BS: Hi Americans, how make hash browns?

Subject: BS: Hi Americans, how make hash browns?
From: greg stephens
Date: 28 Mar 07 - 09:53 AM

Well, I find these delicacies curiously addictive, but I live in England, and I only know what you can buy in bags in the freezer bit in supermarkets. And as with many ethnic delicacies I imagine the supermarkets may be missing the point a bit. So can any old American folkie fogey advise as to how to make the 100% authentic hash brown as made by your dear old granny by hand back in the hills?

Subject: RE: BS: Hi Americans, how make hash browns?
From: Amos
Date: 28 Mar 07 - 10:02 AM

Raw poatoes diced fine; dump in a frying pan full of sizzling oil or bacon fat, or butter. Heart-attack country, these. Stir until golden. Season to taste. Some like to add chopped onions, peppers, etc.

A

Subject: RE: BS: Hi Americans, how make hash browns?
From: Bee
Date: 28 Mar 07 - 10:03 AM

Do you mean frozen hash browns as in the deep fried or baked mashed potato lumps? (shudders...)

I think the attempt was to imitate home fries (sometimes called hash browns), or else actual hash. Failed at either. Home fries are just cold potatos diced or sliced and pan fried. Hash is left over vegetables and meat scraps from a boiled dinner (corned beef or ham), all mashed coarsely and pan fried.

Unless, of course, there is some American hash brown thing I'm missing.

Subject: RE: BS: Hi Americans, how make hash browns?
From: greg stephens
Date: 28 Mar 07 - 10:07 AM

Bee: I take it your cold potatoes are pre-cooked? Amos' are raw. Different opinions already, great. Keep these recipes coming. I'll try the most tempting sounding for breakfast tomorrow.

Subject: RE: BS: Hi Americans, how make hash browns?
From: Amos
Date: 28 Mar 07 - 10:11 AM

In my experience "home fries" were made the same way but were sliced in flat segments rather than ribbons. Could just be local peculiarities.

WIkipedia offers:

"Hash browns or hashed browns are a simple potato preparation in which potato pieces are pan-fried after being diced, riced, shredded, or julienned. Although in some cultural contexts, hash browns or hashed browns may refer to any of these cuts of potato, people in some cultural contexts may reserve the term to describe a more specific preparation.

In some parts of the United States, hash browns may refer strictly to riced, pan-fried potatoes, and may be considered a breakfast food, while potatoes diced and pan-fried are a side dish called home fries or country fried potatoes (though many variations of home fries are par-cooked before frying). In some countries diced or chopped onion can be added to improve taste and texture.

A chef may prepare hash browns by forming riced potatoes into patties before frying; however, depending on the liaison (binding agent), such a preparation might constitute a potato pancake. Hash browns that include meats, fruits, or vegetables are widely known simply as hash."

"Home fries are a type of potato dish made by frying diced, shredded, or sliced potatoes that have been par-cooked by boiling, baking, steaming, or microwaving. The potatoes are cooled between the two stages. Thus, they differ from french fries, which are cooked primarily by deep-frying.

The frying is typically done in butter or vegetable oil, and chopped onions, pepper, and other ingredients are typically added.

The consistency depends on the type of potato used. Although various types of white potatoes are the most popular base, sometimes waxy (usually red-skinned) or sweet potatoes are used.

In many countries, Home fries are usually served for breakfast. There are many ways people eat them, for example with ham and eggs, or covered with ketchup. In some locations, home fries are even used as a pizza topping.

Home fries can also be a part of a Full English Breakfast."

Subject: RE: BS: Hi Americans, how make hash browns?
From: Amos
Date: 28 Mar 07 - 10:13 AM

How to make Home Fries


How to Make Hash Browns

A

Subject: RE: BS: Hi Americans, how make hash browns?
From: greg stephens
Date: 28 Mar 07 - 10:13 AM

What does "riced" mean exactly? Making the potato into bits as small as rice grains? If so, how?

Subject: RE: BS: Hi Americans, how make hash browns?
From: Amos
Date: 28 Mar 07 - 10:16 AM

ANother option:

Linda's hash browns - Figure about one potato for each person. Use leftover baked potatoes or (do this ahead of time) wash, pat dry and poke the potato with a fork. For 5 potatoes, microwave for about 7 minutes on high. Remove from microwave and cool potatoes to room temperature. Grate the potatoes all together on a plate with cheese grater, the skins will just fall away leaving mostly the potato. Heat 2 Tablespoons of margarine or oil in skillet on medium heat. Add the grated potatoes to the skillet, smooth evenly in pan. Cook for about 5 minutes each side, flipping once. You will end up with nice, golden brown hash browns, not sticky or dry.

