Sweatman’s BBQ Hash Recipe
Sweatman’s BBQ Hash a Must-Do
Like most South Carolina barbecue hash recipes, Sweatman’s BBQ hash recipe is a well-guarded secret. What’s no secret at all is just how delicious their hash recipe is.
In fact, eating Sweatman’s hash and rice made a Huffington Post list of top things to do in the US.
Specifically, they published an article telling folks of the “one thing” they must do in each of the 50 U.S. states. What was the one thing for a visitor to do in South Carolina?
“Taste the barbecue hash at Sweatman’s BBQ!”
No surprise when you read comments like this on the review sites. Kerry B, a (somewhat nearby) local from Goose Creek, said this about Sweatman’s BBQ hash recipe in her Yelp review:
“And oh, the hash! This stuff is liquid gold. Silky smooth, not a chunk of gristle to be found, unlike other hashes.
“Perfectly seasoned, a ratio of 3 parts hash to 1 part rice is about right. I always get a gallon to go, and when I open my last pint from the freezer, I know a trip to Sweatman’s is called for.”
So, it would take someone with a lot of experience to reproduce the flavors and textures the old-school Sweatman’s BBQ hash recipe that customers enjoyed for years. Fortunately, we know just the person.
“I grew up in Holly Hill,” writes W. David Griggs, “and I think I ate at Sweatman’s BBQ every weekend…except when they would close for a month during the summer so the family could go on vacation.
“Took me a dozen attempts and first-hand experience with a friend from Eutawville to come up with what I believe replicates Sweatman’s Hash.”
Thanks to Boots Varner
As he noted, Griggs did not begin this journey on his own. In fact, he had a bit of help along the way.
He tutored some under a local legend. Then he set out on his own to figure out how to make some of his childhood favorites.
An authentic SC BBQ hash recipe like Sweatman’s was a must. Fortunately, he would have some help.
“30 years ago, I was living in Eutawville, SC, when Boots Varner enlisted me to make the hash at his outdoor BBQ party. (Truly under his watchful eye. But now I find out his brother Roy taught him.)
“I continued to experiment on the hash recipe on my own (and with mustard sauce and slaw), trying to replicate the taste of Sweatman’s BBQ on which I grew up.
“I think I succeeded, and by chance, Foster’s Outdoor in California asked to publish my Sweatman’s BBQ Hash recipe along with the Sweatman’s style mustard sauce and slaw recipes I developed. That was over 20 years ago.”
Since then, Griggs has continued to refine his replica of Sweatman’s BBQ Hash Recipe, and it tastes as close to the real thing as you can get at home.
Enjoy and let us know what you think in the comments below:
Sweatman’s Style BBQ Hash
Created by W. David Griggs, this recipe is a copycat of the original Sweatman's hash.
Ingredients
- 3-4 lbs Boston butt, fully cooked
- 1 lb chicken livers
- 5 potatoes, medium
- 3 onions, medium
- 24 oz bottle ketchup
- 1/4 cup prepared mustard
- 1/8 cup cider vinegar
- 1/4 cup brown sugar
- 8 cups water
- salt & pepper, to taste
Instructions
- Cook the Boston butt using your preferred method.
- Add the cooked butt along with the liver, potato, and onion to a pot.
- Just cover it all with water and simmer for 30 minutes.
- Drain and cool.
- Run all through a meat grinder.
- Add remaining ingredients and simmer 1 hr or until thickened and cooked through, stirring often.
- Thin with water, as needed.
- Should be the consistency of thick spaghetti sauce - one good spoonful should cover your serving of rice completely without dripping onto the plate - mmmm".
- (In a pinch, you can boil the butt cubed in salted water for an hour or two, continue with the recipe where you add the liver)
Notes
If you don't have a good meat grinder, you can use either an immersion blender or a standard blender.
