First recorded in the late nineteenth century, slumgullion refers generally to the innards of a gutted fish and more specifically to the watery crud, mixed with oil and blood, that drains from whale blubber as it is rendered. In what now appears, with the benefit of hindsight, to be a dubious marketing strategy, slumgullion was borrowed by cooks during the American gold rush as a name for a kind of hash or stew.
A savory dish that can be served as a soup, stew, or meat sauce, and varies depending on its ingredients. Often composed of ground beef, onions, tomatoes, and a range of seasonings.