“Uncle Charlie” Hash

As we look back to our childhoods, most of us can remember one thing in common, comfort food. In my life, I think of grilled cheese sandwiches and tomato soup. Some folks recall macaroni and cheese with cut-up hot dogs.

When I think of grilled cheese and tomato soup it takes me back to Sunday night dinners eaten in haste so I could get to the TV in time for Lassie at 7 o’clock. It seems we all have these fond memories that are somehow intertwined with food.

My wife remembers “Uncle Charlie.”

What’s in Uncle Charlie?

Uncle Charlie was simply ground beef and softened potatoes. My wife’s mother used to make it when she was a child because it was fairly cheap to make. The problem was her mother couldn’t stand the name “hash”, so she named it “Uncle Charlie.”

When she raised her own family Uncle Charlie became a favorite of her children and now, even her grandchildren come for dinner and request “Uncle Charlie.”

Uncle Charlie can be fancied up with onions, sausage, peppers almost anything that fits in the skillet. That’s the beauty of Hash. It was originally created to use up leftovers in restaurants called “hasheries.“

Making Uncle Charlie hash is easy as pie, actually it’s easier.

How do you make Uncle Charlie?

In a pot, you boil some peeled and cut-up potatoes just like you were making mashed potatoes. But you don’t want to boil them until they are ready to mash, just until they are soft enough to break up.

In a skillet you fry a pound of hamburger and, as it’s cooking, chop it up into little pieces. The smaller the better. After the meat is browned drain any excess juice and add the potatoes when they are ready.

Now, just chop up the potatoes in the skillet and mix it with the meat. Cover the skillet and simmer it until you are ready to eat. You can add onions, peppers, or anything you want. We usually add green peas. Salt and pepper to taste and,

Enjoy.