(v) rice (sieve so that it becomes the consistency of rice) "rice the potatoes"

Subject: RE: BS: Hi Americans, how make hash browns?
From: *daylia*
Date: 28 Mar 07 - 10:16 AM

Probably meant "diced", greg.

Subject: RE: BS: Hi Americans, how make hash browns?
From: Bee
Date: 28 Mar 07 - 10:17 AM

Greg, yes, I did mean cold boiled potatos. Amos has a fine overview there.

Here in Atlantic Canada, it was a means of using leftovers, usually for breakfast.

Personally, if you're gonna shred or grate raw potatos for frying, I prefer making them into latkes(sp?), adding an egg, a grated onion, a sprinkle of flour, pan-frying in a cm. of oil (drop large spoonfuls in pan, flatten slightly). Drain and serve hot with sour cream and apple sauce.

Subject: RE: BS: Hi Americans, how make hash browns?
From: Bee
Date: 28 Mar 07 - 10:20 AM

I have a potato ricer. It's something like a giant garlic press: insert cooked potato, squeeze handles, and the potato comes out the little holes in tiny bits.

Subject: RE: BS: Hi Americans, how make hash browns?
From: *daylia*
Date: 28 Mar 07 - 10:24 AM

Oops your right, Bee -- this is a 'potato ricer'

and these are supposed to be riced potatoes

looks like fish eggs to me ....

Subject: RE: BS: Hi Americans, how make hash browns?
From: greg stephens
Date: 28 Mar 07 - 10:25 AM

I want one! That sounds like the kind of thing to encourage me to make hash browns in industrial quantities.

Subject: RE: BS: Hi Americans, how make hash browns?
From: Scoville
Date: 28 Mar 07 - 10:32 AM

Or you can use a cheese grater.

Subject: RE: BS: Hi Americans, how make hash browns?
From: WFDU - Ron Olesko
Date: 28 Mar 07 - 10:33 AM

Hash browns are the best served at 2am with a couple of eggs sunny side up, two slices of toast and a cup of coffee - served at any Jersey diner.

Subject: RE: BS: Hi Americans, how make hash browns?
From: Amos
Date: 28 Mar 07 - 10:34 AM

Greg's gonna make Hash Browns!
Make 'em by the yard.
Feed 'em to everybody in the town,
Boy, will he be tahred.

Bring 'em in by truck!
Fry 'em in the pool,
Greg never does things half o' the way,
He ain't nobodies fool.

Greg's gonna make hash browns!
Say, what do you think of that?
All of the neighbors will go home full,
And wake up looking fat!

A

Subject: RE: BS: Hi Americans, how make hash browns?
From: Scoville
Date: 28 Mar 07 - 10:36 AM

And salsa. Hash browns, eggs, and salsa is a winner.

Subject: RE: BS: Hi Americans, how make hash browns?
From: GUEST,sinky
Date: 28 Mar 07 - 10:47 AM

consume vast quantities of hash and then wait

Subject: RE: BS: Hi Americans, how make hash browns?
From: open mike
Date: 28 Mar 07 - 11:04 AM

shred raw potatoes...
fry onions and garlic in the pan before you add the shredded potatoes.
stir the whole batch around to mix in the onions and garlic,
then let it fry til it is golden grown and crunchy
turn the whole mass and brown the other side...
the crunchier the better!

you can even pick off the top layer while the bottom is frying and
turn it once again~! yum

Subject: RE: BS: Hi Americans, how make hash browns?
From: Bert
Date: 28 Mar 07 - 11:19 AM

The same way as you make bubble and squeak!

Subject: RE: BS: Hi Americans, how make hash browns?
From: GUEST,Jeff
Date: 28 Mar 07 - 11:30 AM

My grandmother who grew up in White House, Tn. in the late 19th and early 20th used the phrase 'hash browns' to refer to a mix of potatoes, onions and smoked ham. Diced fine, but not quite minced. Made into patties approx 6" long and 3" wide. Drop them into an iron skillet in about 1/2" of bacon grease she kept in the fridge. When brown she'd remove them and place them on paper towels to soak up the excess oil. The potatoes were peeled before chopping...I know because that was MY job. They were always served w/scrambled eggs, bacon(crispy),toast and hominy grits(flavored w/salt and butter). Ketchup on the eggs and hash browns. Orange juice and coffee for the grown-ups, chocolate milk for the kids. Salt and pepper to taste. "Y'all come get chew sum breakfast"...

