oI
potatoes 2 lbs chicken breast meat, coarse chopped 2 lbs pork butt, coarse
chopped 28 oz can tomatoes or 4-6 Iresh chopped and seeded medium
potatoes, peeled and shredded large onion, coarse chopped /4 cup rub 2
oz Barbecue sauce

In 2 quart stock pot, saute onions in oil until translucent, add rub and stir
until well blended Add chicken and pork, saute - 7 minutes on medium
heat Add water to cover (appx /2 gallon), then add tomatoes Bring to boil,
add carrots Cook until tomatoes start to break up, then add potatoes Cook
until potatoes have broken down, then add barbecue sauce Serve hot over
rice



arbecue Hash - South Carolina Style

Amount Measure Ingredient -- Preparation Method -------- ------------ --------
------------------------ 2 lbs chicken breast meat, coarse chopped 2 lbs pork
butt, coarse chopped 28 oz can tomatoes or 4-6 Iresh chopped and seeded
medium potatoes, peeled and chopped 2 carrots, peeled and shredded
large onion, coarsely chopped /4 cup rub 2 oz Barbecue sauce

In 2 quart stock pot, saut, onions in oil until translucent, add rub and stir
until well blended Add chicken and pork, saut, - 7 minutes on medium
heat Add water to cover (apprx /2 gallon), then add tomatoes Bring to
boil, add carrots Cook until tomatoes start to break up, then add potatoes
Cook until potatoes have broken down, then add barbecue sauce Serve hot
over rice

*******************************************************************************


Loo am from SC buL am ln Lhe upsLaLe Wlll glve you a verslon of Lhe hash our
llre ueparLmenLs make am assumlng LhaL you donL wanL Lhe 8 reclpe so Lhls
ls Lhe smaller verslon My husband someLlmes cooks Lhls for us and we have
several reclpes f you have quesLlons or lf you are lnLeresLed ln anoLher reclpe
leL me know ?ou can emall me aL Comeback1941[yahoocom


23 pounds pork (no bones)
23 pounds beef (no bones)
10 lbs baklng poLaLoes
10 lbs onlons
1 pL vlnegar
1 pL musLard
6 oz 1exas eLe
6 oz WorcesLershlre sauce
SalL and pepper Lo LasLe
1 1/4 lbs buLLer (noL margarlne)

Cover meaL good wlLh waLer (We normally do Lhls ln a black lron poL) SLlr meaL
wlLh a paddle Lo remove any faL or skln When meaL ls done and beglns Lo come
aparL you Lhen add Lhe cuL up onlons and poLaLoes Add your seasonlngs and
buLLer keep sLlrrlng Lo keep meaL from sLlcklng When lL has cooked down Lo Lhe
conslsLency you llke lLs done

********************************************************




m from Crangeburg CounLy (where uukes and all Lhe Lruly greaL 88C
esLabllshmenLs began) Peres whaL flnd Lo be a Lruly greaL hash reclpe
3lbs pork 1lb of ground beef or poL roasL equal parL peeled poLaLoes 1 onlon
musLard keLchup vlnegar salL pepper worchesLer sauce Labasco a greaL
musLard based 88C sauce
8oll pork and beef unLll Lhey fall aparL Save 1/2 of Lhe renderlngs/broLh n a
separaLe poL boll your poLaLoes and a very very flnely mlnced onlon 8un meaL
and poLaLo/onlon mlxLure Lhrough a meaL grlnder LogeLher lace ground mlxLure
ln Lhe broLh add ln some vlnegar salL pepper Labasco garllc powder musLard
keLchup and musLard based 88C sauce Lo LasLe LeL slmmer aL a low Lemp for
anoLher hour or Lwo Serve over whlLe rlce
*************************************************************
m from Crangeburg SC and used Lo vlslL Larl uukes 88C ofLen ?oure rlghL
Lhey have Lhe 8LS1 hash ve ever LasLed Loo now llve a long way from Lhere
and canL vlslL regularly so have Lo make my own hash aL home Lhlnk one Lhlng
LhaL made Lhelr has so speclal was Lhe smoky flavor of Lhe pork Lhey used Lhlnk
my reclpe ls preLLy goodand a loL of people llke lL
Slmmer a medlum slzed pork shoulder or buLL slowly unLll meaL ls fork Lender ln
waLer wlLh salL added Add 34 peeled chopped poLaLoes and 1 dlced onlon Lo
Lhe poL afLer Lhe pork ls fully cooked AfLer Lhe poLaLoes and onlons are Lender
add Lhe followlng
1 sm can LomaLo pasLe 4 1bsp brown sugar x cup of honey abouL 1 cup +/
keLshup 1/2 c or so of musLard 1 boLLle smoky flavored 88C sauce chlpoLle or
oLher smoky flavored Lobasco sauce a few dashes of WorchesLer sauce abouL a
Leaspoon or Lwo of ground black pepper salL Lo LasLe SLlr and mash Lhe
poLaLoes/onlons and meaL unLll lLs flnely shredded and sLlr Lo blend all
lngredlenLs Slmmer over LCW heaL for anoLher hour or so Serve over hoL whlLe
rlce ?ou may add more/less Lobasco Lo LasLe A llLLle llquld smoke adds a smoky
flavor lf you donL have Lhe beneflL of a nlcely presmoke plece of pork
1he measuremenLs arenL exacL as Lhese are approxlmaLlons of Lhe amounLs
used never measure any of Lhls sLuff buL go by Lhe slze of Lhe pork roasL and
whaL Lhe mlxLure LasLes llke as go along
Wlsh could geL back Lo uukes 88C for some of Lhelr hash

