Stop Ruining Your Crispy Hash Browns With This Common Mistake

Despite how delicious they are, hash browns can be quite difficult to make from scratch because these perfect morsels of potato are prone to coming out soggy. Hence, why people prefer to either buy their favorite fast food hash browns or cook with frozen hash browns instead. Yes, there are various creative ways to use frozen hash browns, but it's still possible to recreate restaurant-quality hash browns at home. The best way to ensure you end up with crispy, delicious hash browns is to avoid making them too thick. This is a common mistake that time after time will greatly affect the crispiness of your breakfast side.

Why does thickness matter? Well, when you try to cook a hash brown that is too thick, it will have a hard time cooking evenly. While the thin sides will crisp up immediately, the thicker parts will need more time to cook all the way through. And, the differences in thickness will cause the edges and thinner parts to burn while the thicker parts remain raw or undercooked. To avoid uneven cooking times, you should make your hash browns thinner. Not only will they cook evenly, but you'll get perfectly cooked crispy hash browns every time you make them.

Before you do anything, you need to know which potato you should use. For flawlessly crispy hash browns, starchy potatoes work best. Potatoes like Russets are ideal because they're low in moisture which means they can crisp up nicely. Although they don't hold their shape as well as waxy potatoes, you're guaranteed to get a crispy exterior and soft, fluffy interior when you use them.

Once you've selected a potato type, you can wash, peel, and shred them. From there, either run cold water through them for a few minutes or fully submerge them in a bowl of water and frequently stir them before draining. To remove the excess liquid, use a kitchen towel, cheesecloth, or salad spinner to squeeze them dry. This will remove any lingering starch and ensure your potatoes come out crispy. Once they're dry, mix binders like flour and eggs with your secret ingredient: onions.

Next, preheat a non-stick pan with enough oil to fry each hash brown perfectly. When the oil starts to sizzle, add a thin layer of shredded potatoes to the pan. It should be no more than ½ inch in thickness. Don't make the mistake of overcrowding the pan. Less is more when cooking hash browns. Give them a few minutes to brown on each side and season with salt and pepper before your first initial flip. When they're golden brown, remove from the pan, drain the oil, and serve.