Making Red Flannel Hash

First, the title of this photo essay is 'Making Red Flannel Hash', and should not be confused with my tale, 'Red Flannel Hash', which details my discovery and enjoyment of the celebrated northeastern delicacy. To read that story follow this link: RedFlannelHash

Red Flannel Hash is a type of hash made with sweet beets as well as potato, and the words alone take me back to the early 1970s when I camped along the east side of the Kancamagus Highway in the White Mountains of New Hampshire. It was on one of those camping trips, on a rainy and cold spring morning, that I drove into Conway in search of breakfast and hot coffee and, at a small local breakfast joint, tasted Red Flannel Hash for the first time.

This morning in Los Angeles, on a warm spring morning in May almost 40 years since that first taste, I made Red Flannel Hash and eggs for the wife and me. Follow the pictures below and see for yourself how to make this dish at home.

Picture 1 Below: Basic Ingredients
The better the meat the better the hash; we had leftover filet and rib eye that we saved in the freezer and cubed for the occasion. A baked potato cut up with skin included (we always bake extra, don't you?) along with a can of sliced beets cut again, diced onion, pepper, celery, Italian bread, salt, and pepper completed the main list. The rice wine vinegar is for the water that cooks the poached eggs, and I cracked two eggs into each bowl in preparation for the final stages.





Picture 2 Below: The Start
I put 2 Tbs of rice wine vinegar into a third of a pot of water and put it on to boil. Then the onion, pepper, and celery are fried in light oil with a touch of salt and pepper. 





Picture 3 Below: The Meat
When the veggies show signs of cooking, turn the heat down and add the cubed meat to the pan. The goal is to get the the meat hot, not to overcook it or make it tough.




Picture 4 Below: Add the Potato and Beets
Add the beets and potatoes to the pan and turn up the heat. At this point, you have plenty of options to make the dish your own (add a little salsa, BBQ sauce, water, spices, butter, etc). I like a tsp of BBQ sauce along with basil and parsley, as well as more ground pepper. 





Picture 5 Below: Ready for the Eggs
The water is boiling and the hash is about done; time for the eggs.




Picture 6 Below: Poached Eggs
Things happen fast now; set the timer for 2:20 and drop the eggs.




Picture 7 Below: The Hash
The hash must be ready. By the time the hash is ladled onto plates, the timer will let you know the eggs are done. Put bread in the toaster.




Picture 8 Below: Final Presentation
Set two poached eggs on each portion of hash and add a slice of Italian bread toast. Wonderful!



Oh, those sweet days of youth and discovery in New Hampshire, I'll always cherish their memory.


May 23, 2010
Los Angeles