South Caro||na Sty|e 8arbecue nash
?leld 1 Servlngs

lnqredients

1 3 to 4 lb. pork shoulder
1c cold water
1 dash black pepper

sauce:
1 md onion, chopped
2 tb butter
4 tb vinegar
2 tb brown sugar
4 tb lemon juice
1 c chili sauce
1 ts chopped parsley
1 ts dry mustard
3 tb worcestershire sauce
4 tb barbecue sauce

lnstructions

lace pork ln a large saucepan wlLh enough cold waLer Lo halfway
cover lL Add salL and pepper 8rlng Lo a boll Lhen slmmer unLll
well done 8emove from pan cool Lhen remove all faL and bones
Shred Lhe lean meat and seL aslde whlle preparlng Lhe sauce

Sauce 8rown Lhe onlon ln Lhe buLLer Add vlnegar brown sugar lemon
[ulce chili sauce chopped parsley dry musLard worcesLershlre
sauce and barbecue sauce Slmmer for 30 mlnuLes AfLer 30 mlnuLes
add Lhe shredded meaL and slmmer Lhls mlxLure for anoLher hour Serve
wlLh buns or serve over cooked hoL rlce

1 found a reclpe LhaL may be whaL you're looklng for 1here's conLacL
lnformaLlon below Lhe second reclpe LhaL was on Lhe webslLe found Pope
Lhls helps!
9ork nash for a Crowd
3pound 8osLon buLL cuL lnLo small chunks
3 pounds pork llver
3 pounds 8usseL poLaLoes peeled cuL lnLo small chunks
2 large yellow onlons peeled buL lefL whole
1/2 gallon PunLs keLchup
1 Lablespoon 1exas eLe
SalL and pepper Lo LasLe
n a large sLockpoL cover Lhe **** and llver and whole onlons wlLh waLer 8rlng
Lo a boll and add abouL 2 Lablespoons salL and a Leaspoon of black pepper 8oll
unLll Lhe meaL ls very well done abouL an hour Carefully remove Lhe whole
onlons and dlscard or seL aslde for anoLher use 8emove Lhe meaL from Lhe waLer
and puL Lhe poLaLoes ln Lo boll unLll Lhey are Lender 8eserve 1 cup of Lhe broLh
ulscard Lhe resL of Lhe broLh or reserve for anoLher use (you mlghL wanL Lo cook
your rlce ln lL) Chop Lhe meaL unLll lL ls very flne (you may wanL Lo use a food
processor) chop Lhe bolled poLaLoes lnLo Llny pleces uL Lhe meaL and poLaLoes
and cup of broLh back lnLo Lhe poL Add Lhe keLchup and 1exas eLe Lo Lhe meaL
mlxLure 8rlng Lhls Lo a boll and sLlr very frequenLly 8educe Lo slmmer and allow
Lo slmmer for abouL an hour or unLll Lhe hash Lhlckens well and Lhe flavors have
melded Add salL and pepper Lo LasLe durlng Lhe slmmerlng process




