Perfect Hash Browns - Sara Moulton

Total Time: 1 hr 50 mins Preparation Time: 20 mins Cook Time: 1 hr 30 mins

Ingredients

• Servings: 4
• 2 large russet potatoes
• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 1 medium onion, finely chopped
• kosher salt, to taste
• fresh ground black pepper, to taste
• 2 tablespoons vegetable oil

Recipe

• 1 preheat the oven to 400 degrees f.
• 2 scrub the potatoes well and dry with paper towels.
• 3 poke several holes in them with a skewer to allow steam to escape.
• 4 place the potatoes on a small baking sheet and bake, uncovered, until tender, about 1 hour.
• 5 allow the potatoes to cool to room temperature.
• 6 refrigerate in a plastic bag with a resealable closure overnight.
• 7 peel the potatoes and cut into 1/3-inch dice.
• 8 melt the butter in a large skillet over medium heat and add the onion.
• 9 cook, stirring often, until softened, about 5 minutes.
• 10 season with salt and pepper.
• 11 use a slotted spoon to transfer the onion to a small bowl.
• 12 add the vegetable oil to the skillet and heat until almost smoking.
• 13 add the potatoes and leave to form a crisp crust.
• 14 do not disturb the potatoes until the crust is formed, about 5 minutes.
• 15 check to see if a crust has formed; if so, give a quick stir.
• 16 if not, continue cooking for another 1 to 2 minutes, until the crust has formed.
• 17 with a spatula, turn over large chunks of the crusted potatoes.
• 18 season with salt and pepper and continue cooking until golden brown.
• 19 stir in the onion, season again with salt and pepper, and stir until the hash is heated through, about 3 minutes.
• 20 serve hot.
• 21 **cook time does not include refrigerating the cooled potatoes overnight.