Hash Browns

Removing moisture

The secret to crispy hash browns is removing as much water from the grated potato as possible before cooking. Freshly grated potato is wrapped in a clean cloth and squeezed very hard — the amount of water that comes out is surprising. This step cannot be skipped: excess moisture steams the potato rather than frying it, preventing the crust from forming. After squeezing, the potato is seasoned and immediately fried.

American diner staple

Hash browns became a fixture of American diner and breakfast culture in the early 20th century. The dish was popularised in the 1890s at New York city hotels as a quick, economical potato preparation. Today they appear on virtually every American breakfast menu and were exported globally by fast food chains — McDonald’s hash browns are among the most widely eaten breakfast foods on earth.

McDonald’s version

The McDonald’s hash brown — a formed oval patty fried until uniformly golden — is the reference point for most people’s understanding of the dish. The commercial version uses a specific potato blend, precise moisture control, and part-frying then freezing before the final restaurant fry. Despite this industrial process, it achieves a near-ideal crisp/soft contrast.

Shredded vs. diced

American hash browns are traditionally shredded (grated into long strands). Diced potato preparations are called home fries or country potatoes in the US. In Britain, the term hash brown refers to the compressed shredded-potato patty popularised by fast food; loose shredded potato cooked in butter is less common and less well known.