# How do I make hashbrowns from potatoes?



## MERTON

how do i make hashbrowns from scratch? are there special machines that will shape the potatos for me?


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## jkath

Generally, you can use a cheese grater to shred your potatoes. Then, you can saute them in oil till golden brown, making sure not to stir them around too much (so they stick together). 

If you prefer a cubed hash brown, you can just dice the potatoes with a knife.


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## TexasTamale

I look forward to the reply's...
I have tried and tried Merton, to no avail~
	

	
	
		
		

		
			





Good Ol' Pan Fry's have always saved the day in Texas!


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## Shunka

An easy way to make shredded hash browns is to shred potatoes on a grater (put in a bowl of cold water if you need to make a lot), meanwhile heat up a good skillet with some oil, shortening or spray in it on medium to medium-high heat. Drain the shredded potatoes, put half in a layer over the bottom of the skillet, add some thinly sliced onions if wanted, season a bit (I like Schilling's "It's a Dilly"). Put the other half of shredded potatoes over the top, cover with a lid and let cook for about 10-15 minutes. Turn over and cook for another 10 minutes. I just cut this into wedges to serve.


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## TATTRAT

yup. this thread could be ended and these 3 posts could sum it up.......but I will add my $.02.


Make sure the pan is not too hot. use a ring mold to control shape. Use BUTTER(rendered bacon fat). A little shredded onion is a welcome addition.


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## skilletlicker

Here's how I do it but it's surely not the only way.

Boil Russets for about 20 minutes then rinse in cold water, peel, and shred on a box grater. For every potato add a a little salt & pepper and onion powder or a couple strokes of onion on the grater. Drop into shallow hot oil in a frying pan and don't fiddle with them for a couple/few minutes while a crust forms then unsticks on the bottom of the pan. Turn and cook for a couple/few more and they're done.

I also like cubed taters with onions a peppers but that's a different thing.


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## Andy M.

The yet unmentioned key to great hash browns is to get as much water out of the grated potatoes as possible.  Use either a salad spinner or, even better, wrap them up in a towel and twist to wring out the water.


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## In the Kitchen

*Thanks*



			
				Andy M. said:
			
		

> The yet unmentioned key to great hash browns is to get as much water out of the grated potatoes as possible.  Use either a salad spinner or, even better, wrap them up in a towel and twist to wring out the water.



Thanks again, Andy M.  This must be reason my hash browns never are real. Never have been told to do this.  Who told you or did you just experiment?  Look forward to having them over weekend when everyone wants big breakfast instead of everyday oatmeal.


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## YT2095

skilletlicker said:
			
		

> Here's how I do it but it's surely not the only way.
> 
> Boil Russets for about 20 minutes then rinse in cold water, peel, and shred on a box grater. For every potato add a a little salt & pepper and onion powder or a couple strokes of onion on the grater. Drop into shallow hot oil in a frying pan and don't fiddle with them for a couple/few minutes while a crust forms then unsticks on the bottom of the pan. Turn and cook for a couple/few more and they're done.
> 
> I also like cubed taters with onions a peppers but thats a different thing.



that`s more or less the same way I do mine too 
the uncooked method then yes, it must be wrung out well, but that`s usualy for potatoe rosti, assembled in something like a high walled cookie cutter (or even rings cut out of a tin can) and then cooked on a lower heat and for a little longer.


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## Constance

We often slice up left-over baked potatoes to fry. I'll bet you could use them for hash-browns as well...either grated or cubed.


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## Sephora

I shread and then soak for a while in salt water.  Drain and then fry.  They get crispy just fine.  I do them on my electric griddle so I can control the temp.  The salt adds to the crunchiness.  IMO.


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## JDP

Great responses so far. One other key is to use a Idaho Russet potato they are lower in water content. Also I'm a firm believer in butter for its flavor and browning abilitity. Be patient and let them brown. I also like to use left over baked potatoes instead of boiling them. My other little secret for all baked or fried potatoes is to use Krazy Jane's Mixxed Up Salt and cracked black pepper as the seasoning.

