BS: Hi Americans, how make hash browns?

Subject: RE: BS: Hi Americans, how make hash browns?
From: Bee
Date: 28 Mar 07 - 05:34 PM

Now let us have a moment of grate-ful silence while we fervently give thanks to the clever South Americans who domesticated the potato so many centuries ago. ;-)

Subject: RE: BS: Hi Americans, how make hash browns?
From: M.Ted
Date: 28 Mar 07 - 06:21 PM

I am not sure if they should be called "South Americans"--it is true that the potato was probably originally cultivated in what is now Chile, but it could have happened somewhere between 4,000 and 7.000 years ago--well before any one had come up with the idea of America--

Subject: RE: BS: Hi Americans, how make hash browns?
From: tarheel
Date: 28 Mar 07 - 07:10 PM

when i was a kid growing up in the south(winston-salem,n.c.) there were restaurants in and around the state called,"toddle houses"!
this was before the fast food places ,but a good breakfast could be had in a short time at these little decorated places...
though they served the typlical bacon,eggs,toast,jelly,etc.,they also made HASH BROWNS!
most of us had never heard of them,seen them, or even tasted them at that time in my life!
but once you tasted them,you never, ever wanted another breakfast without HASH BROWNS from the TODDLE HOUSE ...
they were absolutely terrific!
the taste was wonderful and they made your entire breakfast a real meal that you always remembered each time you eat at one of these neat little restaurants!
there are a few places around here now that USE to be TODDLE HOUSES,but they have been turned into a donut shops or a bagel shoppe or a lunch counter of somekind!
HASH BROWNS,HASH BROWNS!!!MY KINGDOM FOR A PLATE FULL OF HASH BROWNS!!!

Subject: RE: BS: Hi Americans, how make hash browns?
From: Barry Finn
Date: 28 Mar 07 - 07:16 PM

My Granny didn't make hash browns but if she did I would tell her to oil up a skillet cut up some sweet onions & some Idahos toss them in with some Assofeta (sp?) & Gran Marsela (sp?), both Indian spices & some paprika & cook them up nice an' brown & tender. Can't beat them.

Barry

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

I peel/pare raw white potatoes. Shred not to finely. WASH well under cold running water and squeeze the water out til most of the starch is removed. This keeps them from getting soggy.

Put about 3/4" of grease, oil, whatever in a skillet. Check for readyness by flipping a bit of water in it. If it sizzles it's hot enough. Dump in potatoes, stir well. Let brown on the bottom, stir/turn. Contiue till most of the potatoes are browned, and all are fork tender.

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

Barry, that would be asafoetida and garam masala, in case someone wants to try your recipe.

Subject: RE: BS: Hi Americans, how make hash browns?
From: McGrath of Harlow
Date: 28 Mar 07 - 07:43 PM

I gather hash browns and hash brownies make use of a significantly different definition of hash.

Rather like mincemeat and minced meat. It is advisable not to pour custard on minced meat pies, but it's delicious with mincemeat pies.

Subject: RE: BS: Hi Americans, how make hash browns?
From: The Fooles Troupe
Date: 28 Mar 07 - 08:56 PM

An old long time Aussie favourite gradually being swamped out of the local market by the Yank greaseballs (especially the Macca's garbage!) called 'hash browns' is 'Potato Scallops'.

Take large peeled potatoes - about the size of you hand opened out flat - and cut 1/8 - 1/4 inch thick slices. These are dipped in thin batter (nastier ones are dipped in about a half inch thick coating of thick batter!) not unlike a 'beer based tempura' style and deep fried.

'Properly done' they are much lower in grease than 'hash browns'.

Various recipes exist, including various 'double cooking' techniques involving parboiling as a first step, or 'double deep frying' - they must be served warm, so they can be part cooked, then kept chilled.

Subject: RE: BS: Hi Americans, how make hash browns?
From: Mrrzy
Date: 28 Mar 07 - 09:57 PM

Hash browns are supposed to be crunchy; home fries don't have to be and usually aren't. Wikipedia makes a good point about the fine line between the riced patty hash browns and potato pancakes... but hash browns need salt and butter, while potato pancakes need salt and apple sauce.

