Hash Browns w/ Yukon Gold Potatoes
Hash Browns are a breakfast staple for absolutely anyone in the morning. From the kids bouncing around to the adults needing the energy!
Equipment
- Cheese Grater
- Bowl
- Clean Dish Towel
- Large Skillet (preferably cast iron)
Ingredients
- 4 Yukon gold potatoes
- 2 tbsp. high heat oil
- dash salt
- dash pepper
- 2 eggs optional (omit for vegan recipe)
Instructions
Hash Browns
- Grate the potatoes with a cheese grater.I like to use a rotary cheese grater because it's a fraction of the work. But any cheese grater with the larger-sized holes will do! Just avoid the smaller microplane graters.
- Preheat a skillet on medium with high heat oil.You will essentially deep frying the potatoes, so use enough to coat the bottom of the pan.
- Rinse the potatoes until the water runs clear.Part of the key to making hash browns is rinsing off the starch. This will keep the potatoes from burning or browning too quickly when you fry them.
- Wrap in a towel and squeeze as much of the water out as you can.Although rinsing the potatoes is an integral part! Water and oil do not mix. They will spark and sputter or even explode at high temperatures. So, get as much of the water out of the potatoes as possible. Excess water can also cause the potatoes to break apart and not form a sort of "pancake," if you will.
- Add potatoes to the preheated skillet and cook until they have browned and sort of "stick" together as one piece. This should take about 10-15 minutes, although it will vary depending on the amount and type of potatoes, how much moisture remains, and the precise cooking temperature. The hash browns should cook into one another. This means that, if you push it from side to side with a spatula, it will move as one piece. Instead of the individual pieces of potatoes running around willy nilly!If the potatoes brown too quickly without sticking together like this, turn the heat down. Otherwise, it will be quite difficult to flip.
- Flip the potatoes and cook for another roughly 5 minutes, or until lightly browned.
Sunny-Side-Up Eggs
- Leave the skillet on medium heat and add oil.I use a pretty well seasoned cast iron pan to cook eggs, so I don't add any more than a spritz of oil. You may need upwards of a teaspoon for other types of pans, though. Use just enough so that your eggs don't stick!
- Crack egg into the pan.It should be hot enough that the egg sizzles, but doesn't deep fry or brown immediately.
- Let cook until golden brown on the bottom and you can flip the egg with ease. The whites should be fairly set on both sides, but not completely cooked.You want to cook this relatively quickly so that the egg yolk doesn't set, though. It should take about a minute or two. Turn the heat up if the egg whites don't cook quickly enough or down if the egg yolk starts to cook. Also immediately flip if this happens!
- Flip and turn off the stove. Cook for another 30 seconds, or until the egg white is completely cooked. It should already be mostly set and this should take no time at all!
- Remove from heat and serve immediately.
Tips, Tricks, & Notes
- I used Yukon Gold potatoes because those are what I had leftover from mashed potatoes for the holidays. Although you can use many different kinds of potatoes. Most tend to go to Russet potatoes as the standard. The waxier potatoes, like Yukon tend to stick together better. But Russets have a higher starch content and lower water content, so they tend to crisp better.