“Why, that Grinch even took the last can of Who hash.”
– How the Grinch Stole Christmas!, Dr Seuss
Every Who down in Whoville would’ve had a can of Who Hash in their cupboard. And with this easy recipe for leftover corned beef and the free downloadable Who Hash label I’ve made for you, you’ll have a themed dinner to serve up for the family this Christmas season. Even the Grinch wouldn’t be able to resist that last can!
Beef hash can be traced back to the 18th century in older cookbooks, but the idea of rationing food and using up leftovers is not a new concept. However the rationing of meat in the US during a number of wars [WWI, WWII] meant that corned beef saw its popularity rise. It’s suggested canned corned beef hash would have been first seen around WWII, possibly by the company Hormel, who also makes Spam.
It can be assumed, since Dr Seuss lived in the US during both wars, seeing canned hash in the cupboard would have been as common as us seeing canned tomatoes or baked beans. And so, we find Whoville in 1957, with their own version— Who Hash.
In it’s simplest form, corned beef hash is chopped up meat, potatoes and onions all fried together. While I can’t vouch for what the canned version tastes like, the homemade version is delicious and easy to make.
For those who love How The Grinch Stole Christmas!, a can of Who Hash is as synonymous with Christmas as gingerbread or a roast bird. If you’re looking:
- for a way to make a mid-week meal in December a bit more special
- to throw a Grinch inspired Whoville party
- for a simple meal for a How The Grinch Stole Christmas! movie night,
this recipe (and the free downloadable packaging) for Who Hash is everything you need. While this recipe serves a family of four, this recipe can be easily scaled up for a larger party.
Can I make Who Hash in advance?
You can prep ingredients one to two days before by cooking the corned beef/ silverside and potatoes, then place in the fridge overnight. If making the dinner one hour earlier, preheat your oven to ‘keep warm’ setting in your oven. This typically around ~210F or ~100C. Slow cookers/multicookers with the keep warm function could also be used.
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The Grinch; Who Hash
- Yield: 4 serves 1x
Ingredients
2 tbsp butter
2 cups cooked corned beef/silverside
3 cups chopped cooked potatoes
1 small onion, minced
1/2 tsp concentrated beef stock
salt and pepper
Instructions
Melt 2 tbsp of butter in a frying pan.
Add in the chopped up cooked corned beef, chopped up cooked potatoes, and minced onion.
Make sure it is all distributed evenly around the pan and let cook until browned. When one side is browned, turn the mixture over and let the other side brown.
Stir in 1/2 tsp concentrated beef stock for added moisture and flavour.
Sprinkle with salt and pepper and serve.
how the grinch stole Christmas! Who Hash free downable Packaging
Notes about serving in cans
If you do go ahead and put hot food in a tin can, remember the tin will get warm. Perhaps attach the label to some cardboard first before wrapping around the can so little fingers don’t get stung by the heat.
Also, some food cans nowadays have some sort of food grade epoxy lining on the inside, which has BPA in. ‘BPA is a synthetic plastic hardener that has been linked to human reproductive problems and an increased risk of cancer and diabetes.’ (from article here).
This sounds super cute and tasty, but have you tried making it with different meats? Like, we don’t typically have beef in our house unless it’s ground, would that work?
Hi Amber, I haven’t tried other meats, but pork is another meat used in hash recipes. Not sure how ground beef would work.