A hash brown breakfast is an extremely popular way to start the day in America. You’ll find them served in roadside diners and takeaway joints and even in fancy hotels.
While you can buy frozen ready-made ones, it’s much nicer to make your own for a weekend breakfast at home. They’re simple and only use a few basic ingredients but it can be a little tricky getting them to stick together.
If you’ve struggled with this, read on because we have some solutions.
How To Make Hash Browns Stick Together?
Our non-U.S. readers may be wondering what hash browns are so we’ll quickly tell you what you’ve been missing out on all this time!
They’re little patties made of finely shredded raw potatoes mixed with some seasoning and fried until crispy. These are fried until golden and served with eggs, bacon, ham, fried mushrooms and tomatoes, cheese, or other breakfast ingredients.
Hash browns are tasty, moreish morsels that we can’t seem to get enough of. They’re crunchy, a little salty, and richly satisfying because of the oil (and sometimes butter) they’re fried in.
Hash browns are made in a compact patty form and must be seasoned well. They are filling and make a calorie-dense breakfast that will keep you full for hours.
Reasons for hash browns not sticking together:
- Water/juice was not drained off the potatoes after shredding. After grating, put the potatoes into a colander and press down hard using a clean dishtowel to extract as much of the juice as possible. Some people use a salad spinner for this job. Others put them into a dish towel and wring the juice out. This is the number one way to get crispy, not-soggy, stuck-together hash browns.
- You rinsed the potatoes in water after shredding them. This method is seen in some recipes. However, washing the starch away leaves the strands separate and unable to stick together. They need some starch to make them sticky.
- You didn’t use the right potato variety. Waxy potatoes don’t give a good result for hash browns. Russets are the best for this dish because they crisp up nicely and stick together well.
- The potatoes may have been shredded too coarsely. The patties will stick together better if the potatoes are finely grated/shredded.
- The hash browns may not have been cooked for long enough on both sides. While you need the flame to be fairly high to brown the patties, if it’s too hot it will cook the outside too quickly and leave the inside raw. This will cause the hash browns to fall apart.
- The pan may not have been properly greased causing the hash browns to stick and break into pieces. Use a non-stick pan and be sure to use enough oil.
- You flipped them too often. It is better to let each side brown properly before flipping the patties over. Handling them too much can cause them to break apart.
- Incorrect ingredients were used. You can use extra ingredients like cheese in your hash browns to help the potato to bind together. Out top recommendation for getting your hash browns to stick together if you have the wrong potato, or variety is to add cheese. It melts and acts as a “glue” for the other ingredients. Plus, it’s delicious!
Best Hash Browns Recipe
Our hash browns recipe, if carefully followed, will result in crispy hash browns that stick together beautifully. Give them a go!
Ingredients
- 500 g russet variety potatoes, peeled
- 30 ml cooking oil
- 15 ml butter
- Salt and pepper
Instructions
- Shred the potatoes on a box grater, using the biggest holes.
- Wrap the shredded potato in a clean dishtowel and squeeze out as much water as you can or drain them using one of the other methods mentioned.
- Line a microwave-safe plate with a couple of layers of paper towels.
- Spread the potatoes over this and cover with another layer of paper towel.
- Microwave on high for 2 minutes only.
- Heat the oil and butter in a non-stick pan over a medium flame.
- Add the potato in a thin, even layer when the butter has melted.
- Season with salt and pepper to taste.
- Press the potatoes down evenly with a spatula.
- Do not turn until the bottom is brown. This takes a few minutes.
- Flip the hash brown over and cook until the other side is brown.
- Remove and drain on a paper towel.
- Serve immediately.
