{Brunch} Hash Browns Recipe - Belly Full (2024)

FAQs

What is the trick to cooking hash browns? ›

Squeezing the shredded potato in a towel or cheesecloth to remove as much moisture as possible helps it brown more evenly. Cooking the shredded potato briefly in the microwave helps it develop a better crust that remains crispy for longer.

Rinse the potatoes until the water is clear, then drain and squeeze out all the remaining liquid (this will ensure the hash browns are extra crispy). Next, you'll add in your binding agents (flour and egg) as well as any other ingredients or seasonings.

'Smothered' means sauteed onions, 'covered' is melted cheese, 'diced' is with chopped tomatoes, and 'capped' is with mushrooms! Feel free to add any of these items to yours but today we're going with the classic, straight-up scattered hashbrowns.

You need to partially cook the potatoes first. Raw potatoes have a tendency to absorb the grease and stick together. Any kind of potato can be used but I prefer the Yukon Golds or red potatoes.

Using a drier, starchier potato such as Idaho, and rinsing away the excess starch is a sure-fire way to crispy, golden hash browns. Butter helps both browning and flavor, while oil lowers the smoke point, allowing your pan to do the steady, even cooking needed for perfectly crisped potatoes.

Most recipes require soaking your raw, shredded potato in cold water to rinse off the excess starch, then squeezing every last bit of moisture out before tossing it in a pan.

By mixing in an egg and some flour, your shredded seasoned potato mixture will stick together and form patties. Fry them in a little bit of oil, sort of like you would a hamburger. When they are nice and golden brown on one side, flip them over and cook them until they are crispy and cooked through.

Flour and starch are commonly used to help hash browns stick together. You can add an egg if you like, but the flour mix is sufficient.

Indulge in the ultimate breakfast delight with our Dirty Hashbrowns! Picture this: seven golden, crispy hashbrowns, deep-fried to perfection, and then generously topped with sizzling bacon strips, a drizzle of savory nacho sauce, and a sprinkle of irresistible crispy onions.

Remarkably, there are four different styles in the hash brown category: shredded, patties, country-style (aka cubed potatoes), and O'Brien (cubed potatoes mixed with onions and bell peppers). Because plain shredded hash browns are super versatile, I zeroed in on this style.

Should you cover hashbrowns when cooking? ›

Cover and cook just until the perimeters start to get golden, about 5 minutes. Use a spatula to press the top down. Season with salt and pepper and flip. Cook, uncovered, until the bottom is golden and crispy, another 3 to 5 minutes.

Sprinkle shredded potatoes into hot butter in an even layer; season with cayenne pepper, paprika, salt, and black pepper. Cook potatoes until a brown crust forms on the bottom, about 5 minutes. Flip or stir and continue to cook until potatoes are browned and crusty all over, about 5 more minutes.

Soaking the potatoes in the water removes some of the starch and keeps the potatoes from turning an unappetizing color. Once the potatoes have soaked for a few minutes, squeeze them out and put them on a clean dish towel. Look at all that starch in the water! The water will turn brown if you leave it long enough.

You'll want to remove as much moisture as possible because this will prevent your hash browns from getting as crisp as possible. All the water will just create steam and as any additional starch is released from the potato it's going to get gummy, just not as gummy as before. So get them dry!

A: Hash Browns or French fries are usually good in the freezer for 4-8 months at zero degrees F. While still cold, if they are soft to the touch that means they have lost the crispy texture you'll expect of a quick frozen potato. If this occurred over a day or two, you should be fine to heat them up.

Remove as much moisture as possible. In order to get evenly crispy hash browns, you need to squeeze out as much water as you can. I prefer to do this using my salad spinner- it works GREAT for removing water! But you can also use a cheese cloth or even paper towels to squeeze it out.

Tips for the Crispiest Hash Browns

Squeeze out moisture: Use a potato ricer, orange or lemon press, or a tea towel to wring out excess moisture from the shredded raw potato. Some people find a salad spinner can work well too.