How Do I Keep Shredded Hashbrowns from Turning Dark? (2024)

FAQs

How Do I Keep Shredded Hashbrowns from Turning Dark? ›

Soak them in water

The best (and most popular) way to keep cut potatoes from turning brown is to completely submerge them in a bowl of water. Store the water-covered potatoes in a bowl in the refrigerator until you're ready to use them, up to one day in advance.

Soak them in water

The best (and most popular) way to keep cut potatoes from turning brown is to completely submerge them in a bowl of water. Store the water-covered potatoes in a bowl in the refrigerator until you're ready to use them, up to one day in advance.

When I shred or cut potatoes for boiling, I place the cut potatoes into a mixture of 1 tablespoon of concentrated lemon juice or white vinegar to 1 gallon of water. This will help keep the potatoes from oxidizing. Squeeze out the excess water for the hash browns between a paper or regular towel before frying.

Add lemon juice or vinegar

Lowering the pH of the potato helps fight off oxidation. Just like you might use a squirt of lime juice to keep guacamole from browning, a bit of lemon juice or white vinegar in the bowl with the potatoes will ward off gray hues.

You can also put them in a bowl, fill it with water and potato shreds, then strain and repeat until the water runs clean. This is where the magic happens. When you do this, you will see your shreds turn from a gray, mushy mass into crisp, white shreds of delicious potato goodness.

When you grate whole potatoes for hash browns, do it directly over a bowl with cold water. Let the potatoes sit in the water for at least 15 minutes, for best results overnight. The water will remove all the excess starch from the potatoes and will solve any graying issues and will give you crispier potatoes as well!

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.

Besides vitamin C, you could use vinegar or lemon juice, both of which are acidic enough to do the trick. Combine both these methods by soaking the potatoes in a bowl of cold water mixed with vinegar or lemon juice. Vacuum pack the peeled or grated potatoes to prevent air from causing the discolorization.

After boiling potatoes, how can I keep them from turning brown overnight so I can make potato salad the next day? A: Place the potatoes in water to cover and add some acidity like a teaspoon of concentrated lemon juice or white wine vinegar to keep from browning.

To freeze potatoes for hash browns, shred potatoes; hold in a bowl of cold water until all potatoes are shredded. Drain and blanch in boiling water about 3 minutes. Drain, rinse in cold water, drain again and pat dry. Pack into freezer containers or resealable bags.

Why did my frozen hash browns turn brown? ›

Exposure to air or oxygen is the cause of this situation when the potatoes are cut and stored in advance for any future cooking.

If you're working with latkes, hash browns, or any recipe that requires the potatoes to be finely diced, sliced, or shredded, you'll be better off if you do all your prep the same day. You also should avoid prepping the potatoes ahead of time if you intend to fry them, as hot oil and wet veggies don't mix well.

When slicing the potatoes place into water with a little acidity to keep them from turning gray. A small amount of white wine vinegar of lemon will do the trick. Then drain and place the potatoes in foil along with your spices and some olive oil or vegetable oil.

When you grate raw potatoes, you release starch that can cause them to oxidize, or turn dark. The best way to keep that from happening is to cover the potatoes with cold water, then drain them very well and pat them dry before cooking.

The secret to the crispiest hash browns? Remove as much moisture as possible before frying.

If you use a waxy potato, they'll stick together nicely, but they won't get as crispy as you might want. Another option is to add more ingredients that will act as binders. Try adding cheese to your hash browns because when the cheese melts it will be like a gooey glue that holds your potatoes together.

Prepping Ingredients Ahead of Time

Just follow every step, pausing when it's time to go into the oven. Your trays of uncooked hash browns will keep in the fridge for 3-5 days—just be sure to cover them with foil or plastic wrap. The only thing you can't do is freeze the trays of uncooked hash browns.

Peel the potatoes and then cut them into cubes. As you cube them place the cubes in a bowl and sprinkle with lemon juice to prevent them from darkening. In a food processor, grate the potatoes and the onion.