Crispy Hash Browns
These homemade hash browns are perfectly crispy on the outside, fluffy on the inside, and absolutely delicious!
Servings: 2 people
Ingredients
- 2 large Russet potatoes
- 2 tbsp vegetable oil
- 2 tbsp bacon fat (or vegetable oil)
- 1 tsp onion powder
- salt & pepper to taste
Instructions
- Peel the skin off your russet potatoes, then use a cheese grater to shred it.
- Rinse the shredded potatoes in cold water (pictured are suds from the starch, not soap). How much starch you wash out will determine how light, crispy, & fluffy your hash browns are. Please see the additional notes from the instructions in this blog post above.
- Remove as much moisture as possible. In order to get evenly crispy hash browns, you need to squeeze out as much water as you can. I prefer to do this using my salad spinner- it works GREAT for removing water! But you can also use a cheese cloth or even paper towels to squeeze it out.
- Add onion powder and/or garlic powder. I do not like garlic on my breakfast potatoes so I only add onion powder, but feel free to add whatever seasonings you like. Do not add the salt and pepper yet! Especially salt- it will draw water out of the potatoes and they won't crisp correctly.
- On a large griddle or skillet (cast iron or anything non-stick works best), add a generous amount of oil over medium high heat and evenly spread the shredded potatoes.Spread the potatoes in a thicker layer if you want a soft & fluffy center. Spread in a thinner layer and press down firmly if you prefer thin & crispy throughout. Then lightly season with salt & pepper.
- When the edges begin to brown, use two spatulas to separate the hash browns into smaller pieces by pressing down and gently pulling them apart. (Skip this step if you didn't make one big piece).
- Add bacon fat (or just more oil if you're not making bacon) around the edges of the hash browns. *If using bacon fat, be careful about how much salt you season with. Bacon fat will add flavor and a little salt, so adjust the amount of salt you add accordingly.
- Flip the hash browns over immediately after adding the bacon fat or oil. Depending on how thick your hash browns are (and if you thoroughly rinsed the starch out of your potatoes), they may not stick together and some parts can fall apart when you flip them over. I use two spatulas to help with this and don't worry if you make a mess- just shape it back together and continue cooking.
- Lightly season with salt & pepper and remove from heat when the bottom is nice and crispy.
