What is the trick to cooking hash browns?

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

Should you soak potatoes before making hash browns?

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.

Should you use butter or oil for hash browns?

Butter helps both browning and flavor, while oil lowers the smoke point , allowing your pan to do the steady, even cooking needed for perfectly crisped potatoes.

Can you put too much oil on your Blackstone?

Using too much oil will make the Blackstone griddle sticky after seasoning . It's better to do several, thin layers rather than one, thick layer of cooking oil.

Why won't my hash browns get crispy?

The biggest culprit that's making your hash browns come apart is moisture. You need to make sure the potatoes are dry before adding them to the flour and egg mixture .

What's the difference between hash browns and Southern style hash browns?

What is the difference between hash browns and Southern hash browns? Hash browns are shredded potatoes that are fried until crispy and brown with no soft interior. Southern-style hash browns are diced potatoes that are fried until the exterior is crisp and the interior is soft, essentially home fries.

What happens if you don't soak potatoes before cooking?

The reason is to prevent the potatoes exposure to air, which causes dehydration, oxidation, and discoloration . Immersing cut potatoes will also help rinse off excess starch.

How do you squeeze moisture out of hash browns?

The most common method is to wrap the shredded potatoes in a kitchen towel, then squeeze to release as much liquid as you can . But that's just one way to get it done. Max had a lot of luck bundling the shredded potatoes in cheesecloth, then threading in a wooden spoon to create a sort of vise to help squeeze.

What will prevent the hash browns from becoming crispy?

You'll want to remove as much moisture as possible because this will prevent your hash browns from getting as crisp as possible. All the water will just create steam and as any additional starch is released from the potato it's going to get gummy, just not as gummy as before. So get them dry!

What temperature do you cook eggs on a griddle?

Temperature for cooking eggs You will want to cook your eggs on the griddle over low-medium heat. If you're using a stovetop, we recommend setting the burner slightly below medium heat. The griddle temp for eggs should be 250°F - 325°F to easily monitor the doneness with less risk of overcooking.

How to fry potatoes on a griddle?

Once your griddle has reached the desired temperature, carefully spread a single layer of potatoes on the surface. Avoid overcrowding the griddle to ensure that each piece cooks evenly. Cook the potatoes for approximately 6-8 minutes per side, flipping them occasionally with a spatula to prevent burning.

How do you cook frozen hash browns without sticking them?

To prevent your frozen hash browns from sticking to the pan while cooking, it is essential to use a non-stick skillet or a well-seasoned cast iron pan . Additionally, make sure the pan is heated properly before adding the hash browns.

What is the best way to fry frozen hash browns?

To make crispy hash browns from frozen, heat a non-stick skillet over medium heat and add a tablespoon of oil or butter. Place the frozen hash browns in an even layer and cook for 3-4 minutes on each side, flipping occasionally, until they are golden brown and crispy. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

Perfect Hash Browns - Garden to Griddle (2024)

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Learn the tips and tricks to making perfectly golden and crispy hash browns from scratch!

Perfect Hash Browns - Garden to Griddle (1)

Great hash browns are one of my favorite breakfast additions! Even though I've been making them for years, it did take a bit of time to get all the details perfected in order to get that perfectly golden, crispy hash brown, that's slightly soft in the middle without being undercooked. I'm hoping you can enjoy this recipe for your next breakfast!

What Skillet is Best for Hash Browns?

I use cast iron skillet, solely. That's not to say you can't make great hash browns with a non-stick skillet, but cast iron iron is different in the way it holds heat, and it changes the amount of oil needed.

I use a #8 cast iron skillet, which is 9" at the base. For this size of pan, I use 2 ½ cups shredded potatoes. I have messed around with this portion size many times and 2 ½ just works the best. If you use too little of an amount of potatoes then you'll get burnt edges and an uneven cook. If you try to pack in too many potatoes, then the middle will be undercooked and you'll get squishy potatoes. If you're wanting to do a large batch, I recommend using multiple pans or 2-3 batches one after the other. See below for tips on why I use the portions I do in this size skillet.

What Seasonings are Best for Hash Browns?

Sea salt and black pepper is, in my opinion, the best. I've used a sprinkle of garlic powder and paprika as well, but I don't like to deter from that fresh, hash brown flavor! I've also used diced and grated onion and while that can add great flavor, I think it again takes away from the flavor I'm always wanting with hash browns which is that pan fried, slightly salty, crisp potato. When you add onion you're also adding moisture which can change the cook time and how sticky they get.

Perfect Hash Browns - Garden to Griddle (2)

Tips for Perfectly Crisp and Golden Brown Hash Browns

Amount of Potatoes in the Pan Makes a Big Difference.The cook time I have in my recipe works perfectly for 2 ½ cups potatoes in a 9" pan. No matter what size pan you're using, just make sure that you layer the shredded potatoes down so there aren't any gaps and your potatoes reach the edges to form a solid wall, not just here and there a piece touching. Press down on your potatoes gently so they all lay flat.

Rinse and Dry Your Potatoes! This is a step I wouldn't skip. Shred your potatoes, then cover them in cold water and soak them for a few minutes. Strain out the water using a mesh strainer and squeeze out as much water as possible. I use my hands and sometimes a paper towel (or tea towel). You want as much starch and moisture out as possible for perfectly golden and crisp potatoes. I've also just run cold water over potatoes in a mesh strainer and mixed them around with my hands for a few minutes. This takes up more water but also effective.

Peeling Potatoesis your call. I don't peel them and I don't notice much of a difference when I do. I say keep as much nutrients in your food as you can so keep those peels on!

Best Method of Shredding Potatoes is to use the larger holes on your cheese grater. I have a great Cuisine-O-Matic Food Processor and I've found that the sizes of shredders are either a bit too big or too small for perfect hash browns. I tried many times to get a great hash brown with the food processor and it just never stacked up to my low-cost cheese grater!

Olive Oil is the bestfor great hash browns. If you're using a non-stick skillet you might be able to get away with butter, but especially when using a cast iron pan, you want olive oil to avoid sticking and to help easily flip them.

I use 1 tablespoon oil straight in the pan to heat it, and I mix in 1 tablespoon olive oil with the shredded potatoes before cooking. This makes a difference. Getting the oil in the mix helps it to crisp throughout. Also, you don't want too much oil in the bottom just soaking through that bottom layer so separate out those 2 tablespoons.

Drizzle Oil Around the Edges After Flipping. This helps to crisp up the edges and some will drain down to coat that second side when it cooks. At this point it may seem like a lot of oil, but I'm not focusing on making these the super duper healthiest hash browns, I'm focusing on making them incredibly crispy and delicious. And really, we're using olive oil so it's a healthier choice!

What Potatoes are Best for Hash Browns?

Russet potatoes all the way. Red potatoes and Yukon Gold tend to be too soft and russets just hold up much nicer. With that said, those are the only 3 I've ever used and I haven't had a unique variety of potato in my garden to test anything else! Russets work great and I'm sticking to them!

Serving Size

In the recipe I say this portion will give you 3 servings. That's a really grey answer since I know a single person could easily down the entire portion, or at least half. For sake of a typical adult's breakfast, I'm saying you can get 3 servings!

More Breakfast Recipes

These hash browns pair well with these other breakfast ideas:

Veggie Frittata
Cast Iron Mexican Frittata
Garden Vegetable Breakfast Muffins
Homemade Breakfast Sausage (with Turkey)