Crispy Restaurant Style Hash Browns Food

THE BEST CRISPY HASH BROWNS (RESTAURANT-STYLE!)

Steps:

• Rinse and scrub potatoes (no need to peel yet). For any potatoes that are larger than 2 inches wide or 3 ½ inches long, cut in half widthwise. Set aside.
• Place a colander in the sink so that it's ready when time to drain and rinse the potatoes. This is important because small variations in cook time can lead to mushy hash browns or a raw potato taste.
• Fill a large pot with ~1/2-inch of water (for us that was ~3 cups or 710 ml). Place a steamer basket over the water and position it so that you can see the water on the sides of the basket. Do not add potatoes yet.
• Bring water to a boil over high heat. Once boiling, place the unpeeled potatoes in the steamer basket. It's okay if the steamer basket fully covers the water at this point.
• Cover and steam for 8 minutes. Then immediately transfer to colander. Drain and rinse with cool water and set aside until cool enough to handle (~5 minutes). They should only be partially cooked - the skin should be easy to pierce with a fork, but the center of the potatoes (or potato chunks if cut pieces of larger potatoes) should still feel firm. When cut in half, they should look about halfway cooked (see photo).
• The peel usually slides off easily, but if it doesn't, you can remove it with a vegetable peeler. If using a box grater, the peel will come off when grating and you can discard any large chunks of peel. It's okay if some small pieces of the peel get grated.
• Grate potatoes using a food processor grating attachment (our preferred method - chop into smaller pieces as needed to fit down the feed tube) or the large side of a box grater. Place grated potatoes into a medium mixing bowl. Add sea salt, black pepper, and onion powder (optional) and stir gently with a fork to evenly distribute spices. Stop here and see step 13 if freezing for later use.
• For cooking the hash browns, you can either use the stovetop method (steps 9 & 10) OR the oven method (step 11). Both are delicious. We prefer the flavor and texture of the stovetop method but the oven method is ideal for larger batches.
• STOVETOP: Heat a large (10-inch or larger) cast-iron skillet over medium to medium-high heat (non-stick will also work but doesn't get them as crispy). Form potato mixture into 1/4-inch thick patties (recipe as written makes 4 large or 8 small hash brown patties).
• Once the pan is hot, work in batches by adding half of the oil (1 ½ Tbsp (22 ml) // amount as recipe is written) and as many hash browns as will comfortably fit in the pan. Cook undisturbed for 6-8 minutes or until golden brown on the underside. Reduce heat if browning too quickly. Carefully flip and cook for another 5-7 minutes or until both sides are golden brown and crispy. Remove from the pan and repeat with the remaining half of the oil and hash browns. Skip to step 12 if you cooked your hash browns on the stovetop.
• OVEN: Preheat the oven to 425 F (218 C) and line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Form potato mixture into 3-inch wide by 1/4-inch thick patties and brush each side with half of the oil (1 ½ Tbsp (22 ml) // amount as original recipe is written). Use additional baking sheets if making a larger batch. Bake on the center rack for 13-15 minutes on the first side, flip, and bake 7-10 minutes on the second side, or until both sides are golden brown and crispy.
• Best when fresh. Leftovers will keep in the refrigerator for 3-4 days. Optionally, serve with ketchup, vegan sausage, vegan scrambled eggs, perfect fried eggs, frittata, and/or a vegan omelette.
• FREEZE: proceed through step 7, form into 1/4-inch thick patties, and then place in a single layer on a parchment-lined baking sheet and freeze until firm. Transfer to a sealed container, and when ready to cook, proceed with step 9 (stovetop method) or step 11 (oven method).

CRISPY HASH BROWN

Steps:

• Heat 3 Tbsp of oil in a large frying pan on medium high heat.
• While the pan is heating, squeeze out as much moisture as you can from the grated potatoes. It's easiest to do this with a potato ricer, using it much like you would a garlic press, except you don't force the potatoes through the ricer. You just press out the moisture. If you don't have a ricer, use paper towels to squeeze out as much moisture as you can from the grated potatoes.
• When the oil in the pan heats up to the point of shimmering, but not smoking, add the grated potatoes, spreading them out along the bottom of the pan. The potatoes should not be too thick in any one place, no more than a half inch thick. Sprinkle some salt and pepper on the potatoes. After a few minutes, lift up one edge of the potatoes and see how done they are. If they have fried to a golden brown they are ready to flip. Use a large spatula to flip the potatoes over all at once, or divide the large potato cake into halves or quarters and flip. Continue to cook until they are golden brown on the bottom.

