White Potatoes for Hash Browns?
Are white potatoes the right type for hash browns? I guess not as I couldn't get them to adhere, without using eggs or flour etc.
Best Answer
I'm assuming you're talking about shredded style hash browns. I'm not sure how much potato variety affects the outcome, as I tend to buy yellow potatoes (as they can typically be used either for roasting or mashing, so I don't have to think about how I'm going to use them in advance). I'm also more likely to make 'home fries' style hash browns, but I did a bit of research & testing for my pancake demonstration
Most recipes for this style call for soaking the shreds in water to remove the starch, then wring them out in a dish towel or similar. You can get sometimes get better adhesion if you don't soak them, but still wring out as much water out as you can.
If you're making latkes, you'll want a bit of depth to the oil, but generally 1 to 3 tablespoons of oil or butter is enough for hash browns, depending on how large of a surface you're working with.
Make sure the crust is nice and brown before flipping. Also, make sure that you're flipping it over in chunks suitable for your spatula size (either divide it up into quadrants or similar if coating the entire pan; or make individual piles only slightly larger than your spatula). If the potatoes drank up all of the oil when cooking the first side, it's generally a sign that the heat is too low and you might need to add some more (before you flip, so it has a chance to heat up)
The exact temperature to cook at depends on how much you're trying to cook at once, how fast your pans recover after putting the food in, and how thick of a layer you're cooking. (you want to make sure that the middle is cooked before you've burned the outside; if you're having problems with this, you can also par cook the potatoes in a microwave first).
If your pan/burner combination has a particularly slow temperature recovery, you might want to get the oil up to shimmering before you put in the shreds, but you typically aim for a little lower than that.
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Are white potatoes good for hash browns?
Starchy potatoes like Russets work best for hash browns. Waxy potatoes like red new potatoes have a higher moisture content and tend to hold their shape better than starchy potatoes, and as such do not develop the crispiest of edges when fried.Which potatoes are best for hash?
Yukon Gold potatoes give you a good balance of creaminess and crispness, but will not get as crisp as russets. The type of potato you use can have a great impact on the final result. Waxy red or new potatoes turn nice and creamy when cooked, but are terrible at developing crisp crusts.Which potatoes are best for shredding?
So waxy potatoes, like Yukon Golds, are better if you want to ensure your hash browns stick together. But if you want crispy hash browns, grab some starchy potatoes, like Russets.Are yellow potatoes good for hash browns?
Then, don't even try to move the potatoes until the bottom is well browned, to avoid sticking. Russet, or high starch, potatoes make the best hash browns, but you can use Yukon Gold potatoes for a buttery flavor.How to Make Hash Browns - Diner Style Restaurant Hashbrown Recipe
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Answer 2
Use big brown ones or small golden ones but skip russet potatoes. Those are best for mashed potato recipe.
Edited: Comment Added
For perfectly crisp hash browns waxy variety(potatoes) works well. Use long shreds of potatoes to get them stick together. It works for me!
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