More Hash Brown secrets for you today! And they’re from pros who know… Recipe contributor Karla Walsh asked seasoned breakfast chefs how they make their ‘famous’ hash browns – and they all said the same things!
Hash browns are the classic accompaniment to the equally classic diner bacon and eggs breakfast. But they often disappoint – especially when you try to make your own at home…
We’ve got your back…
AllRecipes contributor Karla Walshqueried three pro chefs known or their hash browns how they get great results every time. And they graciously shared their secrets to crispy, golden-brown, always perfect breakfast spuds…
Walsh reveals her status as a hash browns aficionado with the preamble comment: “It’s one of the most disappointing things when you get an order of soggy, pale hash browns in the morning. I want to go back to bed and start my day over.”
Couldn’t say it better myself.
What the pros said…
“Have patience!”
This from a diner veteran who reckons he slings at least 50,00 orders of hash browns a year: “The biggest mistake home cooks make with hash browns is being impatient,” says Tyler Pennington, chef and kitchen manager at Morning Story in Denver, Colorado. . “People often try to flip them too early, which results in soggy hash browns that lack a crispy texture.”
Christopher O’Connell, executive chef at Orla in Santa Monica, California insists perfect hash browns take 10 to 15 minutes to cook.
“Use the right potato”
You want the same type as the pros use for fries: Russets or Idahos. They really do make a difference in both flavour and testure.
In fact,Pennington shares, “When you smell them, it should remind you of freshly-fried fries: that irresistible savoury scent of perfectly crisped potatoes.”
“Split the total cooking time”
Pennington says to let the hash browns cook undisturbed on one side for 5-7 minutes (depending on the size of the order). Then they’ll flip easier and display a perfect golden brown finish on the pres-entation side.
“Cook on medium-high heat”
Cook on high, and they’ll burn. Cook on medium, and they’ll take longer to crisp, and will be mushy in the middle. And you’ll get minimum fat seeping into the spuds as they cook. Ideally, the fat only gets as far as the surface of the potato shreds, where it does the crisping…
“Don’t crowd the pan!”
The cardinal rule for all frying applies here. Don’t crowd the pan. Cook only as many servings at a time as will fit comfortably in the pan without touching. Too much potato in the pan will also lower the effective cooking temperature, giving you the equivalent of medium heat, which is a recipe for disappointment.
Additional technique details are scattered throughout the AllRecipes story. Take particular note of the section on hand-grating your hash browns. And soaking them in cold water to remove the surface starch…
My take
Everything the chefs say makes sense. But following their recommendations does take a little more time and attention at the grill. A small price to pay, I say, for achieving prefect hash browns!
~ Maggie J.