Cook'n 101: Hash Brown Basics (and 4 Things to Do With Frozen Hash Browns)
By Alice Osborne
Don't you love hash browns? Me too. And for the longest time I've wanted to know how to make the perfect hash browns from fresh potatoes - you know, with the crispness and taste like the kind you get from your favorite local diner? But try as I might, mine have been a disappointment at best. Even my frozen store-bought hash browns always turn out yucky.
So per my usual M.O., I've been scouring the Internet for solutions, tips and tricks, and I found what I needed to know. And naturally I've been wondering if maybe anyone else struggles with hash brown basics like I do, SO in the off-chance I'm not the only stranger to good homemade fried spuds, I'm sharing this golden information.
On just about every website I visited, I got the same advice: "Before you start, make sure that you have an adequate pan which is either cast iron and well used, or a large skillet (with at least a 9-inch diameter bottom) with non-stick coating. If you don't have the appropriate pan, hash browns will never turn out quite right." The opinion is the same no matter where I turn - good hash browns can't be crowded.
Another thing I learned that seems to be a common practice is that grated spuds need the moisture squeezed out of them, either using lots of paper towels or a potato ricer. The advice is not to force the spuds through the ricer, but to press just enough to get the liquid dripping out. (Where've I been, anyway? I had no idea...) Oh, and the preferred potato? Idaho Russets. The gourmet hash-brown experts all agreed this was the best variety for excellent hash browns.
The technique doesn't seem that difficult: After the spuds are grated and most of the moisture removed, some good oil (olive, canola, or grapeseed) is heated on medium high heat in the pan. The proportions are about 3 tablespoons of oil to 1 large potato (which according to one cook, yields about 4 puny servings). After the oil is shimmering (I didn't know oil shimmered), but not smoking (no wonder I don't know anything about shimmering oil - my oil always smokes), add the grated potatoes and spread them out along the bottom of the pan.
The spuds shouldn't be too thick in any one place (no more than a half inch thick). Sprinkle salt and pepper to taste, and after a few minutes, lift up one edge of the potatoes and see how done they are. If they have fried to a golden brown they are ready to flip. Use a large spatula to flip the potatoes over all at once, or divide the large potato cake into halves or quarters and flip. Continue to cook until they are golden brown on the bottom. And this is the other common piece of advice I kept reading - turn the spuds ONLY once, which is all that's needed if the pan is large enough and the layer of potatoes isn't humungously thick (a sin I've committed, I admit).
Finally, those that have mastered these hash brown techniques said they liked to grate their potatoes with the skins on and embellish an already good thing with finely diced onion, red bell pepper, and mushrooms. Yeh, I'd vote for that.
So class, let's review: The secret to perfect hash browns is a good pan, the temperature of the heat, using a good oil (not butter) and most importantly, only turning them one time! This ensures the crispy texture that you expect from a perfect hash brown recipe!
Now, let's shift gears - how about frozen hash browns for those days we don't have the time to gratey-grate fresh spuds? Do you have any idea what an amazingly versatile thing a bag of frozen hash browns is? Read on for 4 things you can do with 'em!
Funeral Potatoes
Whatever you call them, they're everyone's favorite
6 c. frozen hash brown potatoes
1 can (10 3/4 oz.) condensed cream of chicken soup
1 stick butter, melted
1 c. sour cream
2 c. cheddar cheese, grated, divided
1/2 c. grated onion (optional)
Salt and pepper to taste
1. Let potatoes thaw before using them in the recipe; drain of any excess liquid.
2. Combine soup, butter, sour cream, 1 c. cheese, onion, salt and pepper in a large mixing bowl. Mix well. Add the diced potatoes and stir gently until combined.
3. Place potato mixture in a 2-3 quart casserole dish or 9 x 13-inch baking pan. Top with the remaining 1 c. cheese.
4. Bake uncovered at 350 degrees for 30-45 minutes or until hot and bubbly.
Note: To make reduced fat funeral potatoes, replace the melted butter with 1/2 soup can milk. Use reduced fat sour cream, or replace the sour cream with nonfat, plain Greek yogurt. Reduced fat cheddar cheese also works well.
Lots of people top the dish with crushed corn flakes, and I do too - it's the best. If you want to use the corn flake topping, mix 3 tablespoons butter with 3/4 cup crushed corn flakes and sprinkle over the potato mixture before baking. If you're planning to use a crumb topping, mix all the cheese in with the sauce and don't reserve any to sprinkle on top.
Hash Brown Quiche
3 cups shredded hash brown potatoes
1/3 cup butter, melted
seasoning salt to taste
1 cup diced cooked ham
1/4 cup chopped onion
1 cup shredded Cheddar cheese
4 eggs
1/2 cup milk
salt and pepper to taste
Preheat oven to 425 degrees F (220 degrees C). Press hash browns onto the bottom and sides of a 9 inch pie dish. Drizzle with melted butter, and sprinkle with seasoning salt. Bake in preheated oven for 20 minutes, or until beginning to brown.
In a small bowl, combine ham, onion and shredded cheese. In a separate bowl, whisk together eggs, milk, salt, pepper, and a little seasoning salt. When crust is ready, spread ham mixture on the bottom, then cover with egg mixture. Reduce oven temperature to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C.) Bake in preheated oven for 20 to 25 minutes, or until filling is puffed and golden brown.
Note: You can bake this quiche, and refrigerate for up to 2 days in advance, then reheat in the microwave. It also freezes well.
Chili Hash: All you do is put a layer of canned chili in the bottom of a 9x13 baking dish, then add layer of hash browns, (I threw in some diced onion), and finish with a layer of grated Cheddar cheese. Bake for 30 minutes or so at 350 degrees. I made this the night before and we had it the next day. It was delicious.
Breakfast Bowls: Layer hash browns, eggs (scrambled with veggies is awesome, or with bacon and sausage, or whatever way you like), shredded cheese, and top with country gravy.
Crockpot Cheesy Smoked Sausage & Potato Soup
1 (30 oz) bag frozen shredded hash browns
16 oz turkey smoked sausage with casings removed, cubed
2 (14.5 oz) cans low sodium chicken broth
1 Tbsp Italian seasoning
1 onion, diced
Pepper, to taste
1 1/2 C cheese (cheddar is my favorite, but any will work well)
Combine everything but cheese and one cup of broth in crock pot. Stir well and cook on low 6-7 hours.
30 minutes before serving, cut cheese into cubes and stir into soup. Add remaining broth. Cover and cook on high 30 minutes or until cheese is melted.
