The Art of Breakfast Hashbrowns

What makes a good breakfast potato? Ask 10 people, get 10 answers I tell you. Everyone has a favourite style! I'm not going to use this post to try and tell you I have the best way to make a hashbrown but instead I have am going to share the techniques to make a damn good breakfast potato. I have talked about this topic a lot with a lot of people. I am breakfast person and the potato is the lynch pin. Everyone can toast some bread and put some nice sausage and poached eggs on a plate but if your potatoes suck then I am going to be ticked.

The key is twofold: soft inside and crunchy outside. How do you do this? Boil first, fry second. The boiling action cooks the potato through and makes it soft. The frying brings not just the crunch but the flavour too.

Follow this method and breakfast at your house will become legend.

Method:

• Chop your potatoes into larger chunks. You don’t want shredded potatoes or even cubed ones. You are aiming for the nickel to quarter range. No golf balls but half golf balls. Does anyone understand or am I talking crazy?
• Drop the potatoes into cold, salted water. Cover, set on high and bring to a rolling boil.
• When it is boiling rapidly, count to 30 and then drain them. Let them steam in the colander until dry. If they are still moist you won’t achieve your crunch.
• In a frying pan, put equal parts butter and oil. Heat until it foams over medium high heat.
• Add in your potatoes and CAREFULLY toss them in the butter and oil. The less you touch them with a spoon the better. You don’t want them to break up.
• Fry until they start to color, flipping frequently.
• Now is the time to add some flavorings. I like to use garlic powder, dried herbs and lots of salt and pepper. I know that some of you will cringe at the garlic powder rather than the fresh stuff but you want the garlic to coat every little bit of potato. Sprinkle it all over, flipping the potatoes in the pan to make sure it is equally covered.
• Continue to cook over medium – medium high until they become deep golden.
• You can blot them on kitchen paper but don’t let them sit, serve right away so they stay CRISP.