Homemade Hash Browns

Submitted by J. Irish

"I love hash browns, and knew I could make them at home, and eventually I figured out a tasty recipe! The two big things for me that really made them better was the soaking and the steaming."

 

• Ready In: 35mins
• Ingredients: 6
• Serves: 1-2

ingredients

• 1 russet potato, peeled and grated
• 1⁄8 teaspoon butter
• salt
• pepper
• garlic powder
• cooking oil (I use canola)

directions

1. Peel potato and shred with the large shredder holes.
2. Rinse the starch from the shredded potato until water runs clear.
3. Soak the shredded potato in cold, salty water for 15 minutes. Sometimes I add a little sugar to sweeten the potatoes slightly.
4. Drain potato, but do not pat dry. You need some excess water.
5. Melt the butter in the pan over medium heat, then add potato and mix together. Then, add salt, pepper, and garlic powder.
6. Gather potato into a thin layer, then cover the pan and allow potato to steam until the pieces are cooked. They'll end up looking wilted and a little sad, but you want them nice and soft, or you'll have tough hash browns. Add seasoning until it suits your taste.
7. Remove cover, slide softened potato to one side, add cooking oil to where the hash brown will rest in the pan. Raise heat to Medium High.
8. Using a spatula, put potato onto the oil, then form it into the shape you want, but don't make the layer too thin. It's still going to condense down, and you'll want some soft, unbrowned potato in the center.
9. Cook until golden brown on the bottom. At first, the potato may stick to the pan, but it'll eventually release once it's nice and crispy and holds together. This should take 5-10 minutes.
10. Using a large spatula, lift up the hash brown and add oil under it for the unbrowned side.
11. Flip unbrowned side onto the oil. This can be difficult, so be careful and quick.
12. Tidy up the edges of the hash brown and allow to cook until browned, another 5-10 minutes.
13. Enjoy! I usually end up adding a bit more salt and garlic powder, but I love them.