For years when the urge for hash browns hit, I would just make oven roasted home fries. Hash browns can kind of be a pain. You have to use half a roll of paper towels to get the potatoes really dry, and Mama doesn’t have time for that.
Then over the holidays – again – I preheated the oven to make my usual home fries. As I reached for my roasting pan, my salad spinner fell off the shelf and hit my hand.
My salad spinner.
I felt like a complete doofus, because I use the salad spinner for potato galettes, but I’d never considered using it for hash browns.
So, I pulled out my mother’s trusty Salad Shooter from the 90’s (seriously) and made hash browns.
Which turned out to be a mixed bag, because they’re delicious – but really easy – so now I’m going to be living on hash browns.
Perfect Hash Browns
Serves 2-4.
Ingredients:
- 2 medium russet or 2 large red potatoes, grated
- 1 ½ tablespoons grape seed or olive oil
- 1 small red onion, diced
- 1 teaspoon seasoned salt
- 2 tablespoons chopped pickled jalapenos (optional)
Instructions:
Place the potatoes in the basket of the salad shooter, and cover them with cold water. Let them sit for about a minute. Drain and repeat twice, or until the water is clear and the starch is gone.
Spin the water out of the potatoes using a salad spinner. (Or, using paper towels.)
Heat the oil in the bottom of a heavy frying pan over medium heat until it shimmers, about 2 minutes. Drop a piece of potato in there, and if it sizzles – the oil is ready to go.
Mix the potatoes and onion together. Stir in the seasoned salt and toss well.
Place the potato mixture in the frying pan, and pat down using spatula.
Leave the potatoes alone until they’re crispy on the bottom, about 3-5 minutes. Flip and brown on the other side, about 3 minutes.
Top with pickled jalapenos and serve immediately.
(Photos by Launie K.)