Subject: RE: BS: Hi Americans, how make hash browns?
From: Dickey
Date: 28 Mar 07 - 10:31 PM

Well here is something I do well. My kind of hash browns have onions.

I slice and dice a few ounces or 1/4 cup of sweet onions, Vidalia if available, and put them in a large Teflon coated frying pan with no oil or fat. I turn the heat wide open and more or less try to burn the onions while stirring so they don't stick. The sugar in the juice of the onions sticks to the bottom of the pan and caramelizes. When the onions get soft with burnt looking spots on them I pour in about 1/2 cup of water. This dissolves the caramelized onion juice on the bottom of the pan.

Then I had a cup or so of diced potatoes. I like to boil them half done first. Raw ones take forever to cook and fully cooked ones fall apart. Then I pour in an ounce or so of good light olive oil and some McCormick steak seasoning containing onion powder, garlic power, black pepper, paprika, salt and a few other minor spices. Simple salt and pepper will work.

When the water boils away it leaves the potatoes brown and soft. Continue to fry them until they are crispy and slightly blackened on the corners.

Now fry up your eggs & bacon, bake a pan of cornbread and you are ready for breakfast.

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

A ricer is a device with holes, through which one squeezes something gooshy in order to make strands of it.

picture of a ricer:

http://www.amazon.com/OXO-Grips-26981-Potato-Ricer/dp/images/B00004OCJQ

My husband's Czech grandfather used a ricer to make potato dumplings.

One might make hash browns by ricing boiled, peeled potatoes straight into hot fat. Might solve the wet potato problem = see next paragraph.

My aunt makes hash browns by shredding potatoes and frying them. Trouble is, shredded potatoes have a tendency to become wet. Perhaps it is a good idea to use newly-purchased potatoes, I'm not sure.

Good luck.

Subject: RE: BS: Hi Americans, how make hash browns?
From: JennieG
Date: 29 Mar 07 - 03:21 AM

My mother used to make something she called "mock duck" - I think it was from a World War II austerity cookbook, whatever it was we loved it anyway.

Raw potatoes, grated, mixed with beaten egg and fried in just a tiny bit of butter, turned over so they were crispy on both sides.....sounds like what you folks call hash browns to me.....!

Cheers
JennieG

Subject: RE: BS: Hi Americans, how make hash browns?
From: GUEST
Date: 29 Mar 07 - 03:49 AM

My guess is that the USA and other parts of the world got their variations from the original Swiss Rosti. The Internet has squillions of recipes for Rosti, so I would recommend you go there. A staple at my house.

Subject: RE: BS: Hi Americans, how make hash browns?
From: Barry Finn
Date: 29 Mar 07 - 04:21 AM

"Barry, that would be asafoetida and garam masala, in case someone wants to try your recipe"

Yes it would be Bobad, thanks for correcting the misspelling, I probably say it wrong too.

I forgot, salt & pepper to taste.

Barry

Subject: RE: BS: Hi Americans, how make hash browns?
From: Big Al Whittle
Date: 29 Mar 07 - 05:09 AM

This sounds really brilliant - the way some of you describe it.

The only ones I've ever tasted have been in Sainsbury's cafe and the like , and they have been...well horrible, sort of non-food. I don't know if anybody would concur with this.

I'm determined to have a go today. Just thinking about it - how do you make sure that the onion and potato are cooked inside the hash brown - it would be horrble to start eating and and hit raw veg.

Subject: RE: BS: Hi Americans, how make hash browns?
From: The Fooles Troupe
Date: 29 Mar 07 - 06:06 AM

Actually American Hash Browns seem pretty close to Roshti.

Subject: RE: BS: Hi Americans, how make hash browns?
From: The Fooles Troupe
Date: 29 Mar 07 - 06:09 AM

"how do you make sure that the onion and potato are cooked inside"

... if it's black on the outside, it might be ok inside...

Subject: RE: BS: Hi Americans, how make hash browns?
From: M.Ted
Date: 29 Mar 07 - 10:36 AM

Rosti is/are(?) shaped into a cake, and served (for breakfast, at least) as the main event--hash browns are potato slices, cubes, or shreds, cooked loose on the griddle, served as a side dish--

WLD--You can tell that they are done by the way they look--shredded potatoes are opaque when done--also golden brown in spots. The trick is really in getting and keeping the griddle, grill, or frying pan hot enough--

Subject: RE: BS: Hi Americans, how make hash browns?
From: *daylia*
Date: 29 Mar 07 - 11:13 AM

Wow M Ted, are you a chef AND a guitar teacher? I'm impressed -- you could tell there's sake in those fish eggs oops i mean roe?!