'home fries' referred to quartered and sliced potatoes(about 1/4" thick) w/sliced onions. Cooked in the same frying pan as the bacon, but w/t skins left on and no meat included and not formed into patties. Served w/t same as above, but home fries could be served w/lunch or dinner, but hash browns were reserved for breakfast, usually.

In later years she used a cheese grater to make her hash browns after watching a cook prepare them in a little greasey spoon called 'Victory Lunch' around the corner from her apartment.

Subject: RE: BS: Hi Americans, how make hash browns?
From: M.Ted
Date: 28 Mar 07 - 11:52 AM

Don't count too much on Amos in this, he if from San Diego--the fittest city in the US, and hash browns are starch grilled in grease. I had "hash browns" out there once --the potatoes had been roasted with garlic in unfiltered olive oil, and they were served on a bed of mixed greens--


Hash Browns, in the common parlance, are just last night's baked potatoes, sliced up and brought back to life on a very hot griddle--using either a bit of imagination, or a total lack of imagination. Simple food for working people--usually from a diner--

Hash Browns also can be made from shredded raw potatoes, cooked the same, on a very hot griddle.

How do you distinguish between the two? Just eat what they give you...

And Daylia, those were fish eggs--roe, to be precise. With riced scallop, prepared with sake. Not riced potatoes--and certainly nothing a truck driver would eat--

And, before you invest, Greg, the potato ricer is for use with cooked potatoes. If you want to shred raw potatoes, use a cheese shredder sort of thing, or, better and more repeatable, the shredder blade in your food processor.

Subject: RE: BS: Hi Americans, how make hash browns?
From: Ebbie
Date: 28 Mar 07 - 12:12 PM

When my family moved to Virginia when I was a young'un, we were surprised to find there was such a thing as "southern" hash browns. They were lumpy and usually had a sauce to them In fact, you can buy something like it today in the frozen food section.

When she was grown my sister always made hash browns (western style)by grating raw potato.

But what I grew up with is a way to use up leftover mashed potatoes. My mother, having a large family, even made extra mashed potatoes the night before.

It sounds quite a bit like the latkes that Bee mentioned.

With the potatoes in the bowl break an egg or two (depending on how much potato) into it, a spoonful or two of flour, salt and lots of pepper. (Eggs are for flavor and texture, the flour is used as a binder) Stir it up, dump it onto a greased hot griddle and let it sizzle. As Amos (and others) said, turn it only once. You want it crunchy and golden on the outside but tender and moist on the inside.

Serve with apple sauce.

Subject: RE: BS: Hi Americans, how make hash browns?
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 28 Mar 07 - 12:13 PM

I agree with M.Ted, when I was a kid hash brown potatoes were made of the baked potatoes not eaten the day before. Sometimes they were made with boiled potatoes that were from the day before. I have an antique ricer that I use sometimes for making hash browns from boiled potatoes. Baked are already so tender they can be broken up with a fork.

My hash brown favorites don't have onion, they're simply cooked in good oil and are seasoned with a generous amount of ground black pepper and a little salt. The finished cooked consistency is of individual potato fragments, not one of these brick-like patties one sees from fast food restaurants.

SRS

Subject: RE: BS: Hi Americans, how make hash browns?
From: GUEST,WYS with unbaked cookies
Date: 28 Mar 07 - 12:20 PM

Greg Stephens,

If you could give a good description of what you had, most of us can tell you the onr or two ways it should be made, but there are a zillion possible ways to make the many varieties sometimes known (rightly or wrongly) as hash browns. Kinda like "what is folk music" and "how to play it" can get a little messy unless you look at the detail level closely. Zoom me in, Scotty!

~S~

Subject: RE: BS: Hi Americans, how make hash browns?
From: beardedbruce
Date: 28 Mar 07 - 12:34 PM

Coarse grated raw potatoes, and I use olive oil- but that is NOT traditional. Should be bacon fat.

If the potatoes are already cooked, then one would rice them.

Subject: RE: BS: Hi Americans, how make hash browns?
From: Peace
Date: 28 Mar 07 - 12:36 PM

HEAVENLY HASH BROWNIES AND ICING   

1 c. butter, softened
2 c. sugar
4 tbsp. cocoa
4 eggs
1 1/2 tsp. vanilla
1 1/4 c. flour
1 c. chopped pecans
7 oz. jar marshmallow creme

Cream together butter, sugar and cocoa. Add eggs, one at a time, beat until light and fluffy. Add vanilla. Mix in flour and beat until just blended. Mix in chopped pecans.
Pour into greased 9 x 13 inch baking pan. Bake at 350 degrees for 25 minutes. Warm jar of marshmallow creme in hot water. Remove brownies from oven and immediately spread warmed marshmallow creme over top. Cool. Ice with following icing.


