Why can't I make hash browns?

[kiliki]

A good, HEAVY non-stick skillet (All Clad, for example-not a cheap, lightweight non-stick) is essential to fried potato dishes, in my opinion. I make a lot of shredded hash browns and I couldn't do it without this pan.

For the cubes, I agree that starting with cooked potatoes is easiest. I don't think they end up tasting as good as when you start with raw potatoes, but when you start with raw, the outsides usually end up browning before the insides are done. I can do raw cubes in my non-stick all clad but the centers do stay a bit crunchy. If you are determined to use raw, rince the starch off them first-that will help with sticking. And like others said, don't mess with them-let them brown on one side completely before turning them (with a spatula).

[SMW]

I think that, as mentioned somewhere in this thread, the key is to leave them sit. they will release themselves from the bottom of the pan. It will take a while, and you can't use high heat or they'll burn, medium low works for me, but they will taste great when they are finished!

[Lordof7]

Ok, attempted again to do hash browns this weekend, with much more success than normal.

Procedure: I took a slightly older raw Russet, peeled it, and grated. I pressed the grated bits between paper towels to dry them. I added about 3 tsb canola oil to a hot pan, and let the oil heat. I added the potatoes (when one little piece bubbled gently in the oil, I deemed it hot enough) and let them sit (about 1/3 cup shredded potatoes - half a big potato). They were frying nicely, bubbling and crackling etc. AFter about 6 min I flipped the whole thing - nice a brown on the bottom. Gave them 5 min more, and put them on paper towels to drain.

Result: Pretty good. The potatoes were crispy crunchy and tasted good. I did, however, feel that they still soaked up too much oil - not much was left in the pan afterwards. They difinitely tasted "oily", which wasn't bad, but the potato taste was less than I expected. Still, better than I have ever made!

So, if they indeed soaked up too much oil - was the oil still not hot enough when I added the taters?

[Khadija]

Ok, attempted again to do hash browns this weekend, with much more success than normal. 

Procedure:  I took a slightly older raw Russet, peeled it, and grated.  I pressed the grated bits between paper towels to dry them.  I added about 3 tsb canola oil to a hot pan, and let the oil heat.  I added the potatoes (when one little piece bubbled gently in the oil, I deemed it hot enough) and let them sit (about 1/3 cup shredded potatoes - half a big potato).  They were frying nicely, bubbling and crackling etc.  AFter about 6 min I flipped the whole thing - nice a brown on the bottom.  Gave them 5 min more, and put them on paper towels to drain.

Result:  Pretty good.  The potatoes were crispy crunchy and tasted good.  I did, however, feel that they still soaked up too much oil - not much was left in the pan afterwards.  They difinitely tasted "oily", which wasn't bad, but the potato taste was less than I expected.  Still, better than I have ever made!

So, if they indeed soaked up too much oil - was the oil still not hot enough when I added the taters?

←

I squeeze the liquid from the grated potatoes with a potato ricer. This makes the grated potato very dry, and less likely to soak up excess oil.

[kiliki]

was the oil still not hot enough when I added the taters?

That would be my guess.

I often squeeze mine dry, too, in a kitchen towel. If you are going to make the shredded kind, rinsing them well with cold water, to rinse off the starch, lessens the chance of sticking (and the need for a lot of oil). But if you are using a good heavy non stick pan, this isn't an essential step.

[Dana]

The rinsed potatoes also stick together less than non-rinsed. If you rinse, then squeeze dry, your hashies will be looser, therefore crispier. If it's a more cake-like texture (crispy on the outside and creamy on the inside) don't rinse, and don't stir often.

[Torrilin]

There's a lot of schools of thought on fried potatoes (by which I mean raw cubed potatoes seasoned with salt and pepper, fried in a frying pan, possibly seasoned with other ingredients if you feel like it). Here's how I do it:

Start with a well seasoned heavy skillet that browns well. Cast iron is ideal, because it has *very* good thermal characteristics for this purpose. Preheat the pan (with fat if you're using beef dripping, lard, bacon grease, peanut oil or other oils with a high smoke point, or without fat if you're using something with a low smoke point). I usually preheat on medium to medium high heat on most stoves. Scrub and cut up your potatoes, do not remove the skins. Don't rinse the cubes or do anything else to them before putting them in the frying pan with the hot fat. Season liberally with your seasonings and get them lightly coated with fat.

Now for the hard part. Let them sit. Don't touch them. Don't mess with them. Just leave them alone until you smell that they're so deeply browned that they're on the edge of burning. *Then* you may turn them. Now, leave them alone again until you get that smell. Turn 'em. This is a good time to test for doneness, so poke a few cubes with a fork or a spatula or whatever to see if they're soft. If they're soft, you can eat 'em. If they're not soft, let them sit until that familiar browned aroma shows up again, turn 'em and check for doneness again. If they're not done after 2 turns, knock the heat down some to slow the cooking down. You might have to go 4-5 turns or even more if the pan is really loaded up with potatoes. If you've got fine dice, it might take less time.

Figure this process will take something like 1-1.5 hours with a 12" cast iron skillet and a stove that puts out consistent low heat. This is *not* a quick meal. If the heat is too high, the potatoes will burn. If the heat is too low, they'll suck up fat like sponges and taste greasy. The idea is to balance out high heat early so you get a nice crust started and don't end up with greasebomb taters, and low heat later so you get potatoes that are actually *cooked*.

And if you ever have the chance, do 'em at least once with well rendered beef dripping. They *almost* don't need salt then.

Emily