Food

Homemade Hash Browns Recipe

The notorious fast food breakfast potato has been upgraded with the magic of duck fat.
homemade-hash-browns-recipe

Makes about 8
Prep time: 30 minutes 
Total time: 2 hours, plus overnight resting

Ingredients

2 pounds|900 grams Russet potatoes, scrubbed clean and peeled
3 ½ quarts|13 ½ cups duck fat
kosher salt, to taste

Directions

  1. Grate the potatoes using a box grater and place the gratings into a large bowl. Cover with water, agitate to rinse off any excess starch, drain the water from the potatoes, and place the potatoes on a clean cloth. 
  2. Gather up the sides of the cloth, wind it around and tighten around the potatoes and wring out the excess liquid. 
  3. In a large heavy bottom pot, combine the duck fat and potatoes (while cold) over medium heat. Heat up from cold, stirring occasionally, until it reaches 215°F, about 10 minutes. Immediately strain the oil out of the potatoes. Reserve the fat to the side. 
  4. Pour the potatoes onto a rimmed baking sheet. Spread into an even layer and season generously with salt, gently mixing to incorporate.  
  5. Once the potatoes are cool enough to handle, line a baking sheet with wax paper and shape the potatoes into the classic hash brown oval shape (about 2.5-inches wide and 3.5-inches long, about ½-inch thick). Pat potatoes tightly together. Use the back of a spoon to really pack it tight. You should make about 7 to 8. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate overnight. 
  6. The next day, heat the reserved duck fat over medium until a thermometer reaches 375°F. Working in batches 1 at a time, lower in the cold hash brown into the fat and fry until golden and crisp, 3 to 4 minutes. Transfer the hash browns to a wire rack and season with salt, then serve. 

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