Subject: RE: BS: Hi Americans, how make hash browns?
From: greg stephens
Date: 29 Mar 07 - 11:15 AM

I have the same fear as WLD...you've got this brown or black mass in your pan, what's it going to be like in the middle if you started with raw potatoes? Having no experience of this, some time hints or more accurate testing methods might be good.
This is all very thrilling, it's going to produce something a lot better than a bag of hash browns from Iceland, that's for sure(Iceland, by the way, is a frozen food shop chain in England, in this case, not a country with geysirs and stuff).

Subject: RE: BS: Hi Americans, how make hash browns?
From: M.Ted
Date: 29 Mar 07 - 12:51 PM

I cook, Daylia--a must if you work with musicians, since they are always starving. However, I simply read the name of the .jpg file, which is ricedscallopsakeroetofucrackersquashjuic.jpg--or "riced scallop sake roe tofu cracker squash juic .jpg"

Greg--Don't fuss too much about the cooking process--just try it! If worse comes to worse, potatoes are cheap, so just toss the first batch in the trash and try again til you get it the way you like it--

I will extend a bit of explanation on the underlying theory--the potatoes are shredded(or sliced or cubed, or whatever) so that they have low mass, meaning that the individual shreds will cook through quickly when applied to the griddle/grill/pan--

My hint is to use the most accurate testing method of all--taste the potato shreds all through the cooking process(if you do this, you won't have to throw anything out)--

Subject: RE: BS: Hi Americans, how make hash browns?
From: leeneia
Date: 29 Mar 07 - 12:59 PM

In all my born days I have never been served hash browns with onions in them. If you must combine them, saute the onions first. Then no worries about - are they cooked?

Subject: RE: BS: Hi Americans, how make hash browns?
From: *daylia*
Date: 29 Mar 07 - 01:42 PM

Gotcha, M Ted. I figured the URL must apply to more than one file, cuz that pic looks more like flattened raw hamburger with scrambled-eggs-a-la-fromage-et-fish-eyes.

To me.

Subject: RE: BS: Hi Americans, how make hash browns?
From: Penny S.
Date: 29 Mar 07 - 05:36 PM

Modern caffs serving so called English breakfasts include hash browns of the frozen cake variety instead of properly prepared fried mashed potato, or bubble and squeak, or sauteed sliced waxy potatoes.l And I guessed there was something missing in the preparation, too. I think I'm going to have some fun now.

Penny

Subject: RE: BS: Hi Americans, how make hash browns?
From: Big Al Whittle
Date: 29 Mar 07 - 05:53 PM

'In all my born days I have never been served hash browns with onions in them'

come round my place tomorrow

Subject: RE: BS: Hi Americans, how make hash browns?
From: Peace
Date: 29 Mar 07 - 06:10 PM

I don't really care for potatoes unless they are deep fried, mashed, baked, roasted, pan fried or boiled. Then they're OK.

Subject: RE: BS: Hi Americans, how make hash browns?
From: The Fooles Troupe
Date: 29 Mar 07 - 07:41 PM

Then you might like 'potato scallops'...

Subject: RE: BS: Hi Americans, how make hash browns?
From: Peace
Date: 29 Mar 07 - 07:43 PM

Scalloped potatoes are good, too. (But NO cheese.)

Subject: RE: BS: Hi Americans, how make hash browns?
From: Bobert
Date: 29 Mar 07 - 07:50 PM

Sorry, Greg, but yer old drenkin' buddy has been way too busy fir much pudder time recently but...

... firget the taters when ever fresh possum is availbale...

Bobert

Subject: RE: BS: Hi Americans, how make hash browns?
From: Bill D
Date: 29 Mar 07 - 08:13 PM

If the potatoes are shredded..(½ the thickness of a pencil or thinner), and pressed into a patty, they will be cooked just fine when they are brown on the outside. If they are in small chunks, they must be stirred a bit, and kept 'mostly' to a single layer in order to brown/cook evenly. It's really pretty obvious even the first time. Just keep the oil hot and don't leave the pan unattended very long.