HEAVENLY HASH ICING:

4 1/4 c. powdered sugar
6 tbsp. soft butter
4 1/2 tbsp. cocoa
1 1/2 tsp. vanilla
Milk

Sift together sugar and cocoa. Cream butter well and add sugar mixture and vanilla. Add enough milk to make spreading consistency. Using a warm spatula, spread over top of cream. Place in refrigerator until cool. Can be frozen.

Subject: RE: BS: Hi Americans, how make hash browns?
From: Peace
Date: 28 Mar 07 - 12:37 PM

That's from the www. Eat ten of them and do NOT operate heavy equipment like K-tel toys or Lego sets.

Subject: RE: BS: Hi Americans, how make hash browns?
From: Peace
Date: 28 Mar 07 - 12:41 PM

Damn. Hash browns, not hash BROWnies. Sorry.

Subject: RE: BS: Hi Americans, how make hash browns?
From: Big Al Whittle
Date: 28 Mar 07 - 12:44 PM

the ones on sale in England are pretty crap. so are the frozen bubble and squeak.

i always used to think my Dad made the worse bubble and squeak in the western hemisphere - till I tried Aunt Betsies.

Subject: RE: BS: Hi Americans, how make hash browns?
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 28 Mar 07 - 01:18 PM

Bruce,

Your hash brownie recipe seem to be missing an ingredient.

Subject: RE: BS: Hi Americans, how make hash browns?
From: greg stephens
Date: 28 Mar 07 - 01:55 PM

Well, I'm going to give it a whirl. I've got the grater, I've got the spuds and onions, and I've got the bacon fat(no trendy olive oil for this one, no sir).

Subject: RE: BS: Hi Americans, how make hash browns?
From: Peace
Date: 28 Mar 07 - 01:57 PM

SRS,

LOL

Subject: RE: BS: Hi Americans, how make hash browns?
From: Ebbie
Date: 28 Mar 07 - 02:02 PM

lol, Peace.

Actually, there are many recipes for potaot-based candies.

Subject: RE: BS: Hi Americans, how make hash browns?
From: Deckman
Date: 28 Mar 07 - 02:31 PM

Another REALLY GOOD way to cut up the baked potatoe for french fries is the following:

Take your 15 bar autoharp and prop it up vertical on the kitchen counter;
Place a shallow dish under it;
From a distance of about eleven feet, throw the potatoes as hard as possible at your autoharp;
Pick it up off the floor, move closer to the autoharp, throw it again, and try to hit the autoharp.

After you cook and eat what remains of your potatoe, clean your autoharp. Don'r trying to tune it ... they can't be tuned anyway! I hope this helps! Bob

Subject: RE: BS: Hi Americans, how make hash browns?
From: WFDU - Ron Olesko
Date: 28 Mar 07 - 02:40 PM

I am shocked! I've never heard of using a leftover baked potato to make hash browns.   No self-respecting cook or diner in the Northeast would try to use a already baked potato!!!!   Raw, raw, raw. Add those onions and perhaps some cut up green pepper. Stay away from eggs and flour, this isn't a potato pancake. Cook them in butter in a fry pan. Nothing fancy. Keep the damn sauce out of it! This isn't a swanky gourmet dish!   Douse them with some ketchup perhaps. Finest kind!

Subject: RE: BS: Hi Americans, how make hash browns?
From: autolycus
Date: 28 Mar 07 - 02:47 PM

Are hash browns an Anglo dish by another name? If do,what's the anglo name.

   Something above resembles latkes.

   As I've had a mild heart attack already,I'll otherwise pass.






      I.

Subject: RE: BS: Hi Americans, how make hash browns?
From: MMario
Date: 28 Mar 07 - 02:57 PM

hash browns have about the similarity to latkes that ,,,hmmmm, crepes have to blini;flapjacks,griddle cakes.

They are related, made primarily with the same ingredients - and are completly different.

Subject: RE: BS: Hi Americans, how make hash browns?
From: Scoville
Date: 28 Mar 07 - 02:57 PM

And no self-respecting Southern cook would waste day-old potatoes.

Green pepper?? That's a new one to me.

