Diner Style Restaurant Hashbrown

Ingredients:

1 (4-5 ounce or 110-140 grams) russet potato
2 Tbsp vegetable oil
1/2 Tbsp butter or margarine

Wash and peel the potato. Grate or shred on a box grater or food processor. Do so into a bowl of water to prevent oxidation. Drain and rinse until water runs clear. Spread shredded potato out onto paper towels or a clean kitchen towel. Pat dry and let air dry for 5-10 minutes. In a small frying pan, add oil and butter. Heat over medium-medium high heat. When butter solids start to brown, add shredded potatoes. Cover with a lid and cook for 5 minutes without lifting the lid. When time is up, remove lid, season with salt and pepper and flip. Continue cooking for an additional 1-2 minutes. Makes 1 serving of hashbrowns. Enjoy!

How to Make the Best Hash Browns Ever
1) Po-tay-to

Hash browns are only as good as the potatoes they’re made with, so get the right ones for the job. Russets (aka Idaho potatoes or baking potatoes) are the ‘tater of choice here, although all-purpose potatoes like Yukon Golds will do in a pinch.

Related: Guide to choosing the right potato for your recipe.

2) Shred Into Water

Use a box grater or a food processor to shred the potatoes. If you use a box grater, shred the potatoes right into a bowl of cold water to prevent them from oxidizing and turning black. Make sure there’s enough water to cover them completely. If you use a food processor, you’ll be able to process the potatoes quickly enough to plunge them into cold water right after shredding.

3) Soak, Rinse, and Repeat

Stir the shredded potatoes around in the cold water until the water gets cloudy. That’s excess starch coming off your potatoes, and you need to get rid of as much of it as possible so your hash browns crisp up just right. Pour the shredded potatoes into a colander or strainer and let the cloudy, starchy water drain away. Then you need to soak the potatoes again in fresh, cold water and rinse them out again. I know, but the extra step is worth it. Trust.

4) Dry and Dry Again

Press the potatoes in the colander or strainer to force out some of the water. Next, spread the potatoes in a thin layer across paper towels and roll them up to press out more water. Repeat with fresh paper towels until the potatoes are quite dry.

5) Fry

Heat a large, well-seasoned cast-iron skillet or heavy non-stick pan over medium heat. Add oil, bacon fat, or clarified butter or ghee. Add the potatoes and season with salt, pepper, and whatever else you like in your hash browns.

6) Do Not Disturb

Let the potatoes brown in the oil before you stir them around. You want the potatoes to have a chance to develop those crispy bits you love, so be patient and leave them to it.

7) Mix a Lot

When the crust starts to form, stir the potatoes so other shreds get to take their turn on the hot surface of the pan. Let them sit again to form a crust, then mix them up again.

Homemade Hashbrowns