JDP


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## MERTON

i tried cooking the frozen in a bag type this morning... they left a nasty mess on my skillet and were pretty much just mush. that was the water in them causing that, right?

and should the skillet be fully heated before i throw in the taters?


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## Teleri

I like cubed hashbrowns, more crusty goodness per cube than with shredded patties. I peel and cube my potatoes and cook in boiling water, six minutes after the water comes to a boil. Then fry in a combination of butter and oil. I usually add onions and peppers as the potatoes are frying.


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## skilletlicker

MERTON said:
			
		

> and should the skillet be fully heated before i throw in the taters?


Yes


			
				MERTON said:
			
		

> i tried cooking the frozen in a bag type this morning... they left a nasty mess on my skillet and were pretty much just mush. that was the water in them causing that, right?


One way to get a mess in your skillet and mush on your plate is to drop the potatoes into a hot iron or stainless pan and then start moving them around with your spatula right away. When the potatoes hit the pan they stick and slowly form a delicious golden brown crust then release or unstick. This takes a couple minutes or so. If you fool with them too early the crust stays stuck to the pan instead of the hash browns.

I won't swear to this but I think the frozen hash browns are blanched before freezing.

When I've made hash browns from raw shredded potatoes I soaked them in a bowl 'til the water was clear, then refrigerated them, then dried them well. I think it's easier to boil them first and the result is more to my liking.

When I make cubed or sliced fried potatoes, while the whole potatoes are boiling, I saute the onions and peppers, then add them back to the skillet after the potatoes are crispy.


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## Dove

When I was a kid ( and y'all know I'm older than dirt..LOL)  my dad who worked in a Café in Colorado before I was born..( keep in mind he served 10 years in the Navy,( the Navy was before he met Mom) (was in the Merchant Marines during the 2nd war and the Korean war)  But back to the spuds...

He always used Russets, grated them on a square grater, placed them in a clean dish towel and wrung them until dry. I haven't had any that good since then.


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## Andy M.

Teleri said:
			
		

> I like cubed hashbrowns...


 
Cubes are home fries, greated are hash browns.


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## Alix

Andy, thanks for the salad spinner info that is a great tip.

Must respectfully disagree with your comment about cubed potatoes being homefries though. For us, homefries are wedges, hashbrowns are either cubed or grated and shaped into patties.


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## Andy M.

That's OK Alix, I understand that you cannot be right about everything.


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## Alix

Heeheehee...where is that smart arse smiley again?


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## BreezyCooking

I've found that whether I use uncooked or leftover cooked potatoes to make hashbrowns, the common denominators for having them turn out well are a cast-iron pan, butter rather than oil, & as others have said, to leave them alone without moving or flipping them until they've formed a good crust on the bottom.


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## karadekoolaid

Not being a native American, I daresay I should shut up about Hash Browns... but I won't, and am wearing my body armour for any flying debris which may come my way...  

I like to bring my potatoes to a boil, then turn them off. Leave for 5 minutes in the water, remove, grate ( skin and all ) THEN make my hash browns. The raw potato method means that sometimes the middle of the hash browns have a "raw spud" flavour AND texture, which I'm not awfully fond of. My method gives me a kinder, gentler hash brown ( AHHhhhhhh!! )
Course, anything with potatoes will be duly snaffled, but I'm getting fussy in my old age!


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## MERTON

what's "blanched" ?


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## skilletlicker

MERTON said:
			
		

> what's "blanched" ?


Briefly boiled.


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## ChefJune

I know y'all have "done" this subject to death before I even got here, but I can't resist posting this recipe for Fried Potatoes (Hash Browns) that are the best I've ever eaten or made.  A long time ago, when I was a Band Director in Chicago, a colleague who was an excellent cook (His dad had been chef for the DuPonts!) made these for me.  I forced him to write down what he did...

