When my colleague Matt Duckor first proposed a Food Fight pitting home fries against hash browns, I have to admit I hesitated. Even though Im a diehard fan of home fries, I wasnt sure whether I could prove my point in public. After all, hash browns — Matts pick — are shredded potatoes, fried in boatloads of oil until super-crispy. Home fries are a harder sell: Soft chunks of cooked potato, pan-fried with onions and maybe peppers until golden brown outside and tender within.
Wait a minute. Did I just sell you on home fries already? If not, here goes:Hash browns are merely crispy. Home fries have a range of textures.
Hash browns are nothing more than breakfast French fries, all smooshed together into a cluster. They pander to your most primitive fast-food urges. Home fries, on the other hand, deliver an array of potato textures: Crunchy slabs of golden-brown exterior plus floury, tender interior. Not to mention caramelized bits of onion (and maybe even tender pieces of sautéed green pepper).
Order home fries, and you wont just get a plate of potatoes. Youll get those caramelized onions and maybe peppers that I mentioned above. Hash browns tend to be a simple combo of fat, potato, and salt (if youre lucky). Why choose a breakfast potato that rests on its laurels? Home fries try harder.Fried eggs are best friends with home fries.
Like toast, breakfast potatoes exist to sop up the delicious runny yolks in your fried eggs. So why are hash browns so bad at it? The crispy, shellacked exterior repels the buttery yolk rather than absorbing it like (you guessed it) home fries do. Try mopping up your eggs with a forkful of hash browns. Cant. Do it.Hash browns will hurt you. Guaranteed.
Ok, I might be overstating things a bit. But hash browns are usually fried in way more oil, and that hot oil has a tendency to splatter right onto your skin. Think youre safe once the hash browns leave the skillet? Think again. All those sharp, thorny bits of hard shredded potato can tear up the roof of your mouth like an edible Brillo pad. Why risk it? Its best to stick with the tastier, less dangerous breakfast potatoes. Hash browns will never do you wrong.
Hash browns, also spelled hashed browns and hashbrowns, are a popular American breakfast dish consisting of finely julienned potatoes that have been fried until golden browned. Hash browns are a staple breakfast food at diners in North America, where they are often fried on a large common cooktop or grill.
Oh, the battle of breakfast potatoes. People tend to have their favorites, and sometimes they dont even know why. Whether its what you were brought up with that you love most or whats served at your favorite restaurant, both are great choices, and we are not here to pick which is best. Being that home fries and hash browns are classic American breakfast potato side dishes, they have bigger differences than one may assume. However, one thing that they do have in common is that most are made from russet potatoes. They are sturdy and starchy, allowing the potatoes to hold their shape well (via MasterClass).
To begin, the cut size and shape of the potatoes will result in very different dishes. For home fries, the potatoes are typically cut into small cubes, allowing for crispy edges but soft interiors. Hash browns, on the other hand, are created from shredded potatoes. Squeezing out the moisture creates a very crispy exterior. In addition, Serious Eats explains that dryer potatoes will result in crispier potatoes. The site advises squeezing out as much liquid as possible to get even browning when making hash browns, a step that is not needed for home fries.
In addition to the shape, the two dishes are cooked differently. If cooked in a pan — versus a deep fryer or oven — home fries will typically require less oil to crisp up and cook through as they are usually parboiled. To get crispy hash browns, Bon Appétit notes that it is important to allow the potatoes to cook undisturbed until crispy and crunchy. Moving around the home fries will give you an even browning and crisp, but hash browns benefit from sitting still and browning up. Lastly, home fries are often cooked alongside additional mix-ins, such as onion and bell peppers. Hash browns, alternatively, tend to be made from simply fat, potatoes, and salt (via Epicurious). While both are delicious in their own right, were not here to discriminate against any kind of potato — so be sure to give them both a try.
You may continue to be the type of person who doesnt have a preference for one over the other, but its important to know the difference if you find yourself battling it out with a breakfast aficionado. Some argue home fries have more flavor, while others love the crisp that hash browns bring to a dish. While both can be made in a variety of ways, people also tend to have their favorite recipes or mix-ins — but there are some basic ways to approach each. In fact, there are a few ways in which these two potato dishes differ: How the potatoes are cut, the cooking technique, and potential mix-ins.
Ok, I might be overstating things a bit. But hash browns are usually fried in way more oil, and that hot oil has a tendency to splatter right onto your skin. Think youre safe once the hash browns leave the skillet? Think again. All those sharp, thorny bits of hard shredded potato can tear up the roof of your mouth like an edible Brillo pad. Why risk it? Its best to stick with the tastier, less dangerous breakfast potatoes. Hash browns will never do you wrong.
Order home fries, and you wont just get a plate of potatoes. Youll get those caramelized onions and maybe peppers that I mentioned above. Hash browns tend to be a simple combo of fat, potato, and salt (if youre lucky). Why choose a breakfast potato that rests on its laurels? Home fries try harder.Fried eggs are best friends with home fries.
Wait a minute. Did I just sell you on home fries already? If not, here goes:Hash browns are merely crispy. Home fries have a range of textures.
When my colleague Matt Duckor first proposed a Food Fight pitting home fries against hash browns, I have to admit I hesitated. Even though Im a diehard fan of home fries, I wasnt sure whether I could prove my point in public. After all, hash browns — Matts pick — are shredded potatoes, fried in boatloads of oil until super-crispy. Home fries are a harder sell: Soft chunks of cooked potato, pan-fried with onions and maybe peppers until golden brown outside and tender within.
Like toast, breakfast potatoes exist to sop up the delicious runny yolks in your fried eggs. So why are hash browns so bad at it? The crispy, shellacked exterior repels the buttery yolk rather than absorbing it like (you guessed it) home fries do. Try mopping up your eggs with a forkful of hash browns. Cant. Do it.Hash browns will hurt you. Guaranteed.
How to Make Hash Browns – Diner Style Restaurant Hashbrown Recipe
FAQ
Are hash browns the same as potatoes?
Are frozen hash browns just potatoes?
What’s the difference between home fries and a hash brown potatoes?
Are Mcdonald’s hash browns real potatoes?
What is the difference between hash browns and shredded potatoes?
Before understanding the difference, it’s important to have a firm grasp on what each one means. Hash browns are diced and shredded potatoes that are browned in a pan with some sort of fat, often on both sides, but sometimes just on one side.
Which is better, raw or cooked potato?
Potatoes are always better cooked because of their high starch content. Starch needs to be cooked in order to be digested properly by the body’s enzymes. To improve the glycemic index of the potato, it can be allowed to cool after cooking. This generates resistant starch that acts as fiber.
Which potato is best for hash browns?
Although you can use just about any potato variety there is, the best choice for hash browns is a Russet potato, as it contains the most starch and will brown best in the frying pan. Any potato — whether mashed, baked, or fried — definitely needs salt, so that is almost as important an ingredient as the potato itself.
What are hash browns?
Though the awesomeness of hash browns may be a settled matter, not everyone agrees on what hash browns are. While potatoes are a must, how those spuds are cut varies wildly—for some, hash browns are a mess of precisely cubed potatoes, while others prefer oddly shaped wedges.