I made homemade Hash Browned Potatoes tonight for the first time & they were pretty awful - grey and mushy. How do you make them nice and crisp, like restaurants & the frozen kind?

Thanks much (and my family thanks you!),

Bonnie

-- Bonnie (stichart@plix.com), March 24, 2001

Answers

Sounds like you put the potatos in the oil before it was plenty hot. That's your biggest step, then we make sure the potatos are dabbed off with paper towels before we grade them up so there isn't any water on them. Don't cover them with a lid either, that holds the moisture in. That's how we do it anyway.

-- Pat (mikulptrc@aol.com), March 24, 2001.

when I do hashbrowns,, coarse grate,, and fry them,, thin,, and hot,, so they brown, not boil. A large flat pan,, griddle is better,, lets the water drain away

-- stan (sopal@net-port.com), March 24, 2001.

As mentioned, grate the raw, peeled potatoes coursely (shredding). Dry by dabbing with paper towel. In a large flat griddle, have 1/4 c. oil very hot (almost smoking). Add potatoes and spread around the griddle evenly. Salt and pepper to for your family's taste. Mash them flat with a spatula or pancake turner. Do not cover! Do not stir! Wait and smell the potatoes begin cooking and browning. O.K. now lift the edge of the potatoes. If brown enough, flip them over so the top can brown. When done, remove from pan and place on a clean brown paper grocery bag. That's right! It's the best grease/oil absorber around & it's free. Eat and enjoy!

-- Eve in FL (owenall@lwol.com), March 24, 2001.

I use cooked potatoes and add them to very hot oil. They cook in just a few minutes because all you are really doing is browning and crisping them.

-- (ratdogs10@yahoo.com), March 25, 2001.

I've never had any luck cooking grated raw potatoes. If you used leftover boiled potatoes...grate and fry in a little oil.....works every time! If you put just a pinch or so of sugar in the potatoes when they are boiling they brown much better when frying for hash browns too. :) tang

-- tang (tang@mtaonline.net), March 25, 2001.

As with apples.... a little lemon juice goes a long way. That's one of the trade secrets from a little place called Walker Brothers back home. That and the (already) hot oil!

-- Sue Diederich (willow666@rocketmail.com), March 26, 2001.

Making sure the grated potatoes are dry is very important. One trick I learned long ago - put the grated potatoes in a tes towel, wrap up towel and wring the extra moisture (and some starch) from the potatoes. Never fails to come out crisp and brown.

-- Randall Van Orman (rsvanorman@earthlink.net), March 27, 2001.

Thanks everybody! It looks like I did everything wrong - oil not hot enough, pan too small, potatoes too wet. Next time I'll do it right! My son also sends his thanks - he loves hash browns.

-- Bonnie (stichart@plix.com), March 29, 2001.

I don't use a bag of potatoes before they start to grow, so have been doing this for a couple years now. When they are getting past prime I boil cleaned potatoes w/ skins on, until not quite done. Cool and peel. I cube some and grate some, spread out on cookie sheets and freeze. When frozen I put serving sizes in a Food Saver bag and store in freezer. Makes perfect hash browns in no time at all.

-- Duffy (hazelm@tenforward.com), May 31, 2001.

I add garlic and onions.

-- ed (edfrhes@aol.com), May 31, 2001.

Also a fan of boiling the spuds first or better yet using left over from the night before, grating when cold. I also think the yellow Mountain or Youkon (gold) type potatoes make a much better product. Truly the very best mashed potoatoes with garlic. After trying different potatoes you won't so eaisly go back to plain ole russets except for baking. Vicki

-- Vicki McGaugh TX (vickilonesomedoe@hotmail.com), May 31, 2001.

I microwave a clean potato until its done, 3-4 mins. Pierce it with a fork to let the moisture out and to prevent explosion. Then slice into 4 wedges and place one at a time in a salad shooter. You really don't have to peel it! With 1/8" layer of hot oil going in the pan, shoot the potato directly onto the oil. Sprinkle with freshly chunked onion. Salt the potato. Don't smush them, leave them alone until they brown. Then flip, and cook the other side. After I flip them, I start the cheese scrambled eggs in another pan and drop the raisin toast in the toaster. Look out, Waffle House...you've got competition! For crispier hash browns, knock them around a little with a fork after you flip them.

-- Mark McBreen (markmcbreen@hotmail.com), March 02, 2002.

If you like hash browns, try making latkes. MMM.

-- Anne (HealthyTouch101@wildmail.com), March 02, 2002.

Bonnie,

I never really had good success frying them...same problems as you.

Then, when I was on a diet where I could fry nothing, I discovered that if you take a boiled potato that has been cooled (Cook extras at supper for breakfast the next mornging), coarse grate it and spread the potatoe on a cookie sheet lightly oiled or sprayed, and bake it or put it under the broiler until browned to suit you. Great stuff and not greasy.

-- LBD, Maryland (lavenderbluedilly@hotmail.com), March 02, 2002.