Subject: RE: BS: Hi Americans, how make hash browns?
From: M.Ted
Date: 28 Mar 07 - 02:59 PM

You are a nice man, Ron, but wrong, wrong, wrong. Maybe you know something about folk music, but you've got a lot to learn about potatoes;-)

Subject: RE: BS: Hi Americans, how make hash browns?
From: MMario
Date: 28 Mar 07 - 03:09 PM

In my neck o' the woods when growing up if they had green peppers in them they were "potatoes O'Brien"; I haven't the foggiest idea why,

Subject: RE: BS: Hi Americans, how make hash browns?
From: greg stephens
Date: 28 Mar 07 - 03:13 PM

In England we do all sorts of stuff with cold cooked potoatoes the next day, but this grated raw and then fried approach sounds the business to me, this is what I'm going to try

Subject: RE: BS: Hi Americans, how make hash browns?
From: Ebbie
Date: 28 Mar 07 - 03:14 PM

Good god. Ron O jarred me awake. These, indeed, are not potato pancakes. I work too much with computers and I have picked up a glitch or two.

Hash browns: Grate raw potato, rinse, pat excess water out, dump onto a hot griddle, sizzle until crisp and golden on the edges, turn over (once) and do it again.

In other words, do as was told above. Heartfelt apologies.

Subject: RE: BS: Hi Americans, how make hash browns?
From: WFDU - Ron Olesko
Date: 28 Mar 07 - 03:38 PM

"but you've got a lot to learn about potatoes;-) "

If you've seen me in profile recently, you will understand that I know a LOT about potatoes!!!!   :)

In all seriousness, I am always fascinated by regional differences. Of course I have heard about cheap southeners, I mean our friends down south using old, oops - leftover potatoes.    I like to make potato salad out of them myself.

Subject: RE: BS: Hi Americans, how make hash browns?
From: WFDU - Ron Olesko
Date: 28 Mar 07 - 03:39 PM

damn html! Screwed up my joke! Oh well.

Subject: RE: BS: Hi Americans, how make hash browns?
From: WFDU - Ron Olesko
Date: 28 Mar 07 - 03:42 PM

not that it was that funny but, it should have looked like this -

In all seriousness, I am always fascinated by regional differences. Of course I have heard about cheap southeners, I mean our friends down south using old, oops - leftover potatoes. I like to make potato salad out of them myself


I need more practice!

Subject: RE: BS: Hi Americans, how make hash browns?
From: Scoville
Date: 28 Mar 07 - 04:00 PM

We put them in potato salad, too. We mash them. I've used them to bind meatloaf. We make them into potato candy (this seems to be pretty much all over the U.S., though). We fry them in various ways (Hell, we fry everything. We've even discovered a way to fry Coke).

There are lots of Germans, Czechs, etc. in parts of Texas and they really go potato-crazy there.

Subject: RE: BS: Hi Americans, how make hash browns?
From: Bill D
Date: 28 Mar 07 - 04:08 PM

well, as can be seen, there are various methods. I like the potatoes shredded, but not 'riced' (there are food graters that will give you various 'fineness' of final product)

Then, I like to press the shredded potatoes into the pan of oil until they are a relatively thin (3/4 in. or less) layer, cut the round layer into 4 pie shaped segments, and fry them until they can be turned without falling apart. I like them pretty well browned on the outside, but still tender in the center. This is just a personal thing, I will eat them even if stirred so that there is a pan full of small potato chunks...I just prefer the patty style.

My big difference is that, once cooked...(preferably with spicy sausage patties on the side)..I like to eat them with pancake/waffle syrup and a good dose of black pepper! (very little or no onion for me)...

so....I guess you have a nice batch of possible recipes, greg! Happy experimenting!

Subject: RE: BS: Hi Americans, how make hash browns?
From: WFDU - Ron Olesko
Date: 28 Mar 07 - 04:16 PM

Another variation, which is also a diner staple - home fries. It is basically hash browns but cut as chunks of potato instead of shredded. I do think that for this recipe the potato is cooked first.

Subject: RE: BS: Hi Americans, how make hash browns?
From: M.Ted
Date: 28 Mar 07 - 04:24 PM

Don't blame the potatoes, Ron--on their own they have very little fat, low calories(I cup of diced potato has about 60 calories, on average) lots of protein and vitamins. It's the butter and sour cream that does us in;-)

Really, though, it is our sedentary life style. I used to live on the fringes of the Dutch Country, and those farmers eat more starch and a fat than you'd believe--However, they are not fat themselves. They do a lot of work, and a lot of walking.