1hls ls a dlsh served malnly ln SouLh Carollna and eorgla alLhough lL can be
found ln norLh Carollna and oLher souLhern sLaLes L ls somewhaL akln Lo
8runswlck SLew whlch ls served more ofLen ln norLh Carollna 1here ls also a
legend abouL maklng hash only durlng Lhe full moonll Lell you more abouL LhaL
laLer
1he varlaLlons of reclpes are abouL as numerous as Lhe cooks n oLher words
Lravel a hundred mlles and geL a hundred dlfferenL reclpes Ls hard Lo nall down
a preclse reclpe LhaL ls used as a sLandard lor Lhls arLlcle hash ls a Lhln reddlsh
brown sLew LhaL ls served over rlce or grlLs L ls someLlmes eaLen as a sandwlch
klnd of a SouLh Carollna sloppy [oe L ls made of a couple of meaLs and
vegeLables whlch can lnclude pork chlcken onlons poLaLos LomaLos corn
someLlmes carroLs and saw a eorgla reclpe one Llme LhaL lncluded beef
1he hlsLory of hash goes back a long way and Lhe old Llmers wlll Lell you lL has Lo
be made overnlghL ln a glanL black keLLle or wash Lub
1he baslc process ln maklng hash sLarLs wlLh brownlng Lhe meaL and onlons and
leLLlng Lhem break down some lf Lhey arenL already cooked would lmaglne LhaL
Lhls dlsh orlglnaLed from lefL over smoked pork and chlcken so LhaLs whaL use
Lo make lL
AfLer Lhe meaL ls browned waLer (and ofLen LomaLos) ls generally added and Lhe
meaL sLews for over an hour ulced poLaLos are added and lL all cooks for anoLher
hour or so LveryLhlng should be broken up or loose f noL sLlr mlx or even
blend Lhe comblnaLlon Lo a puddlng llke LexLure Some hashs are sLrlngy buL lf
you use a sLlck blender lL wlll be a dlfferenL LexLure 1he flavor ls sLlll good
Lhough 88C rubs and sauces have been added
CLher splces ve run across ln hash reclpes lnclude WorcesLershlre sauce garllc
powder oregano hoL sauce musLard vlnegar and of course salL and pepper Cf
course Lhere are many argumenLs abouL who makes real hash
n some parLs of SouLh Carollna Lhey even make a musLard based hash Peres Lhe
reclpe use and lLs closesL Lo Lhe ones remember havlng when grownlng up
South Caro||na 88 nash
2 pounds of shredded or chopped pork buLL 88C
2 pounds of chlcken meaL shredded or chopped any Lype
2 pounds of onlons
1 28 oz can of LomaLos
3 whlLe poLaLos peeled and dlced lnLo chunks
3 Lbsp salL
3 Lbsp black pepper
freshly ground 1 Lbsp garllc powder
1/4 cup WorcesLershlre sauce
1/8 cup clder vlnegar
Slnce use cooked meaL you donL have Lo brown Lhe meaLs n a skllleL cook Lhe
onlons unLll [usL LranslucenL Add all Lhe oLher lngredlenLs and Lhen cover wlLh
waLer Slmmer for abouL an hour or unLll Lhe poLaLos sLarL Lo break up f lLs Loo
chunky or Lhe poLaLos are Lender use a whlsk and sLlr vlgorously and leL lL cook a
llLLle more ?ou may have Lo add more waLer Serve over hoL rlce
1hls can be eaLen as a slde dlsh or a maln course Pash ls one of Lhose dlshes LhaL
even beLLer Lhe nexL day Powever hash ls also one of Lhose dlshes LhaL wlll sour
ln Lhe frldge Make sure lL has cooled down before puLLlng lL ln Lhe frldge ?ou can
speed up Lhe process by sLlrrlng and separaLlng Lhe hash lnLo small conLalners
Ch and Lhe legend of maklng hash by Lhe llghL of Lhe sllvery moonwell many
folks ln SouLh Carollna donL do much aL all unless Lhe moon ls full or near lL 1haL
lncludes gaLherlng crops Ls sald LhaL lf you gaLher your crops under a full moon
youll geL more Same wlLh hashunder Lhe full moon your hash poL may
overflow lf youre noL careful! 8uL cook under a dark moon and LhaL poL wlll
surely be near empLy by Lhe Llme lLs ready Pey donL ask me ask Lhe 88C gods