The Oil Tip For Crispy Hash Browns You Need To Know

There's nothing wrong with a quick and easy breakfast, but if there's one thing we know for certain, it's that breakfast is better with a homemade hash brown or two. This diner classic might seem excessive and not the easiest item to whip up on busy weekdays, but it can give you some extra fuel and flavor to start your day off right. Before you go ahead and whip up a batch of hash browns, however, there's one oil tip that's crucial to ensure you've got perfectly cooked, crispy hash browns every time, and it involves the temperature of the oil.

After you've mixed your hash brown ingredients, you're ready to heat up some oil to fry them in. We like using a cast iron skillet since it's great for heat distribution. This is the make-or-break moment to achieving an ultra-crispy result. Before throwing the mix into the oil, you need to make sure that it's nice and hot. You want the oil to be sizzling, but not so not that it looks to be boiling. This will allow your hash browns to get super crispy and golden brown, and it will also prevent them from soaking up too much oil, which could lead to a soggy hash brown. 

This rule applies to frying in general; if you throw your food into cold or lukewarm oil, it's going to become soggy and greasy just sitting there, absorbing the oil, as it waits for it to heat up. On the other hand, your oil shouldn't be so hot that the hash brown's exterior burns before it cooks on the inside. Luckily, there are a few ways of testing your oil to make sure that it's at the correct temperature.

One method involves placing a small piece of your hash brown mix into the oil. If it sizzles right away, it's ready to go. If it doesn't, wait a little longer or turn up the heat slightly. You can also use the spoon trick to test whether frying oil is ready. This involves simply placing the handle of a wooden spoon into the oil and noticing if bubbles appear. If there aren't any bubbles, you'll know it needs to heat up a little more. Of course, you can also check the temperature of the oil; it should be around 350 degrees Fahrenheit.

In addition to your oil's temperature, try squeezing your shredded potatoes in cheesecloth before adding them to your hash brown mix. This will help them cook more evenly, which is just what you need to reach that desired texture. Once you master the crispy hash browns, there's no doubt that they'll become your breakfast's main course.