Steakhouse Hash Browns

By Patlynn

We tested three potato varieties for our Steakhouse Hash Browns recipe: russets, Yukon Golds, and red potatoes. Tasters much preferred the fluffy russets, partly because their starchy texture helped the hash browns cohere and facilitated browning. For a creamy interior, butter proved far superior to heavy cream, half-and-half, milk, buttermilk, and sour cream, all of which made the interior too wet to crisp. No matter how many spatulas we used or how delicately we tried to flip our Steakhouse Hash Browns, we just couldn’t do it without the potatoes falling apart. Gently sliding them onto a baking sheet (browned side down) and broiling the hash browns in the oven guaranteed a crisp, evenly browned exterior.

Ingredients

• Don't let the boiled potatoes sit in water or they will become mushy. Drying them in step 1 makes for a deeply golden crust. Start checking the potatoes early in step 4. You can use a rimless cookie sheet in place of the inverted baking sheet.
• 3 pounds russet potatoes (about 3 large), peeled and cut into 1/2-inch chunks
• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon pepper
• 4 tablespoons vegetable oil

Preparation

Step 1

1. COOK POTATOES Bring potatoes and enough water to cover by 1 inch to boil in large pot over high heat. Reduce heat to medium and simmer until potatoes are tender but not falling apart, 20 to 25 minutes. Drain potatoes and return to pot; let stand 5 minutes.


2. MASH POTATOES Transfer 1 cup potatoes to bowl and toss with butter. Mash buttered potatoes until smooth, then gently combine with remaining potatoes. Mix in salt and pepper.


3. BROWN POTATOES Adjust oven rack to upper position (about 4 inches below broiler element) and heat broiler. Invert rimmed baking sheet and coat lightly with cooking spray. Heat 3 tablespoons oil in 10-inch nonstick skillet over medium heat until shimmering. Add potatoes and lightly pat into a circle. Cook until bottom is crusty and golden brown, 7 to 9 minutes.


4. BROIL POTATOES Slide hash browns out of skillet onto prepared baking sheet with browned side facing down. Brush top with remaining oil and broil until deep golden brown, 10 to 14 minutes. Let rest for 5 minutes, then carefully slide onto platter. Cut into wedges and serve.



May the Circle Be Unbroken


Follow these steps to ensure a crisp crust without the danger of ripping the hash brown.


1. After searing the bottom of the hash brown in hot oil, gently slide it onto an inverted, greased baking sheet.



2. Slide the baking sheet under a preheated broiler to make the top as brown and crisp as the bottom.