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The best corned beef hash is a contradiction. It is soft in the middle and crackling at the edges, salty and savory, and it ought to be a little burnt on one side. Most home attempts go wrong the same way: they steam instead of sear.
The cure is simple. Parboil the potatoes, brown the beef on its own, and then leave the hash alone in the pan long enough for a crust to form.
Ingredients
- 1½ pounds Yukon Gold potatoes (russets also work), peeled and diced
- ½ yellow onion, diced
- 1½ teaspoons salt, divided
- 1½ tablespoons olive oil, divided
- 1½ cups chopped cooked corned beef, about ½ pound
- 1 tablespoon butter
- ½ teaspoon black pepper, ½ teaspoon garlic powder and ¼ teaspoon smoked paprika
- Chopped green onions or parsley, and eggs, to finish
The amounts come from a Budget Bytes recipe and serve four. Use leftover corned beef from a boiled dinner if you have it, or ask the deli counter for a thick slice.
Step by step
- Parboil the potatoes. Cover them with water, add 1 teaspoon salt, bring to a boil and cook about 5 minutes. Drain well.
- Brown the beef. Heat ½ tablespoon olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat and brown the corned beef for 5 to 6 minutes. Remove it to a plate.
- Sauté the onion. In the same pan, melt the butter with 1 tablespoon oil and cook the onion about 2 minutes, until soft.
- Start the crust. Add the drained potatoes. Cook without stirring for 4 to 5 minutes so one side crisps.
- Season and turn. Add the remaining salt, pepper, garlic powder and paprika. Stir and cook 5 to 7 minutes, scraping up the browned bits.
- Bring it back together. Return the beef and cook 2 to 3 minutes, until hot. Serve with a fried or poached egg.
What makes the crust
Three things. First, dry potatoes. Drain them well and let the steam leave before they hit the fat. Second, a pan that is hot and not crowded. A 12-inch cast iron skillet holds heat better than a thin pan and gives you the diner-style sear. Third, patience. Pressing the hash flat with a sturdy metal spatula and leaving it for several minutes lets the bottom brown. Every time you stir, you start over.
Make it the diner way
At a counter, the hash arrives with a pair of eggs and toast. Break a yolk into it and the crisp edges soak up what they can. Some cooks add a splash of hot sauce, a dash of Worcestershire or a few minutes of extra browning, so the bottom turns almost dark. All of it is taste, and none of it is wrong.
If you have no cooked corned beef, cooking a brisket from raw is a longer project. For a weekday breakfast, a thick deli slice chopped into cubes works fine.
Food safety
Reheat leftovers to 165°F, according to the federal food safety chart. Eggs cooked in a dish should reach 160°F, and for a sunny-side-up egg the safe-minimum guidance is to cook until the yolk and white are firm. If you like a runny yolk, you are accepting a risk that is higher for young children, older adults, pregnant people and anyone with a weakened immune system. An instant-read thermometer takes the guesswork out of the hash.
Questions people ask
Can I use canned corned beef hash? You can. The method above usually gives you better texture, because you control the crust.
Can I make it ahead? Cook it through, cool it quickly and refrigerate. Reheat in a hot skillet, not the microwave, so it crisps again.
Why is mine mushy? Wet potatoes, a crowded pan or constant stirring. Dry them, use a bigger pan and leave it alone.