Subject: RE: BS: Hi Americans, how make hash browns?
From: WFDU - Ron Olesko
Date: 29 Mar 07 - 10:32 PM

"In all my born days I have never been served hash browns with onions in them. If you must combine them, saute the onions first. Then no worries about - are they cooked?"

You haven't lived yet!!!!!!!   You must try them with onions.

Why worry about if they are cooked? Raw onion tastes fine!   Seriously, they will cook at the same time as the potato. If you saute them first they might burn.

I went through several cook books, and I was surprised to see all the recipes I found said to boil the potatoes first. It has been awhile since I made them, but I thought I used raw. Live and learn.

Also, all the recipes mentioned adding onion. Shred the potato, shred the onion, mix them up with a little salt and pepper, form into patties or just cook it loose.

No one has mentioned another favorite - corned beef hash! Chop up equal portions of cooked corned beef potato, mix in some onion and fry away. Breakfast of champions!!!!

Subject: RE: BS: Hi Americans, how make hash browns?
From: Peace
Date: 29 Mar 07 - 10:35 PM

In a pinch, you can omit the corned beef and potatoes. Add milk when the onions have cooked and bingo, ya got a really good cream of onion soup.

Subject: RE: BS: Hi Americans, how make hash browns?
From: The Fooles Troupe
Date: 30 Mar 07 - 04:55 AM

The potatoes should be used raw, not part cooked - it's the starch that holds the whole fragile mess together.

Subject: RE: BS: Hi Americans, how make hash browns?
From: M.Ted
Date: 30 Mar 07 - 09:04 AM

Robin--I was looking up Rosti and discovered that, even in peaceful Switzerland, battle lines are drawn over whether the potatoes are raw or cooked (boiled) when they are shredded.

Subject: RE: BS: Hi Americans, how make hash browns?
From: WFDU - Ron Olesko
Date: 30 Mar 07 - 09:15 AM

"The potatoes should be used raw, not part cooked - it's the starch that holds the whole fragile mess together."

That is what I was thinking too, except that hash browns are not always served together - it is served as a "fragile mess"!   Also, there is probably enough starch remaining in the cooked potato to hold it together as well.   

I guess that once again, this shows the various regional differences. No one style or method is "correct" or "wrong".

Subject: RE: BS: Hi Americans, how make hash browns?
From: Sorcha
Date: 30 Mar 07 - 09:21 AM

No no no. Raw potatoes, and rinse the starch OFF for just plain hash browns. If you want a gooey mess that won't fry up crisp, leave the starch on. For patties, OK. Gooey in the middle patties. Rinsed potato and add an egg for nice patties.

Subject: RE: BS: Hi Americans, how make hash browns?
From: beardedbruce
Date: 30 Mar 07 - 09:28 AM

Egg, in hash browns????

The coarse grated ( or chopped) raw potatoes in bacon fat was what I was taught as "correct" ( no need for salt, as it gets enough from the fat). I use olive oil for health reasons.

A local ( Maryland) diner serves lumps of pre-boiled, then fried potatoes as hash browns. I opt for grits ( even instant!) when they have them.

Subject: RE: BS: Hi Americans, how make hash browns?
From: M.Ted
Date: 30 Mar 07 - 11:10 AM

Ron--Forgive Foolestroupe--he's never had real hash browns, so he's thinking about Rosti and speculating from there--and, as beardedbruce points out, not all the hash browns you get are good--

As to BB's comment about the bacon fat--seems like it wasn't that long ago that there was a can of bacon fat sitting on every kitchen counter--used for cooking everything. Replace by Crisco, the all vegetable shortening, which was supposed to be a healthier alternative--

Subject: RE: BS: Hi Americans, how make hash browns?
From: MMario
Date: 30 Mar 07 - 11:14 AM

Crisco - of course, since then has been replaced by olive oil and /or other oils with less hydrogenization then crisco.