Dedicated to Boots Varner (Eutawville, SC)
Estimated yield and nutrition: This is an illustrative estimate based on 3½ pounds of fully cooked Boston butt (midpoint of the recipe's 3–4-pound range), 1 pound chicken livers, five medium potatoes, three medium onions, a 24-ounce bottle of ketchup, the listed seasonings and sugar, and a finished volume of approximately 5 quarts after simmering. That gives about 20 one-cup servings. Final volume will depend on how much liquid remains after draining and simmering, added water, and the desired hash consistency. The nutrition excludes rice served underneath and does not include any additional salt added to taste. Adjust per serving for your actual finished batch.
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Nutrition Information:
Yield:
20Serving Size:
1 cup prepared hash, without riceAmount Per Serving: Calories: 330Total Fat: 16gSaturated Fat: 5gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 11gCholesterol: 155mgSodium: 500mgCarbohydrates: 24gFiber: 2gSugar: 13gProtein: 24g
Approximate values for 1 cup finished Sweatman's-style hash without rice, assuming 20 one-cup servings (~5 quarts). Model uses 3.5 lb fully cooked pork shoulder (midpoint of listed 3–4 lb), 1 lb chicken liver, 5 medium potatoes, 3 medium onions, 24 oz ketchup, 1/4 cup mustard, 1/4 cup brown sugar, vinegar and cooking water. Standard USDA ingredient averages and common ketchup/mustard labels used. Final simmered yield, fat content of pork, liquid reduction and any salt added to taste may substantially change the values; salt added to taste is excluded.
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We’ve published an in-depth look at SC BBQ hash. In this piece, we examine the origins and history of yet another SC BBQ original. Also, you will find a current listing of every SCBBQ restaurant that serves hash.
In addition, check out these other authentic SCBBQ recipes we’ve published on destination-bbq:
Eastern SC Vinegar-Based Sauce Recipe
Home Team BBQ’s Alabama White Sauce Recipe
And we’ve published the following sauce recipes in the SCBBQ Recipes: Going Whole Hog cookbook (read more about that here):
Sauces and Rubs:
Vinegar-Pepper Sauces
- Jay Phillips’ Whole Hog Sauce Recipe
- Dad’s Mop Sauce Recipe
- Eastern SC Vinegar-Pepper Sauce Recipe
- Moore Family’s Little Fisher Hog Sauce Recipe
- Lowcountry Vinegar Sauce Recipe
Mustard Sauces
- Swig & Swine’s Mustard BBQ Sauce Recipe
- Dukes BBQ-Style Sauce Recipe
- Dukes BBQ Sauce – “Actual Recipe”
- Simple South Carolina Mustard Sauce Recipe
- Bessinger’s-Style Gold Sauce Recipe
Tomato-Based Sauces
- John Padgett’s Kansas City BBQ Sauce Recipe
- Honey-Hickory Barbecue Sauce Recipe
- Bullies BBQs Thin Basting Sauce Recipe
- Cherrywood Signature BBQ Sauce Recipe
- “Carolina Red” Light Tomato Barbecue Sauce Recipe
- Basic Tomato Barbecue Sauce Recipe
Other Sauces
- Home Team BBQ Alabama White Sauce Recipe
- Moe’s Original BBQ’s Alabama White Sauce Recipe
- Brisket Mojo Sauce Recipe
- Roller Family Hot Sauce Recipe
- Salsa Verde with Avocado for Pulled Pork Recipe
Is the 8 cups of water supposed to be added with all the other ingredients for simmering or is this the water you use to cover the pork/potatoes to simmer? In the description you say to cover with water to simmer then drain. Then in recipe it doesn’t say what the 8 cups of water are for. Just want to make sure. Thanks.
@Bill, good question and one I should confirm with David, but I believe he intended it to be added with the other ingredients. You’ll need it there; without it, the mixture would be too thick and wouldn’t simmer. Also his notes say that you could cook the pork a different way. I’ll reach out to him to confirm and will add a correction below if he meant otherwise.
@James Roller, did you get an answer on the 8 cups of water?
Sorry…no word back, yet. Will post if/when I do.
add water with all other ingredients