Crispy Hash Browns

Name: Crispy Hash Browns
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 16 min
Total time: 36 min
Yield: 4 servings
Cuisine: American
Ingredients: 1½ lb (680 g) russet potatoes, about 3 medium, peeled; 4 cups (960 ml) cold water, for rinsing the shredded potatoes; 1 tsp (4 g) kosher salt, plus a pinch for finishing; ¼ tsp (½ g) black pepper, freshly ground; 3 tbsp (45 ml) vegetable oil; 2 tbsp (28 g) unsalted butter, cut into 4 pieces

From the MyKitchenBank Kitchen

Golden, shatteringly crisp shredded potato cakes with a tender center. Rinsing and wringing out the shreds removes starch and water, and a butter-and-oil blend gives rich flavor without burning.

Prep: 20 min
Cook: 16 min
Wait: 5 min
Total: 41 min
Makes: 4 hash brown patties (4 servings)

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Steps

Before you start

Have a clean kitchen towel (or several layers of cheesecloth) ready for wringing out the potatoes; it will get damp and slightly stained.
Cook the potatoes right after squeezing them dry. Shredded potato turns gray if left sitting.
Use a nonstick or well-seasoned cast iron skillet; stainless steel is more likely to stick.
Set a wire rack over a baking sheet and preheat the oven to its lowest setting (200°F / 95°C) if you want to keep finished patties warm.

1
Shred the potatoes
- Peel the potatoes.
- Using the large holes of a box grater or a food processor shredding disc, shred them into a large bowl.
- Work quickly so the shreds do not oxidize.
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Ready when: Potatoes are fully shredded into long, thin strands.
Tip: Shred the potatoes straight into the bowl of cold water in step 2 if you are slow; this prevents browning.
2
Rinse off starch
- Add the 4 cups (960 ml) cold water to the shreds and swirl with your hands for 30 seconds.
- The water will turn cloudy.
- Drain in a colander, then rinse under cold running water until the water runs mostly clear, about 1 minute.
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Ready when: Draining water looks nearly clear rather than milky.
Tip: Rinsing removes surface starch that makes hash browns gummy instead of crisp.
3
Squeeze thoroughly dry
- Pile the shreds in the center of a clean kitchen towel, gather the corners, and twist hard over the sink, wringing out as much liquid as you can for about 1 minute.
- Open the towel, fluff the shreds, and repeat once more.
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Ready when: Shreds feel barely damp and no liquid drips when squeezed.
Tip: Dryness is the single biggest factor in crispness. Wet potatoes steam rather than fry.
4
Season the potatoes
- Transfer the dry shreds to a dry bowl.
- Toss with 1 tsp kosher salt and the pepper, fluffing with a fork so the seasoning is evenly distributed.
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Ready when: Seasoning is evenly distributed with no clumps of salt.
Tip: Season just before cooking; salt draws out moisture if it sits.
5
Heat the fat
- Set a 10-inch (25 cm) nonstick or cast iron skillet over medium-high heat.
- Add 1½ tbsp (22 ml) of the oil and 1 tbsp (14 g) of the butter.
- Heat for about 2 minutes until the butter melts and foams, then the foam begins to subside.
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Ready when: A few shreds dropped in sizzle immediately; the butter is not browning.
Tip: If the butter darkens quickly, lower the heat slightly.
6
Cook first side
- Add half the potatoes (about 2 cups) to the pan and press into a flat, even cake about ½ inch (1.25 cm) thick with a spatula.
- Reduce heat to medium and cook without moving for 6–7 minutes.
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Ready when: Edges are deep golden brown and the cake lifts easily when you peek underneath with a spatula.
Tip: Do not poke or move the cake; it needs undisturbed contact to form a crust.
7
Flip and finish
- Slide a wide spatula underneath and flip the cake in one confident motion (or slide it onto a plate, then invert back into the pan).
- Add 1 tbsp (15 ml) of the remaining oil and ½ tbsp butter around the edges.
- Cook another 5–6 minutes, pressing gently.
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Ready when: Both sides are deep golden brown and crisp; the center is tender when pressed with a fork.
Tip: If the outside browns before the center is tender, lower the heat and cover for 1 minute.
8
Drain and keep warmOven 200°F / 95°C
- Transfer the hash brown to the wire rack set over the baking sheet, sprinkle with a pinch of salt, and keep warm in the 200°F (95°C) oven.
- Wipe out any burnt bits from the pan.
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Ready when: Surface looks dry and crackly, not greasy.
Tip: Use a rack rather than paper towels so the bottom stays crisp.
9
Cook the second batch
- Repeat steps 5–8 with the remaining oil, butter, and potatoes to make a second large cake.
- Cut each cake in half to make 4 portions and serve immediately.
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Ready when: Second cake is deep golden and crisp on both sides.
Tip: Serve straight away; hash browns lose crunch as they sit.

Good to know

Tips

Squeeze the potatoes until you think they are dry, then squeeze again.
Keep the cake no thicker than ½ inch (1.25 cm) so the center cooks before the outside burns.
Use a wide, thin spatula for flipping; two spatulas help with large cakes.
For smaller diner-style patties, divide into 4 mounds and cook in 2 batches of 2, about 4–5 minutes per side.

Make ahead

"Shred, rinse, and squeeze the potatoes up to 4 hours ahead; store in a bowl of cold water in the fridge, then drain and squeeze very dry again before seasoning and cooking."

Storage & reheating

"Room temperature: best eaten right away, no more than 1 hour. Refrigerator: airtight container up to 3 days. Freezer: freeze cooked patties flat on a tray, then bag, up to 2 months. Reheat in a 425°F (220°C) oven or toaster oven for 8–10 minutes (12–15 from frozen) until crisp; avoid the microwave."

Substitutions

russet potatoes → Yukon Gold potatoes. Slightly creamier and less crisp, but still good; rinse and dry the same way.
vegetable oil → avocado oil or canola oil. Any neutral oil with a high smoke point works.
unsalted butter → clarified butter or ghee. Browns less easily and gives a nutty flavor; use the same amount.
kosher salt → fine sea salt. Use about ¾ tsp (4 g) since fine salt is denser.