Subject: RE: BS: Hi Americans, how make hash browns?
From: M.Ted
Date: 30 Mar 07 - 03:11 PM

Like Canola oil--

Hydrogenation is the process that turns oil, in the case of Crisco, Cottonseed Oil, into that white, lard-like substance. The science of Hydrogenation science was actually developed by Proctor and Gamble to turn oil into a solid fat material that could be used to make soap--it then occurred to someone that it looked like lard, so why not use it as lard? The promotion was s "a healthier alternative to cooking with animal fats. . . and more economical than butter."

The catch though, was that hydrogenated fats(including the now well known Trans Fats) turned out to me incredibly unhealthy, though it took us more than fifty years to figure it out--

Subject: RE: BS: Hi Americans, how make hash browns?
From: Sorcha
Date: 30 Mar 07 - 03:28 PM

Not egg in hash browns...egg in potato patties to hold them together.

Subject: RE: BS: Hi Americans, how make hash browns?
From: Big Al Whittle
Date: 30 Mar 07 - 03:51 PM

Right!

I have had a lot to drink, I am about to start,


The onions are in.

I am tempted by the thought of the egg.

If you have anything to add - now is the time!

Subject: RE: BS: Hi Americans, how make hash browns?
From: Big Al Whittle
Date: 30 Mar 07 - 05:22 PM

First problem - they were lot more watery than I expected. so they didn't make very good little patties.

Anyway the mixture -2 spanish onions , 2 eggs, 89p worth of spuds are frying away in a mass in the wok.

I think the black tip was the good one!

Subject: RE: BS: Hi Americans, how make hash browns?
From: Bill D
Date: 30 Mar 07 - 05:26 PM

tsk!, Ron..."You haven't lived yet!!!!!!!   You must try them with onions."

ummm...some of us really do not care much for onions. We are not depraved, deluded or uneducated...*grin*...we just don't care much for onions in most things.

Subject: RE: BS: Hi Americans, how make hash browns?
From: Rapparee
Date: 30 Mar 07 - 06:46 PM

Cook the hashbrowns and try them, sometime, with some shredded sharp cheddar cheese melted on top. Or, if you don't like cheese on things, without it.

Potato pancakes will be served with sour cream and applesauce, of course.

Subject: RE: BS: Hi Americans, how make hash browns?
From: Sorcha
Date: 30 Mar 07 - 07:36 PM

WLD, did you rinse the shreds in cold water and then squeeze it out? IMO, that is critical if you want crispy hash browns. For those, do NOT add the egg. If you don't rinse the starch off the shreds, they will stick together and turn into a gooey mass.

Subject: RE: BS: Hi Americans, how make hash browns?
From: The Fooles Troupe
Date: 30 Mar 07 - 08:27 PM

The only stuff we get in Oz called 'Hash Browns' are those flat 1/2 inch thick oval patties (with lots of holes to hold fat!) you get in packs frozen in the supermarket (same things thawed in delis!) that look (and taste) remarkably like the deadly things Macca's server...

Subject: RE: BS: Hi Americans, how make hash browns?
From: M.Ted
Date: 30 Mar 07 - 11:09 PM

What were you trying to fix, WLD?

Subject: RE: BS: Hi Americans, how make hash browns?
From: dianavan
Date: 31 Mar 07 - 12:56 AM

Sorcha has it right except for the quantity of oil. You don't need 3/4" of oil!

Its easy. You don't even have to peel the potatoes. Idahos work best. Grate them into a bowl, salt, add water to cover. The salt prevents them from turning gray and the water rinses away the starch.

Drain the water and spoon them into a hot, oiled frying pan forming patties (easier to flip). Use only enough oil to cover the bottom of the frying pan. Bacon grease works well. Make sure the pan is hot!

After adding the potatoes, use the spatuala to shape them into patties. Reduce heat to medium and fry until they are golden brown on the bottom. Give em a flip and brown the other side. Do not cover with a lid.

Serve with ketchup and an egg on the side. These hash browns are also great with beans! We like them with a dollop of yogurt and some alfalfa sprouts. Also good with applesauce.

These are a staple in my house. Very versatile and super yummy.

Subject: RE: BS: Hi Americans, how make hash browns?
From: dianavan
Date: 31 Mar 07 - 12:59 AM

btw - If you add onion, an egg and flour to the potatoes before cooking, they are called latkes. Actually, I think hashbrowns are just a simplified latke.