A pretty silly question, I know, but I sure would like any and all help on this from you, my talented, creative readers.
Here's what I'm talking about. Every time my grandma made a beef pot roast, she would use the leftover meat to make a hash that was to die for. It had potatoes and I think a few onions in it along with the meat. I don't think she ground any of it, but rather just chopped the ingredients as I remember the potatoes as being in tiny cubes.
She put it in a casserole dish and baked it in the oven. Did she use any liquid or broth? Again, I don't know but the serving of hash on the plate was not wet or mooshy at all. And it had a crispy crust on top. Not a pastry crust but just the browned potatoes and beef.
Am I making any sense here at all? Not just my grandma but my mom and all of her siblings that might possibly remember how Grandma made her hash have all passed on now so I can't ask them. (Unless one of them sees fit to send down some divine knowledge. Hello? Hellooo? Anybody listening??) I know for sure Grandma didn't have a written recipe; heck, she never used a recipe for ANYTHING!
I remember one of my aunts telling the story of trying to get measurements for the wonderful Scotch Shortbread Grandma always made at Christmas time. She asked Grandma to tell her when she was going to make a batch so that she could stand by her side and write down measurements. It proved to be a true challenge as Grandma just (literally) threw in sugar, flour, etc. until her mixture looked and felt right. We did end up with a recipe of sorts of which I have a copy but as my aunt always said, "It doesn't taste nearly as good as Grandma's, does it?"
So back to my original question. Do any of you make a hash from left over roast beef that you would be willing to share with me? I'll experiment with whatever you have to offer and maybe with a little help from Grandma's spirit standing at my elbow in the kitchen, I can come up with a passable dish of hash.
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17 comments:
Oh how I wish I did! If we could only go back and pluck everything straight out of their wiley little heads...we'd be in a heck of alot better place! Hope someone else can help you out. I know what you mean, but no recipe to speak of.
Me too! Now that you mention it, I remember my Gramma making hash too. I loved it, especially with a poached egg on top. I tried a recipe in Joy of Cooking but it wasn't like Gramma's. :(
Well, I don't like "hash" in the creamed looking stuff I've seen, but I've always made what I call a Mexican toss for breakfast the night after we make carne asada. My ex (who's Mexican mama has 12 sisters that I watched cook LOL) would take the chopped leftover meat, and add it towards the end of cooking to a frypan that held diced potatoes, onions and literally whatever else was around and serve it with fried eggs slid on top of each plate, salsa and warm tortillas and butter.... that "hash" was crisp like you describe.
APG - Yup, they sure knew how to make something out of nothing. My grandpa and grandma raised 7 kids and never had any money. Grandpa always had a big garden and hunted and fished but how did they feed 9 people at each meal?? I know he bartered a lot.
Leigh - I've tried a couple I've come across also but have been very disappointed. We'll keep searching!
Erin - Omigosh, does that sound good! Even though it's not how I remember my grandma's, I'm gonna try it! Salsa and a warm tortilla and butter? Mmmm-mmm!
I'm no help at all other than confirming that I remember the hash was delicious. You are right about Grandma never using a recipe. Her shortbread was to die for. The only one that could come close was Aunt Ione!!! Ah---those were the days. JK
JK - Yippee! My little brother finally stepped out of the closet and commented!! Way to go, Bro!
I almost said something in my post about you liking the shortbread more than anyone else in our huge family, but thought you might be embarrassed for me to say you always ate more than your fair share! ;o)
It was Aunt Ione who stood next to Grandma trying to get her to measure ingredients. Can't you just imagine her telling of her frustration when Grandma wouldn't measure anything so it could be written down? I can remember Aunt Ione making batches after Grandma died and THROWING THEM OUT because they didn't taste like Grandma's. Considering the recipe has a whole cup of butter in it, that shows how fussy Aunt Ione was!
Yes, those were the days.
My mom used to make hash but she ground the meat and potatoes together and then fried it with butter to make a crisp crust.
She didn't have a recipe either just used whatever she had leftover she needed to get rid of. Sometimes she even threw in some veggies.
Sparkless - Your mom's hash sounds good, too. I wonder why my grandma put hers in the oven? Seems like it would have been easier just to do it in a skillet on the stove top. Hmmm . . .
holy moly I had a great aunt Ione! I never knew anyone else with that name until now!
Erin - Well, I'll be darned! Your great aunt is the only other "Ione" I've ever heard of! Needless to say, not a very common name. My grandmother was from Scotland . . . do you suppose it could be Scottish?
My book on recipes of the Great Depression says it's just meat, leftover cooked potatoes, and onions--fried in a bit of shortening in a cast iron pan (to give it a crispy crust). That's it. Sounds simple...and I remember mom making this often-with whatever meat she had left. Yum-sounds like a plan for today!
We FINALLY got our snow!!!!!!!!!!!!
Sue - I'm so happy for you to hear you got SNOW! I know how you've been wishing for it.
Fried hash sounds really good to me now. I'm gonna go with it!
I make hash in my cast iron skillet and have no complaints. I don't know what your grandmother's was like, though. I would advise experimentation!!! You'll come up with something great! I'm sure.
Beth - I am going to experiment making it in a skillet. From all of your tips, I think I'm going to have more luck making it that way. Thanks!
Oh, I feel for you. One of the best things my mom did before she passed away was to write down all (yes, ALL) of her recipes that we grew up with, and put them into book form. I treasure it to this day. Hubby and I are trying to do the same thing for our kids. It's a monumental task. A labor of love. Good luck to you. I hope your grandma guides you along the way!!
~~Lori
Hey Mama Pea, Have you tried doing a google search to see if any of the recipes that pop up might be similar to your Grandma's recipe? There are a bunch of Oven Baked Hash recipes at www.cooks.com and I found this one where the potatoes don't need to be precooked.
http://southernfood.about.com/cs/beefrecipes/a/beef_hash1.htm
My husband loves hash too so you really got me thinking about making some soon. I would have to eat it for lunch or dinner as I don't like a heavy breakfast unless I have been up for a couple of hours first. Good luck "hash hunting"!
Lori - Oh, what a treasure you have in those precious recipes! Lucky you. And so special that you're doing the same thing for your kids.
Karen L. - Thanks so much for the hash leads. I'll definitely follow up on them.
I used to want to eat a good, hearty breakfast first thing in the morning, but the last several years I think my metabolism has changed and like you I need to wait a couple of hours before my "appestat" kicks in!
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