"I tried cooking corned beef in a pan with potatoes…

To “make a hash” of something means to mess up, but what if one is making hash (a food)?

“I know tinned corned beef is supposed to be ‘easy’ food, but I’m still making a hash of it” was posted on X/Twitter by Chris Chapman on December 20, 2009. “I’m not the best cook in the world but yesterday I bought some corned beef, potatoes and onions and thought I’d try doing something special. Obviously I made a hash of it” was posted on Facebook by Ivan Rose on November 17, 2024. “I tried cooking corned beef in a pan with potatoes and onions, but sadly I made a hash of it” was posted on X/Twitter by Bob Kostic on November 17, 2025.

Wikipedia: Hash (food)
Hash is a dish consisting of chopped meat, potatoes, and fried onions. The name is derived from French hacher, meaning ‘to chop’.

Canned corned beef hash became especially popular in countries such as Britain and France during and after the Second World War as rationing limited the availability of fresh meat.

Wiktionary: make a hash of
Verb
make a hash of (third-person singular simple present makes a hash of, present participle making a hash of, simple past and past participle made a hash of)
1. to do badly, particularly to make a mess while doing.

X/Twitter
Chris Chapman
@trioptimum
I know tinned corned beef is supposed to be ‘easy’ food, but I’m still making a hash of it.
6:47 AM · Dec 20, 2009

X/Twitter
ollie cole
@ProducerOllie
I once cooked with corned beef. I made a hash of it
5:48 PM · Dec 30, 2010

X/Twitter
Nope, It’s Gone
@Joust_A_Minute
My plan was to create a never-before seen dish out of corned beef and potatoes, but I think I’ve made a hash of it.
6:33 PM · Dec 18, 2016

X/Twitter
Squiffy The Clown
@Squiffy2
My plan was to create a never-before seen dish out of Corned beef and potatoes, but I think I’ve made a hash of it.
8:03 AM · Jun 13, 2017

X/Twitter
Martin Williams
@Martin1Williams
Wanted to create a unique dish out of corned beef & potatoes but I think I’ve made a hash of it.
2:25 PM · Dec 20, 2017

Reddit—Dadjokes
OK_Commuter—January 28. 2019
Tried to make a corned beef sandwich this morning.
But made a hash of it.

X/Twitter
Inspector Nobby Clarke 🏳️‍🌈🇪🇺🇺🇦🏕️🔎😂
@inspector_nobby
I opened a tin of corned beef last night. I made a hash of it…
9:22 AM · Nov 5, 2022

X/Twitter
Shaun
@LfcShaunjudge
Tried to cook my tea earlier using corned beef and potato but made a hash of it…
6:48 PM · Dec 18, 2022

Facebook
Ivan Rose
November 17, 2024 at 2:53 PM ·
I’m not the best cook in the world but yesterday I bought some corned beef, potatoes and onions and thought I’d try doing something special. Obviously I made a hash of it.

X/Twitter
eddie
@eddiebolland
I’m not the best cook in the world but yesterday I bought some corned beef, potatoes and onions and thought I’d try doing something. Obviously I made a hash of it !!!!
3:38 PM · Nov 17, 2024

Bluesky
Just call me Les.
‪@lesmartin.bsky.social‬
I’m not the best cook in the world but yesterday I bought some corned beef, potatoes and onions and thought I’d try doing something. Obviously I made a hash of it.
November 18, 2024 at 4:30 AM

Bluesky
Cerys
‪@ffyncwraig.bsky.social‬
Got fired from my job as a corned beef slicer.
Kept on making a hash of it. #JokeWednesday
January 1, 2025 at 12:46 PM

X/Twitter
Martin Williams
@Martin1Williams
Tried creating a meal using potatoes, corned beef and onions…but made a hash of it.
6:12 AM · Oct 2, 2025

X/Twitter
Bob Kostic
@causticbob
I tried cooking corned beef in a pan with potatoes and onions, but sadly I made a hash of it
6:17 PM · Nov 17, 2025