Hash browns are easy to make. Basically, all you have to do is grate up some potato, rinse off the starch, squeeze it dry, and cook the potato in a skillet with oil until crispy. My trick to making these hash browns remarkably delicious is to cook them in extra-virgin olive oil. Yep! Extra-virgin olive oil actually has a pretty high smoke point (around 400℉ to 425℉, contrary to what you might have heard over the years).
Ingredients:
How To Make Hash Browns?
- Peel & Grate The Potatoes: Peel the potatoes and grate them using the large holes of a box grater.
Step 1 - Squeeze out the moisture: Transfer potatoes to a bowl lined with cheesecloth. Wrap the potatoes tightly in cheesecloth and squeeze to get out as much juice as possible. Sprinkle potatoes with onion powder and stir to combine.
Step 2 - Preheat Skillet: Place a large non-stick or cast-iron skillet over medium heat. Once the skillet is hot, add oil and butter.
- Add & Cook Potatoes: Spread the potatoes in an even layer in the skillet, about ⅓″ thick. Sautee undisturbed for 6 minutes or until the bottom is golden brown and crisped.
Step 4 - Season: Sprinkle the top of the potatoes with salt and pepper to taste.
- Flip the hash browns: 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 metal 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.
Step 6 - Serve: Remove from heat and serve garnished with chives.
What are the best potatoes for hash browns?
Russet potatoes are the most common potatoes for hashbrowns. They crisp up better than waxy potatoes. That being said, you can still make delicious hashbrowns with Yukon gold potatoes if that is what you have on hand.
How to squeeze water out of potatoes?
Removing the excess water is critical to getting the crispiest hash browns.
Here are some methods to try. The cheesecloth method is the quickest and easiest.
- By Hand: Squeeze fistfuls of potatoes over a colander to get as much liquid out as possible then transfer to a paper towel-lined bowl and pat dry with paper towels.
- Cheesecloth: Place potatoes into a cheesecloth and squeeze out or wring out as much water as you can.
- Tea Towel: Follow the same method to wring out liquid as a cheesecloth. Keep in mind potatoes can stain a towel so use one you don’t mind messing up.
- Potato Ricer: This is my least favorite and I think it’s easier by hand, but you can squeeze out the water in portions using a potato ricer.
Crispy Hash Browns
Print RecipeIngredients
- 1¼ lb. russet potatoes, 2 medium-large
- ½ tsp. onion powder
- 2 tbsp. light olive oil or bacon grease, divided
- 2 tbsp. butter, divided
- Freshly ground black pepper
- Fine sea salt
- 1 tbsp. chives, optional to garnish
Instructions
- Peel and grate the potatoes, then put them in a bowl with cheesecloth. Squeeze the cheesecloth to extract the maximum amount of liquid from the potatoes. Sprinkle potatoes with onion powder and stir to combine.
- Heat a large 10-inch skillet over medium heat. Once it’s hot, add 1tbsp of olive oil or bacon fat and 1tbsp of butter, and swirl them around.
- Add the potatoes and spread into a single layer about ⅓-inch thick. Cook the potatoes over medium heat for about 6 minutes or until the bottoms are browned and crispy.
- Sprinkle the top with salt and pepper to taste.
- Flip the hash browns. Sprinkle salt and pepper again on the other side. If the potatoes don’t easily flip as one disc, use a pizza cutter to cut them in half or quarters, then flip each piece over.
- Drizzle 1 tbsp. olive oil or bacon fat around the edges and dot the edges with butter. It will melt under the hash browns. Sauté without stirring for another 6 minutes or until the potatoes are golden brown and crisp on the second side.
- Remove from heat and serve garnished with chives.
Crispy Hash Browns
