Corned Beef Hash is a timeless classic for a reason. Skip the can, making a deliciously crispy corned beef hash is easier than you think and worth the effort! Best of all, this is a great way to use up leftovers after St. Patrick's day.

Corned Beef Hash has been around since the Grand Canyon was just a ditch. Though, unfortunately, most people associate it with the grotesque canned gruel found in every supermart. However, making quality homemade corned beef hash requires little more effort than making your favorite breakfast hash browns. 

What is Corned Beef Hash

Corned Beef Hash is a classic Irish dish featuring cubed potatoes, corned beef, and onion that many people enjoy around St Patty's Day. However, the British are actually responsible for inventing corned beef in the 17th century, and additionally, the British are even responsible for introducing potatoes to Ireland.

It wouldn't take much to credit the British for this delicious breakfast recipe, but the Irish certainly perfected corned beef after its introduction, and we all know how important potatoes were to Ireland. Let's call it a joint effort.

Best Potato for Corned Beef Hash

Yukon Gold potatoes are best for Corned Beef Hash. In preparation for the recipe, I tried cubed Yukons, cubed Russets, and shredded Russets. The Yukon Golds held up best without falling apart or becoming mushy. Red potatoes will likely work equally well if you have them on hand.

Note: Russet potatoes will get the crispiest, but they also fall apart most easily. You can substitute them in this recipe if desired.

Ingredients and Substitutions

• Yukon Gold potatoes - This is a great recipe to use up leftover potatoes.
• Corned Beef - Any cooked corned beef will work. However, this would taste incredible with my smoked corned beef recipe.
• Medium onion 
• Cooking oil - Using a vegetable oil, such as olive oil is essential for making crispy corned beef hash as the oil is what does the crisping. Butter or bacon grease can also be substituted, however butter burns more easily than a high temp oil.

How to Make It

When making corned beef hash from scratch you will need to have cooked corned beef on hand. I gave the canned stuff a try and it has all of the taste and texture you would expect from a quality can of cat food. You are better off buying a corned beef brisket and cooking it in advance to use for this dish. Any leftovers you have can be used to make the best Reuben Sandwiches you've ever tried! Of course, classic corned beef sandwiches are always welcome at my table too.

When making the hash you want to have the potatoes already cooked, or at least par-cooked. If the potatoes are raw when they hit the skillet the corned beef and onions will be burnt to a crisp by the time the potatoes are cooked through. Boiling the diced potatoes in a salted pot of water is the easiest way to prepare them, however, there is no reason why you can't bake them instead.

I recommend using a 12" non-stick skillet for the hash, or a large cast-iron skillet. Non-stick is important because it will protect the crispy edges on the food without them sticking to the bottom of the pan. Heat the oil over medium-high heat and add potatoes, corned beef, and onions. Saute until the mixture is heated through and the potatoes get crispy and turn golden brown.

Tip: The more surface area that touches the pan, the easier it will be to get a crispy hash. This is why using a large frying pan is important.

What to Serve with Corned Beef Hash

Serve over-easy eggs or sunny side-up eggs with your hash. The runny yolk is the ideal condiment to mop up with your crispy potatoes and seared corned beef. If you don't enjoy egg yolk, I recommend making scrambled eggs instead. However, personally, I find sopping up the crispy bits with some runny eggs to be the best part about this breakfast!

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This recipe was originally published on February 7, 2018, on FoxValleyFoodie.com.