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    Home Β» Recipes Β» Breakfast

    Homemade Shredded Hash Browns

    Published: May 9, 2024 by Fox Valley Foodie Β· This post may contain affiliate links

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    Step-by-step guidance explaining how to make homemade shredded hash browns from scratch perfectly every time.

    I went slightly overboard perfecting this homemade hashbrowns recipe. Eating frozen hash browns wasn’t good enough for me; I needed to know how to make them from scratch and how to do so perfectly. So for about a year, I stocked up on the required simple ingredients and made them multiple times a week until I could fully understand each facet of the process.

    How to Make Homemade Shredded Hash Browns

    Why did some recipes call for soaking the potatoes and others rinsing them? Is changing the water or using ice cubes really necessary? I don’t like blindly following recipes. I want to know why I am doing something so I can figure out for myself if there is a better way.

    Here is what I learned:

    Ingredients you will need

    • Russet potatoes - Also known as baking potatoes, the best potatoes to use are russets. You cannot make crispy hash browns with waxy potatoes such as reds or yukon golds, so stick with starchy potatoes like russet potatoes.
    • Salt - I like to use finer grain table salt on my hash browns, rather than kosher salt.
    • Black pepper - Fresh ground pepper is best.
    • Butter - Bacon grease can be substituted.
    • Cooking oil - I use a high-temperature vegetable oil when cooking these, such as canola oil.

    How to make homemade shredded hash browns

    First thing I learned: Peel the potato only if desired. This will not affect the final dish. Some like the rustic look of potato skins in their food, others do not. Pick a side. Then shred the raw potatoes with a box grater and quickly move on to the next step to prevent oxidation.

    Second thing I learned: Some recipes call for soaking the potato in ice water, while others just say to rinse the shreds. What you are actually doing here is removing the excess starch from the shreds so you get a crisper final product. Cold water prevents oxidation and if you decide to soak the potatoes changing the water will remove more starch and speed up the process. Personally, I prefer to rinse the shreds in a strainer under the faucet until the water runs clear because it is easier to tell when the objective has been accomplished. When the water runs clear I know the excess starches have been removed.

    Homemade Shredded Hash Browns from Scratch

    Third thing I learned: For the crispiest hash browns the stored water must be removed from the grated potatoes because you can't have the potatoes holding too much moisture. There are multiple ways to accomplish this. Personally, I like to just grab a fist full and squeeze it over the sink. However, if you are cooking for others you may want to ring it tightly in cheesecloth, paper towels, or just squeeze out the excess water in a ricer. Whatever method you choose, be sure to work in batches so the water can easily disperse. The more water that is removed, the crisper the hash brown will be. Once the water has been drained, mix in salt and pepper.

    Tip: I don't recommend using a salad spinner to remove the water, you will be left with too much water in the potatoes to make crispy homemade hash browns.

    Fourth thing I learned: Heat a nonstick pan over medium high heat (This pan has been my main workhorse for years and I would buy it again in a second) with a mixture of enough oil and butter to coat the bottom of the nonstick skillet in a thin layer. Butter gives hash browns better flavor, but adding oil prevents the butter from burning by raising its smoke point. The fat mixture lies more thinly in the pan and also coats it more evenly which allows for more even contact with the hash.

    Fifth thing I learned: Place the shredded potatoes in the hot pan and press with a spatula to flatten the shreds into an even layer, then brown the potatoes until they have crispy edges. Thinner is better as this will ensure everything cooks. If you desire healthier hash browns you can use less oil and butter, but using more fat will result in deliciously crispy hash browns.

    Sixth thing I learned: Once the bottom is crispy you can use a spatula to divide the hash brown into four sections and then proceed to gingerly flip them. OR you can flip the whole thing in the pan with a quick upward flick of your wrist. Once flipped proceed to cook until the bottom is crisp.

    Once you have finished cooking your homemade shredded hash browns you can serve them immediately or place them on a baking sheet in a warm oven to keep them warm while you work on additional batches of deliciously crispy potatoes.

    How to make hash browns in advance

    You can shred the potatoes and leave them soaking in water for a few hours until you are ready to cook. This will remove the excess starch and prevent oxidation until you are ready to cook.

    I never had good results with par-cooking the hash. Blanching the potato shreds did prevent oxidation but the hash browns never stayed together when cooked and the flavor was off.

    Homemade Shredded Hash Browns

    I doubt that I just spared any of you from a year-long sabbatical to fully understand the inner workings of the perfect shredded hash brown. However, if I have perhaps given one person a sense of personal satisfaction for not only following my recipe but actually understanding what they are doing and why… then I am just as happy.

