Hash Brown Potato Guide

Whether you call them hash browns, home fries, fried potatoes or skillet fries, the best are made with potatoes. The russet varieties of potatoes the essential ingredient for hash browns with a satisfying taste and texture. They absorb less fat in cooking, ensuring crispy hash browns.

Here are some hash brown menu ideas:

For southwest flavor, toss hash browns with corn, diced red pepper, minced jalapeño peppers and garlic. Top with guacamole or salsa and serve with steak, ribs or pork.
Add chopped red pepper, minced garlic, chopped fresh sage leaves and ground black pepper to hash browns.
Make a hash brown pizza by topping cooked hash browns with sliced roasted vegetables and a blend of cheeses; then bake.
Add grated, sliced zucchini and grated parsnips or turnips to hash browns. Season with garlic, sage and rosemary; then skillet cook.
Top hash browns with goat cheese and bake. Serve with sautéed, diced apple.
Create "veggie" hash browns by adding chopped onions, diced red and green peppers and red pepper flakes to hash browns.
Add garlic and fresh herbs to potatoes and top with a tomato-basil sauce.

Making Healthier Hash Brown Guide

Use a non-stick fry pan and cooking spray instead of oil for reduced-fat hash browns.
Oven-bake hash browns instead of frying them to substantially reduce fat and calories.
Spray the pan with non-stick butter-flavored cooking spray before baking.
Avoid pre-salting and allow diners add as much or as little as they like.

Preparation

For best results, use U.S. grade No. 1 fresh potatoes, 120 to 140 count, packed in 50 lb. cartons or potatoes economically packed in bags. You will need approximately 6 pounds of potatoes for 25, 1/2 cup servings. For 4 servings use 3 cups finely diced raw potatoes. We recommend using unpeeled potatoes for hash browns. This will increase your yield by 12% or more, and the skins enhance the natural, homemade flavor and appearance of hash browns. When grating the potatoes, immediately soak in water to prevent discoloration. Or par-cook potatoes before grating, or use left-over baked potatoes. Also, to preserve the potatoes' taste and texture, avoid grating too fine or cutting too small.

Hash browns should be grilled at 375°F for 2 - 4 minutes. Twenty-five servings can be accommodated easily on a 31" x 32" foodservice grill. Add any optional ingredients or seasonings before grilling; then mix gently on the grill to coat all pieces. Keep the hash brown mixture loose; do not flatten. Hash browns can also be slowly sauteed in a pan with a little oil until brown.