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.

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