    How to Make Homemade Shredded Hash Browns

    How to Make Homemade Shredded Hash Browns

    Deliciously crispy homemade shredded hash browns made from scratch!
    4.97 from 32 votes
    Print Pin Rate Save Saved
    Course: Breakfast
    Cuisine: American
    Prep Time: 5 minutes minutes
    Cook Time: 10 minutes minutes
    Total Time: 15 minutes minutes
    Servings: 2
    Calories: 258kcal
    Author: Fox Valley Foodie

    Equipment

    • Large nonstick skillet

    Ingredients

    • 1 russet potato
    • salt to taste
    • black pepper to taste
    • 1 tablespoon butter
    • 2 tablespoons cooking oil

    Instructions

    • Peel desired amount of skin off potato,
    • Shred potato through a cheese grater or food processor.
    • Rinse shreds under cold running faucet until starch has been removed.
    • Drain the water and wrap clumps of shredded potato in cheesecloth or ricer and squeeze tightly to remove all excess moisture.
    • Place shredded potaotes in a large bowl and mix with salt and pepper to taste.*
    • Melt butter in non-skillet with oil. Place hash in hot pan on medium-high heat and press with spatula to flatten into a uniform thickness around pan.
    • Once bottom is golden brown and crispy divide into four sections and flip (or keep it whole if you are able to flip it), continue cooking until it has the desired crispness.

    Notes

    *Onion powder, paprika, or garlic powder can also be added if you desire more seasonings.
    Β 
    Store any leftovers in an airtight container in your refrigerator for up to five days. Reheat gently in a large skillet over medium heat.

    Nutritional Information

    Calories: 258kcal | Carbohydrates: 19g | Protein: 2g | Fat: 19g | Saturated Fat: 4g | Cholesterol: 15mg | Sodium: 56mg | Potassium: 444mg | Fiber: 1g | Vitamin A: 175IU | Vitamin C: 6.1mg | Calcium: 14mg | Iron: 0.9mg
    Tried this Recipe? Pin it Today!Mention @FoxValleyFoodie or tag #foxvalleyfoodie!

    This recipe was originally published on FoxValleyFoodie.com on June 3rd, 2012.

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    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Kathryn

      August 31, 2018 at 4:09 pm

      5 stars
      "However, if I have perhaps given one person a sense of personal satisfaction for not only following my recipe but actually understanding what they are doing and why… then I am just as happy."

      Me. Literally me. It made me so happy to read that and finally understand WHY what I've been doing has been wrong. So sincerely, thank you!

      Reply
      • Fox Valley Foodie

        August 31, 2018 at 4:21 pm

        Best comment of the day. Thanks for that!

        Reply
    2. Danielle

      February 11, 2018 at 4:25 pm

      Thank you so much!! I tried making hash browns from scratch yesterday and it was a DISASTER!!! Now I can’t wait to try again.

      Reply
    3. Brenda

      December 07, 2017 at 5:48 pm

      So, this does not need anything else for the potatoes to stick together? Guess not. Looks good

      Reply
      • Fox Valley Foodie

        December 08, 2017 at 8:34 am

        Correct, just the magic of potatoes!

        Reply
    4. Daniah Khan

      August 23, 2017 at 10:08 pm

      When do I use the butter in this recipe?

      Reply
      • Fox Valley Foodie

        August 24, 2017 at 8:20 am

        The oil and butter go into the skillet together.

        Reply
    5. lee

      December 27, 2015 at 1:59 pm

      Good grief what a delight. I'm an expat Brit. and we love our fried foods (look up full English breakfast), yes we even fry bread! Hash browns were an immediate favourite of mine and, well, this is the bomb! Of course I doctored it up by adding garlic/onion before I flipped it, dropped an egg on top, waited until the bottom was brown, topped with grated cheese, then under the grill until the cheese was brown. Clean up (give the egg time to cook through) and enjoy. Thank you Sir.

      Reply
      • Fox Valley Foodie

        December 27, 2015 at 2:40 pm

        Great minds think alike! I also love doctoring it up on occasion with a 'healthy' helping of grated cheese, and top it all off with an over-easy egg or two! Bon appΓ©tit my friend!

        Reply
    6. Suzanne

      July 28, 2015 at 11:41 pm

      Thank you for the wonderfully detailed instructions. I'm the cook who always asks why something should be done a certain way, but you've beat me to the punch this time. I would suggest one variation: skip the butter and oil and go straight for the bacon fat!! πŸ™‚

      Reply
      • Fox Valley Foodie

        July 29, 2015 at 7:49 am

        Haha, thanks! I'd be lying if I said I didn't enjoy swapping out for bacon fat on occasion!

        Reply
    7. Ali

      March 31, 2015 at 11:10 am

      This is a very helpful and informative post, thank you!

      I'm planning to make a hasbrown casserole for Easter morning and was wondering if I could prepare these hasbrowns the way you described and use them in my casserole without them becoming mushy and gross. I usually use frozen, but would much prefer fresh!

      Reply
      • Fox Valley Foodie

        March 31, 2015 at 11:34 am

        I tried doing exactly that for my hash brown casserole (http://www.foxvalleyfoodie.com/easy-cheesy-hash-brown-casserole-recipe/) and did not have success with it. The hashbrown shreds didn't sufficiently soften in the casserole no matter how long I baked it, it seemed. If I would attempt it again I would probably boil the shreds to soften them prior to adding them into the casserole.

        Reply
        • Ali

          March 31, 2015 at 12:07 pm

          Great, thank you for the link and the response!

