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Prep time
30 minutes
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Cook time
2 hours 30 minutes
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Makes
6 quarts
Author Notes
Story goes that slaves first and farm workers later had to use the least desirable cuts of meat. Hash, much like using the slow cooker today, was a dish created where everything was put in the pot and cooked for hours with an occasional stir. Once complete, it was served with rice or bread for a filling meal after a long day in the fields. More recently, it became a staple of fund raisers for the church, the firehouse, the Lodge or my favorite...the Hampton County Watermelon Festival. (Just ended June 30th 2013). My recipe is from the German belt of SC and uses pork and mustard prominently but other parts of the South might use beef, pork, tomatoes...even squirrel, rabbit or venison. I adapted my recipe (that served 300 people) for the pressure cooker that drastically reduces the cooking time. If you use a conventional method, you should monitor the liquid and stir frequently to avoid scorching and ruining the dish. I recognize this is not a pretty dish, but it more than makes up for its homely looks by its comfort factor. —Bubba Mac
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Ingredients
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5 pounds
Pork shoulder/Boston butt
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2 pounds
onions peeled and chopped coarsley
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1 pound
potatoes peeled and cut into small dice
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1 cup
cider vinegar
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9 ounces
yellow mustard
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1 tablespoon
salt
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2 tablespoons
black pepper
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1 teaspoon
red pepper flakes
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1 splash
water to cover
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8 tablespoons
unsalted butter
Directions
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Cut pork into 2 inch pieces (include whole bones if available)
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Cover with water by 2 inches and bring to rolling boil for 3 minutes.
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Drain meat discarding water and rinse to remove grey blood scum.
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Return meat to pressure cooker, add water to cover by two inches, close lid and bring to pressure for 20 minutes.
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Release pressure. Remove and discard bones. Add onions. Cover cooker and bring back to pressure for 15 minutes.
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Release pressure. At this point you have several options. You can use an immersion blender, food processor or blender to grind meat and onions into a slurry like consistency. There may still be identifiable pieces of meat left but they will continue to cook down in the final cooking.
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Add potatoes, vinegar, mustard, salt, pepper and red pepper flakes and continue to cook on low heat for at least another hour or two. Continue to stir occasionally and add water when it appears too thick.
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Check seasonings after first hour... you might have to add more vinegar. Hash should have a sharp bite and the black pepper should be pronounced. Add butter for the last hour. I know it seems strange, but the butter gives a slick texture to the hash that it needs. (and my original recipe would call for a pound of butter).
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Serve over white rice or toast with a side of greens or cole slaw; as a side dish to BBQ ribs, chicken or pulled pork; or on a toasted bun, like a hash sloppy joe.
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