Carolina Hash is real... Ive Seen it

[four20]

As covered as this topic is I have yet to find anything resembling Carolina hash. I honestly think its name needs to be re-thought.

All along the Eastern southern states we find a meal called hash That well just does not resemble the other states. Well by truth I believe we have grouped multiple variations into a group of three.

1. Carolina Hash ( deceptive by Name mustard or plain )

2. BB'Q Hash ( Also deceptive as it can be mustard or tomato )

3. Brunswick stew. ( found closer to Virginia and Western N.C. ) 

The first two are served over white rice or white lightning, but NO 1 has No potatoes and No tomatoes, In the Midlands and Foothills of South Carolina. It's generally a pork and beef or deer ( my favorite ) mixture stewed with sweated onions.

The Meat pieces used are short grained making it easy to fork on rice. If the meat fibers are too long it is hard to enjoy as it almost wads in your mouth. The fats and collagen from the meats cooks down and thickens the mixture which I have always soured with white vinegar once done. Some use yellow mustard spread to flavor the hash but it is the souring by vinegar ( in mustard spread ) which gives us this hash.

Now modern BB'Q houses use leftovers to create this.

The second I find more in Iow Country S.C. and into Georgia ( Savannah area ) which is all pork including some organ meat which does have tomato and onion, but has an influence of molasses or cane sugar. Smoked paprika gives this a great profile.

The third I find along the coast of Midlands North Carolina into Virginia which is a Beef stew if you will, but may contain pork beef and chicken. Potatoes are used to thicken such as a chicken stew. Diced tomatoes and vinegar to sour the mixture, but molasses to sweeten. The occasional everything thrown into some warm goodness.

All 3 variations may contain deer. Depending where you eat it, but venison adds the organ gamy flavor for that Earthy balance it needs.

I bring this up because after researching here and a couple other sites I have not seen a true reflection of the dishes I have grown up with served by families rooted in these states for generations.

Tomorrow I start a hash made from a leftover brisket point and half a butt.

Stay tuned.

 

[SmokinAl]

Looking forward to seeing your hash recipe!

Al

 

[four20]

Well first off I want to start by saying.. It was a great zombie valentines. Thank you The Walking Dead.

Ok  here is the start of my base.

2 lb smoked pulled pork butt ( rough chopped to ensure its the right consistency )

4 lb smoked brisket ( mostly point and fat ) cut into 1 inch cubes

1 whole diced white onion ( large one )

1 stick butter 4 oz

1 tbsp evoo

1 tbsp minced garlic

Butter and evoo in medium heat skillet and allowed to clarify. Drop in onion and garlic and sweat down until translucent.

In large pot put butt and brisket in with just enough water to cover. Simmer until meat breaks down with just stirring. Add in the onion / garlic mixture one they are translucent. continue to simmer.

IMG_2161.JPG

• four20
• Feb 14, 2016

This is 5 hours in. You can see the meat has began breaking down, but there is some chucks of black bark screaming this ain't no slow cooker recipe.

I had to divide my base as I like hash and the wife wanted Brunswick stew. They both use this base in my kitchen.

So for hash I modify the base as so..

For 1 qt of the base I added.

2 tbsp mustard spread and allow to simmer another hour.

I add 1/4 cup white vinegar and simmer for 30 minutes

IMG_2163.JPG

• four20
• Feb 14, 2016

Served over white rice. If done correctly the meat will not overhang a fork while eating, but will lock in the rice. Its also great served on white bread.

Now as the wife wanted Brunswick stew.

 

[SmokinAl]

That is an AWESOME looking recipe!!

I have to try this!

Thank-you for sharing.

POINTS!

Al

 

[phatbac]

Great looking recipe, will have to try it.

Although mixing pulled pork and brisket together is kinda like mixing bourbon and tequila...just should be illegal!

Happy Smoking,

phatbac (Aaron)

 

[dls1]

Four20,

Nice thread on Carolina Hash, a dish I was introduced and took a liking to some time ago, but haven't had or even thought of it for some time until your thread popped up.

Starting in 2005, and continuing for a little over 2 years, I would commute to Columbia, SC 8-10 times a year on business, staying around a week on each visit. A lot of the locals who were working for me at the time were eager to take me to their favorite BBQ places, and always urged me to try the hash. When it was first served to me all I could think was "WTH is this mess, and how in the world can they call it a SIDE dish?". After a couple bites I was all in.

Needless to say, over that period of time, either with my friends their, or on my own, I hit a lot of local BBQ places, and ate a lot of hash, most of which ranged from pretty good to great. The favorite ones I recall, some of which I believe are near where you are, were Wise's and Dowd's in Newberry, along with Hite's in West Columbia. Going the other direction, there was Duke's in Orangeburg and Sweatman's in Holly Hill. I don't know if any of those places are still around, and even if so, is there food as good as I once thought it was.

Along the way, one of the locals gave me a copy of his families secret hash recipe, which I don't believe I ever made. I don't have it at hand, but what I do recall about it, it seems somewhat similar to what you make. I do remember that the main ingredients, in addition to pork, were onions, potatoes, and garlic, all in relatively large quantities. Onions, by weight, were 40% of the weight of pork, and potatoes were 20%. The garlic used, depending upon the amount of pork used, was 1-2 entire large heads. Other supporting ingredients that I remember included vinegar, Worcestershire sauce, yellow mustard, salt, pepper and butter, lots of it.

I'm sure that recipe is somewhere at home, and if I find it, I'll check and see how closely it matches up with yours.

Nice job, and thanks for reminding me of the hash.

 

[four20]

I'm glad to see another opinion in this thread on ingredients. I do hope that any hash recipe anyone could post does not match mine. There are so many, and that is why a discussion on it is so deserved.

Its like scrapple, and each person / region has its own profile. My opinions and recipes for Carolina hash are not the best or what's right, yet a view into a dish that transcends time and distance.

As my post shows I create a stew base which can be modified into many different dishes.