          Reply
    8. CJ Hunter

      February 28, 2015 at 6:42 pm

      Thank you for your post. You are right...it is a lot easier to do things when you know the reasons why...for that I Thank you again!!! Tomorrow morning these beauties shall be on my table. Yay!

      Reply
      • Fox Valley Foodie

        February 28, 2015 at 6:47 pm

        Thanks! Maybe I'm just untrusting but I hate when recipes tell me to do something but I have no idea if/why it is important! πŸ™‚

        Reply
    9. Joe

      January 18, 2015 at 11:18 am

      Thanks for the post! I have been on a quest for perfect hashbrowns myself, but I recently hit a plateau. Will definitely check out the rest of this blog πŸ™‚

      Reply
      • Fox Valley Foodie

        January 18, 2015 at 11:35 am

        Great! I'm glad it helped.

        Reply
    10. Bob Schuler

      December 30, 2014 at 1:02 pm

      I have tried all of the steps in the treatise and still did not obtain a satisfactory result. However, the drier the potato shreds, the better the result. I tried ricer and hand squeeze method, but these ruined the shred quality. Paper towels took mountains of paper towels for a good result. Thus, I have gone to the previously baked potato method. Bake the potato the night before, shred the next morning and fry as described in your treatise to obtain a better hash brown. Almost IHOP standard of hash brown except not as likely to be burned.

      Reply
      • Fox Valley Foodie

        December 30, 2014 at 1:15 pm

        Thanks for your comment. Out of curiousity, what was the issue with the results you acheived by following the instructions listed in the post?

        Reply
    11. SWatts

      August 20, 2014 at 1:47 pm

      My husband paid this recipe the ultimate complement. He said these hash browns are better than the ones from Waffle House. Thank you for posting this- we live overseas and were really missing some good comfort food.

      Reply
    12. charli

      August 05, 2014 at 7:02 pm

      Ohhhhhhh! =)

      Reply
    13. Daisy

      July 28, 2014 at 6:56 am

      Trying this for breakfast today!

      Reply
    14. Connie

      July 06, 2014 at 8:13 am

      I do all of these steps but I line my salad spinner with paper towels and spin them dry. Easy

      Reply
    15. Anne

      June 05, 2014 at 12:21 pm

      I have two football playing sons and they love hash browns! Can I peel the potatoes, shred and rinse and then store them before using? I would like to peel 10lbs and have them ready for the week. Please let me know! Bagged browns are getting too expensive!
      Thanks!

      Reply
      • Fox Valley Foodie

        June 05, 2014 at 12:25 pm

        I have not discovered an effective way to store them in advance.

        Reply
    16. Penny

      April 13, 2014 at 7:30 pm

      did you ever find out if you can freeze the uncook hash browns?

      Reply
      • Fox Valley Foodie

        March 31, 2015 at 12:18 pm

        I never had success freezing them. The shreds don't seem to hold together anymore.

        Reply
    17. Terry

      March 30, 2014 at 1:15 pm

      I tried this method using a Yukon Gold potato, and the shreds remained separate throughout the cooking process rather than forming patties. I followed the instructions to rinse and dry the shreds, but after a few attempts to divide and "flip" them during cooking, I ended up merely stirring them every few minutes to ensure that they all cooked evenly. The result was good - probably my best hash browns to date - but I wonder if this was the result of a Yukon being more or less starchy than a russet - ?

      Reply
    18. 2ndHandLibrarian

      March 27, 2014 at 2:50 pm

      Genius! I remember and learn Always when I am told "why?"! Never understood the blandness because of no butter added to the oil! All the times I have not made a recipe because I didn't have hashbrowns !

      Reply
    19. Terry

      March 06, 2014 at 10:03 pm

      What about using a par-baked potato? You mention that the flavor is off when using par-cooked shreds, but I've had moderate success baking a potato for 30 minutes the night before, letting it cool and then shredding it. My main problem in attempting homemade hash browns has been that they just won't cook. I wait 30-45 minutes for the shreds to stop being raw/crunchy, adding more oil and butter than I can justify, and then either declaring them "done" or eating semi-crispy hash browns that weren't worth the wait. I've tried putting the lid on the skillet so they will steam themselves, and even though the outsides browned the inside was mushy and rubbery. I hadn't heard of removing the starch and excess water, so maybe in addition to pre-cooking the potato (and letting it cool; otherwise it goes to mush in the food processor) I can use this method to have crispy hash browns without so much fat.

      Reply
      • karen

        March 23, 2014 at 7:05 pm

        That's not letting the oil heat enough. I had that problem. America's Test Kitchen mentioned letting the oil heat until you see wisps, then put the potato in.

        Reply
    20. Austin Becker

      February 24, 2014 at 2:37 pm

      If you spill uncooked potato on the floor while practicing the "flip" don't let your dog eat them. Raw potatoes are actually unhealthy for dogs; just like raw onions and grapes. Read about potato dangers here http://dogcare.dailypuppy.com/sweet-potato-vs-white-potato-dogs-2388.html

      Reply
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