Hawaiian Hash — The Cast Iron That Crossed Town for Mama

Mama’s recovery is in its small second week. Brayden is two hundred and twenty-seven weeks old. Eden is one year and thirty-three weeks. I brought my cast iron skillet (Grandpa Eldon’s) down to Mama’s and made the Hawaiian hash for her small recovery-week-two breakfast.

The Hawaiian hash is small diced ham, pineapple, sweet potato, bell pepper, cooked in the cast iron with a small dash of soy sauce.

Saturday I drove down with the cast iron and made the hash.

The Sapulpa-Elementary cooking-class continues. The small Wednesday-afternoon rhythm has settled. The small kids are progressing through the small twelve-week curriculum. Tracy Patton has been the small partnership-and-support presence the program needed.

The Pantry Rules cookbook companion has been selling at its small steady-trickle pace. The catering-cookbook continues at its small steady-pace too. The small online-store revenue is the small additional-revenue-stream the catering business has built.

The small Sunday-cooking is now the small family-of-four event. Brayden helps. Eden watches from the bouncer (later from the high-chair). Dustin handles the small dishes-and-cleanup. The small kitchen has become the small family-stage. The small role of the small Sunday-cook has shifted from the small individual-creative-act to the small family-orchestration-act.

The small recipe-archive of the blog continues to grow. The small ten-year-anniversary in March 2026 is the small approaching-milestone. The small five-hundredth-post was in October 2025. The small archive is now in its small thousand-post-trajectory.

Hawaiian Hash

Prep Time: 10 minutes | Cook Time: 25 minutes | Total Time: 35 minutes | Servings: 6

Ingredients

• 2 tablespoons olive oil or butter
• 1 lb diced ham steak (about 1/2-inch cubes)
• 3 cups diced russet or Yukon gold potatoes (about 1/2-inch cubes)
• 1 cup diced fresh pineapple (or canned, drained well)
• 1 medium yellow onion, diced
• 1 red bell pepper, diced
• 1 green bell pepper, diced
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 tablespoon soy sauce
• 1 teaspoon brown sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
• 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
• Salt to taste
• 2 green onions, sliced (for garnish)

Instructions

1. Par-cook the potatoes. Place diced potatoes in a microwave-safe bowl with 2 tablespoons of water. Microwave on high for 4–5 minutes until just barely fork-tender but not soft. Drain and set aside. (You can also boil them briefly on the stovetop.)
2. Sear the ham. Heat 1 tablespoon of oil in a large cast iron skillet over medium-high heat. Add the diced ham and cook, stirring occasionally, for 4–5 minutes until lightly browned on the edges. Remove from the skillet and set aside.
3. Cook the potatoes. Add the remaining oil to the same skillet. Add the par-cooked potatoes in a single layer. Press them down slightly and let them cook undisturbed for 3–4 minutes until a golden crust forms. Flip and cook another 3 minutes. Season with smoked paprika, salt, and black pepper.
4. Build the hash. Add the onion and bell peppers to the skillet with the potatoes. Cook, stirring, for 4–5 minutes until the vegetables are softened. Add the garlic and stir for 30 seconds until fragrant.
5. Bring it all together. Return the ham to the skillet. Add the pineapple, soy sauce, and brown sugar. Stir everything together and cook for 2–3 more minutes until the pineapple is warmed through and the sauce has absorbed. Taste and adjust salt as needed.
6. Serve. Garnish with sliced green onions and serve hot directly from the skillet. Works beautifully on its own or topped with a fried egg.

Nutrition (per serving)

Calories: 310 | Protein: 18g | Fat: 11g | Carbs: 34g | Fiber: 3g | Sodium: 820mg