Hash browns

Frozen or regular, can't seem to get them right.

Please help me with the proper technique.

Hoss

Hoss , I dreaded making them doing breakfast shifts ,i found medium heat , plenty of butter and drained potatoes ( if you are doing your own by grating and par boiling it ) to be the key

are we talking shredded potato hash brown or cubed potato version. shredded potato versions are rough, make sure you have a proper potato (russet variety i really like G-Pods) thick bottom pan, squeeze off all excess moisture from the potatos (very important ) and you can actually blast them in quick burst in the microwave to start them, it gets some extra moisture out of them and also sets the outside a bit to help it get really crispy. and like stated above, use plenty of your fat of choice. i personally like to start the sear, toss in 400F oven for a few minute, give it a flip and repeat. Good Luck!

Shredded, thanks for the help. I'll try making some again tomorrow.

Hoss

Personally, my favorite way is to cut them to form. Add them to a pot of water and cook until they are cooked just enough(careful not to overbook them they need to hold their form). Lay out on a pan to cool. Once cooled, blanch in a fryer at 270 degrees, then lay out on a pan again to rest. In a skillet I sweat onions, garlic, peppers or whatever you would like to add to the potatoes. Now, with a fryer at 345 degrees or so I finish the potatoes. Since they've already been blanched twice they brown and crisp up quickly. I like adding fresh herbs too so I either fry the herbs in the fryer for a couple of seconds right before I pull the potatoes out or just add the herbs to my skillet with vegetables at the end. To serve I toss sweated veg and crisp potatoes in a mixing bowl and season.

Shred, squeeze, toss with melted butter, grated parm, eggs, chopped herbs, salt, cracked pepper, smoked paprika, granulated onion. Cook in heavy pan with clarified butter on med-low til crisp bottom, flip and crisp again.

Didn't realize you were asking about shredded until I finished commenting. Good luck with that.

panda said:

Shred, squeeze, toss with melted butter, grated parm, eggs, chopped herbs, salt, cracked pepper, smoked paprika, granulated onion. Cook in heavy pan with clarified butter on med-low til crisp bottom, flip and crisp again.

Click to expand...

Soak the potatoes over night first? Or not necessary?

labor of love said:

Soak the potatoes over night first? Or not necessary?

Click to expand...

i dont soak, however i do rinse excess starch off after the grate tends to burn before crisp otherwise

What texture are you going for? Panda's post is what I do. What kinda fails are you having?

I would steam them till cooked enough to peel with a spoon but not enough for mash or baked potato, shred them hot and spread it out on trays to let all of its steam out. Once room temp toss in warm clarified butter, season with salt and pepper. then drop them on a low-med heat cast iron(heavier the better) and press them into shape, the fat it's tossed in will leacheh and keep it moist and par frying but dont be afraid of more fat

Good stuff, mine weren't browning like I wanted.

Hoss

check out this vid from food wish on crispy potatoes. It's not hash but the principal is the same. To brown you want the least amount of moisture possible. This involves cooking a bit, cooling off, and then cooking some more.

[video=youtube;EM6_HAiUIlA]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EM6_HAiUIlA&t=282s[/video]

also after watching this video, I don't do hash anymore. I make home fries just like that.

All that time I thought I was making hash browns, I was really making home fries.. My world crumbles..

Lars

wow..no real mention of WHAT potato to use?

i think my last best batch of shredded hash brown was with a Yukon Gold spud. i shredded per plan..rinsed, put it in a bowl wrapped with plastic..(stab a few holes)..microwaved the mess to par-cook..and then to the pan. it's been a looooonnnggg time. but that is how i think i did it.

Hmmmmm..... I seem to be breaking all the rules for hashbrowns. I usually take yukon gold or red potatoes and cut out any large "eyes" or bad spots. Then I fine shred through a Mouli with the skins on. I use a rather large 12" cast iron pan heated with olive oil to cook only placing a thin 1/2" to 3/4" layer of shredded potatoes lightly salting as I build the layer thickness. Brown on one side, flip and brown on the other side. Works every time.

Tried a couple of ways so far. Really liked pealed, shredded then par-boiled russets, finished in heavy cast iron. Best texture and taste for me.

Thanks,

Hoss

I treat mine like really tiny french fries.

1) Shred
2) rinse
3) Steam (half cooked)
4) cool
5) bind
6) fry like latkes

8 oz clarified butter in a nonstick 8" skillet, pack in defrosted hash to fill pan, saute over high heat and use a rubber spatula to even/round the sides and keep potatoes from sticking to the pans rivets.. when dark golden, pancake flip it and crisp other side like the first one.. add more clarified if necessary and drain the excess butter out before plating.. salt liberally, add bacon lardons, etc..

Or watch david kinch's pommes paillasson.. those are great

Shred, rinse, soak for 20 minutes, rinse, dry, microwave, dry gently, leave to cool, make patty, med/low in pan with a good amount of duck fat.

Thanks everyone, tried most suggestions. Been par-baking for 20-25 minutes, shreding on a course grater. Most of the skin comes off. Cooking on med heat with ample oil/butter. I've eaten two eggs and two potatoes every day since starting this thread.

Hoss