Let's talk about hash browns.

[Half_Baked]

Why do they seem to take sooo long to brown?

Maybe you can help me, or I guess I could look it up . Nah, y'all will know more and have helpful hints.

I bake my potatos in the microwave and cut them into chunks. I chop up onions.

I heat the pan, add oil/grease du jour. Then I add my onions with a sprinkle of sugar. I fry them til they are about 1/3 way done, then I add the s&p and potatos.

I cover them for 15 min, then stir, 15 min then stir and sometimes another 15 min. I have the heat just past medium.

I usually add gr pepper and bacon or ham.

How do you make them?

Wait a minute...bet the 12" cast iron pan will brown them quicker. The 10" is too small for our batches...I cook enough for 4 so we have leftovers.

[bjcotton]

Your main problem I believe is covering them. You are holding the steam in instead of letting it evaporate. I was doing that in the past when I fried my potatoes and was complaining about them not browning. Same O same O.

[vannin]

I boil my potatoes, it seems quicker. Mash them roughly and add sharp grated cheese and fine chopped onion with herbs, and butter, beaten egg and S&P. Add milk to a dropping consistancy. Tablespoons on a hotplate or pan, and turn when browned. I think Billy is right, perhaps covering them steams them instead of browning.

[vannin]

Having said that my concept of a HBr may be entirely different from yours.

[Half_Baked]

That seems just too simple for me not to have figured out after all these years. Perhaps one of my 1000 cookbooks might have helped me out if I'd read a Hash Brown recipe.

There are some things that I'd never looked up - like frying chicken. After I read a recipe 25 yrs ago, my chicken improved dramatically. Before that I had just watched people do it and thought, "well that's easy enought". Obviously not.

Dale, in Georgia, that's one variation of a potato pancake. I never thought of making them silver dollar size. That is nice.

[vannin]

Fun, isn't it Janluv, I like frittery things for the function centre, made ahead, say, in the morning, or day before. Cob things and ball things. Reheated, oven or deep fryer.

[bjcotton]

I believe that's how Dale makes the stuffing for twice baked potatoes too...right dear?

I Googled fried potatoes and most of them agreed that you could cover the potatoes, but remove the cover for browning.

Check out this website Jan...

http://southernfood.about.com/od/hashbro...50809f.htm

[esgunn]

I do a garlic and basil browned new potatoes - Par boil and then cook the new potatoes and garlic in oil - but If I want it to brown quicker - I add butter. That will brown much faster - especially if you are using olive oil. Toss in fresh chopped basil when they are done. YUMMY!

It seems like with out the butter - they would never brown.
Also, leave them alone - don't stir too much so they have a chance to get a crust going. That is my biggest problem - always trying to stir them.

[vannin]

Yes Billy bro. It is more or less, I don't add egg to the twicebakeds unless I am finishing them m'solf. They need to be grabbed just as they have peaked at the rising and served so everyone can see how brilliant you are. I have used the skins for lining with the right sized skinned seeded tomatoes, putting in some filling of chopped ham, and/or bacon (cooked) fresh breadcrumbs and herbs, with an egg broken into the cavity to fill it up. It is nice to put some buttered bread crumbs on top, mixed with a few gratings of cheese. Very good with mushrooms served around it, and sprinkled with chopped parsely. Best if the taties are left with a good lining of potato flesh. S&P all over the place And diligent searchery is involved with matching potato to tomato. I haven't done this for so long.

[cjs]

Seems we all do our fried tatoes differently. Yes, I always a cast iron skillet - size depending on how many I'm fixing them for and I always start out with more because they do cook down. IMO, fried potatoes should take at least an hour to an hour & 1/2 to be able to get them nicely brown with all the crusty goop.

Start out with veggie oil (or duck fat if I have it - for the best tasting fried tatoes in the world!!) and slice up (raw) potatoes, a couple cloves of garlic, and slices of onion and layer in the skillet adding a little s&p with each layer. (only layer them to make it easier to turn and mix up, 'cause I usually fill the skillet too much to start)

I cover mine for the first half hour, on med. low heat, turning often. The last 1/2 hour (or till they are done, I uncover them and not turn as often so the crusty goop will develop with each turning.

to me, fried potatoes should never be rushed. I have one cast iron skillet that will hold 10# of potatoes and onions that I used when the kids were home and camping.