CRISPY HASHBROWNS

Steps:

• Heat the oil and butter on a griddle over medium-high heat until the butter is melted. Add the shredded potatoes and pack them down tightly into a patty. Cover and cook just until the perimeters start to get golden, about 5 minutes. Use a spatula to press the top down. Season with salt and pepper and flip. Cook, uncovered, until the bottom is golden and crispy, another 3 to 5 minutes.

CRISPY RESTAURANT-STYLE HASH BROWNS

Steps:

• Rinse shredded potatoes in a colander with cold water until water runs clear. Place in a cheesecloth or clean dish towel and twist tightly to squeeze out all moisture.
• Place potatoes in a bowl with onion, flour, salt, and pepper. Add egg and mix thoroughly.
• Heat oil in a shallow, cast iron frying pan. Add potato mixture to the hot oil to form either on large or several smaller pancakes. Cook until browned and crispy, about 5 minutes per side. Drain on a paper towel and serve hot.

CRISPY HASH BROWN WITH SMOKED SALMON, CREME FRAICHE AND HERBS

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.
• Line a colander or strainer with a clean kitchen towel or cheesecloth and place over a large bowl.
• On the large holes of a box grater, grate the onion and potatoes into the lined strainer. Wrap the kitchen towel around the grated potatoes and onions and squeeze out as much water as possible. Discard the water. Open the towel and spread out the potatoes and onion. Sprinkle generously with salt and pepper.
• In a 10-inch oven-safe nonstick saute pan set over medium heat, melt the clarified butter. Press the potato and onion mixture into the pan, so that the layer is about 1/2-inch thick. Cook until the bottom is brown and crispy, about 5 minutes. Carefully and gently flip the hash brown onto the other side and cook for an additional 5 minutes. For an extra-crispy hash brown, transfer the pan to the oven for 8 to 10 minutes.
• In a medium bowl, mix the creme fraiche, chives, buttermilk, caper juice, honey and lemon zest. Set aside.
• Transfer the hash brown to a plate. Top the hash brown with slices of the smoked salmon. Cut into wedges. Drizzle the sauce over the hash browns. Top with the dill fronds. Serve immediately.

EMILY'S FAMOUS HASH BROWNS

Steps:

• Rinse shredded potatoes until water is clear, then drain and squeeze dry. Place shreds in a bowl, and mix in the onion, flour and egg until evenly distributed.
• Heat about 1/4 inch of oil in a large heavy skillet over medium-high heat. When oil is sizzling hot, place potatoes into the pan in a 1/2 inch thick layer. Cover the whole bottom of the pan, or make separate piles like pancakes. Cook until nicely browned on the bottom, then flip over and brown on the other side. It should take at least 5 minutes per side. If you are cooking them in one big piece, it can be cut into quarters for easier flipping.
• Remove from pan, and drain on paper towels. Season with salt and pepper and serve immediately.

CRISPY HOMEMADE HASH BROWNS

Steps:

• Microwave the potatoes for 4 to 5 minutes, let cool until you can handle them.
• Grate the potatoes and onion in a food processor using the grater attachment, or grate by hand.
• Cook the bacon, but not too crisp, as it will cook with the potatoes.
• In a medium bowl, add the grated potato mixture, the onions, and the bacon. Add cheese now and/or garlic now, if you are using it. Season with salt and pepper, to taste, and mix thoroughly together.
• Melt 1 tablespoon butter in a 10-inch nonstick skillet over medium heat until it just starts to foam.
• Add the potato mixture and using a spatula or wooden spoon, press the potatoes firmly into the bottom of the pan.
• Increase heat to medium-high and let the potatoes brown and crisp for 6 to 8 minutes.
• Cut the potatoes into wedges, remove from pan, add remaining butter/oil and slide wedges into pan. Some folks turn the entire "pancake" onto a plate, then slide it back in, but that never seems to work for me. LOL.
• Continue to cook over medium heat until remaining side is dark golden brown and crisp, 5 to 6 minutes longer.
• Transfer to a serving platter and garnish with chopped onions or chives if using.
• Sometimes I have sour cream or ketchup in ramekins for those who would like to add that after plating.

CRISPY DINER STYLE HASH BROWNS

Steps:

• Wash and peel the potatoes, then grate them on the large holes of a box grater.
• Place the shredded potatoes in the center a thin, clean, dish towel. Gather the towel around the potatoes and squeeze as much water out of them as you can.
• Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium heat.
• Add the potatoes and spread out into a thin layer. Sprinkle with salt, and cook for about 4 minutes, until the bottom turns golden brown.
• Flip the potatoes and cook an additional 2-4 minutes on the other side, until golden brown.