*Fried Potatoes Street*

makes 6 servings

2 1/2 quarts cold water
2 tablespoons sea salt
3 large white potatoes, about 10 ounces each
1/4 teaspoon white pepper
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
1/8 teaspoon ground cayenne pepper 
1 small onion, chopped
1 garlic clove, chopped
Vegetable oil for frying

1.	Scrub potatoes.  Cut lengthwise into quarters, then into half-inch cubes.  Combine the water with 1 1/2 tablespoons sea salt and add potatoes.  Bring to a rolling boil and cook covered over high heat just until fork tender, about 7 minutes.  Drain immediately and rinse with cold water to cool.  Dry the potatoes on paper towels.
2.	In a small bowl, mix salt and peppers.  Sprinkle over potatoes and toss gently.
3.	In a large heavy skillet, heat 1 inch oil to 350 degrees F.   Add onion.  Sauté until soft, then add garlic.  Just before garlic starts to brown, add potatoes.  Fry until golden brown on all sides, about 12 to 15 minutes.  Drain on brown paper bags or paper towels and serve at once.


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## D_Blackwell

ChefJune - I think there's plenty more that can be shared on this.  I think I'll be trying your recipe tomorrow, though it isn't what I would typically call hash browns.  I'm often intrigued at the variety of approaches that can be taken with seemingly the simplest of dishes.


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## Teleri

Andy M., according to Roy Finamore in his cookbook of over 300 potato recipes, _One Potato, Two Potato_, hash brown potatoes are made with cubed potatoes. I'm sure there are other equally renowned experts, including my own grandmother, who go with shredded potatoes. I'm thinking, to each his/her own, no pronouncements necessary. Please pass the pepper.


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## Andy M.

Teleri said:
			
		

> Andy M., according to Roy Finamore in his cookbook of over 300 potato recipes, _One Potato, Two Potato_, hash brown potatoes are made with cubed potatoes. I'm sure there are other equally renowned experts, including my own grandmother, who go with shredded potatoes. I'm thinking, to each his/her own, no pronouncements necessary. Please pass the pepper.


 
Teleri:

No disrespect intended.  Just stating my opinion (and I realize that's all it is.)  I have had breakfast in enough different places to know that a hash brown and a home fry can be just about anything the cook wants them to be.


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## amber

Very good question.  I've never tried hash browns myself.  I would use a grater, and then wash the grated potatoes in a colander to get rid of the starchy liquid, pat dry, and then fry with some oil and onion, being careful not to heat too fast. Maybe keep a lid on it at first to cook the potatoes, then remove the lid to crisp up.  Just my guess.


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## Alix

ChefJune...yummy! Thanks. Thats on the menu for us one of these days.

PS. Teleri, Andy just likes to yank my chain.


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## kitchenelf

cliveb said:
			
		

> :but I won't, and am wearing my body armour for any flying debris which may come my way...



 You know us!!!!!!!!   
	

	
	
		
		

		
			





I guess I make my hash browns fairly thin - the middle always gets done.  I hate it when the onions don't get done!!  But most hash browns around here are just made with salt and pepper - no onions.  Our cubed potatoes, with onion and sometimes peppers are called homefries.  Theres nothing better than a batch of these all caramelized and crispy brown!!!.


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## MERTON

how deep should the oil be?


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## skilletlicker

MERTON said:
			
		

> how deep should the oil be?


Opinions will differ here, but I put roughly one tablespoons fat for each potato.  Half butter and half oil is a nice mix.


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## kitchenelf

Just enough oil so it doesn't "fry" or "sautee" but enough so it has the chance to brown and actually cook.  The hard part about doing this initially is potatoes soak up a lot of oil.  Be sure and start off with a cold skillet.  Let it heat heat.  Add your butter/oil combination, let that heat up then add your shredded potatoes.  Use skilletlicker's method and you should be ok.  If you notice the potatoes are not actually cooking, but just browning too much, add a bit of oil by holding up an edge of the hashbrowns and add some butter/oil to the underneath side.


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