The best, perfectly crispy hash browns you'll ever make. Makes about 3 lbs of shredded potatoes, or enough for 4 pans using an 8 inch pan. Freeze the extras or scale the recipe as needed.
1 8 inch Cast iron skillet or flat griddle Black Stone griddles work great too
1 box grater
1 Flexible spatula
1 paring knife
Ingredients
5lbs Russet Potatoes
Wateras needed to cover potatoes
Highest quality coarse saltlike sea salt or kosher salt
3tbsp rendered beef fat or bacon fat vegetable oil can be substituted for vegan hashbrowns
1tbsp fresh cut chives
Instructions
Put the potatoes in a pot and cover with a few inches of water. Bring the pot, uncovered to a boil, then turn off the heat right away.
Set a timer for ten minutes, then remove the potatoes to a cooling rack and cool until you can handle them.
Peel the potatoes with a sharp paring knife, then shred on a box grater using the largest holes.
12 oz shredded potatoes is enough to serve 2 people. Freeze the rest of the hashbrowns for future breakfasts.
Heat two tablespoons of the oil on a griddle or a cast iron skillet until hot.
For one portion, add 12 oz shredded potatoes to an 8 inch pan in a big pile without pressing them down, season with salt and some additional oil and cook until browned on the bottom, about 7 minutes on medium-high heat.
Peek under a corner of the potatoes to make sure they're browned nicely and move as one, then flip with a spatula or in a pan.
Brown the other side, then remove and serve immediately, sprinkling more salt and pepper over the top to finish. Sprinkle with chives and serve.
Video
Notes
Use the right potato. High starch potatoes like Russet burbanks, Kennebec or other white potatoes are the best. Waxy potatoes won't work. It's also important the potatoes are fresh as if they've been stored, the starch converts to sugar and they'll never be crispy. I also avoid Yukon golds.