How to make perfect hash browns
- Thread starter Morning Glory
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Ah - we don't have those in the UK.
If I'm pan-frying, I find that the frozen ones work better than fresh. Better still are those ones in the refrigerated section, Simply Potatoes.
Canada, as a nation, is regarded as the friendliest and most polite country on the planet, but their contribution of pineapple on pizza shows that every culture has its dark side.
I rarely make this much, especially if I'm pan-frying, because they're a real pain to turn. What I didn't show is, once they were all but done on the second side, I added cheese on top, then stuck the whole thing in a warm oven to melt.
They don't plate up all that nicely, but here they are:
medtran49
Forum GOD!
I haven't tried this for hash browns yet, but, while searching for a way to make the best potato chip (I think they might be called crisps by the Brits), came across a blog that said to soak them in salted, hot tap water for the best results. Tried that once and that's the way I make homemade chips now. More starch came out and they absorbed some of the salt. I'm going to try with hot water next time I make hash browns.
I didn't know what Rosti was either so looked it up. Apparently it is a giant and thick potato pancake. Hash browns are not that. Although sometimes squeezed and shaped into unnatural shapes by various fast food outlets, real hash browns are made with parboiled potatoes, shredded and then cooked in a skillet till brown and crisp. They should not be thick and in fact should be somewhat haphazard and scattered. Like you just shredded a potato and fried it up in your skillet.
I often make them from leftover baked potatoes as well. I have worked in the kitchen of a couple of "diner" type restaurants and they both used leftover baked potatoes.
There is nothing wrong with using the frozen version, but it works best for me if I defrost them in the microwave first.
^^^^ All this is just my opinion, I am not an expert in hash browns unless eating them for ones entire life makes one an expert.
I often make them from leftover baked potatoes as well. I have worked in the kitchen of a couple of "diner" type restaurants and they both used leftover baked potatoes.
There is nothing wrong with using the frozen version, but it works best for me if I defrost them in the microwave first.
^^^^ All this is just my opinion, I am not an expert in hash browns unless eating them for ones entire life makes one an expert.
CraigC
Guru
Can you say Latkes?
Latkes are a bit different than hash browns, though, in that they usually have some egg in them to bind them (at least when I've made them). But they're definitely related.
To me, Rösti and hash browns are so closely related that they're pretty much the same thing. Since I don't have a diner-style griddle at home, when I cook them in the pan (in a smaller amount than above
, they take the shape of the pan. Classic Rösti serving. My favorite special-occasion restaurant does theirs the same way, and they refer to it as hash browns.Diners, they all do the scattered thing, but I've also had Rösti served in that shaggy, scattered way. It's shredded potatoes cooked in fat, so Rösti or hash browns, I'm all over it.
Here's a pic of MrsTasty and I having Rösti in Switzerland many, many, many years ago:
For my money, I prefer hash browns from Waffle House. I prefer mine scatter, smothered, covered, and diced. Here's a guide to order Waffle House hash browns for those not lucky enough to be familiar:
Your guide to Waffle House hash browns
Well it seems from searching a lot that there are some recipes which use par-cooked and some that use raw potato. In some ways it probably doesn't matter too much as the potato gets cooked one way or another!
When I use the waffle iron, I don't par-cook them. When I pan-fry, I do (in the microwave). It's my understanding that frozen shredded potatoes are also par-cooked before freezing.
Since I don't have a diner-style griddle at home, when I cook them in the pan (in a smaller amount than above
Could they be cooked in a panini griddle. A bit like you do a version in your waffle maker. My waffle maker (new thread needed as I've failed miserably to cook waffles in it), has a griddle thing as shown to the right of this image.
I don't see why not, as long as it gets hot enough.
Excellent. I will try using the press to cook them in the near future. I'll start with raw grated squeezed potato (easiest, I think) and see how that works. I'll just make one or two.
Then I'll try soaking the grated potato.
Finally, I'll try par-boiling.
medtran49
Forum GOD!
I used to grate the potatoes, salt and pepper them, then let them sit for a while, letting the salt draw out some of the excess moisture in the potatoes. Then, I would squeeze the cr@p out of them, then cook. They would discolor a bit, but would whiten back up after they hit the heat. I haven't made hash browns in a very long time.