Hash Brown Recipe

1. Prepare potatoes

Peel the russet potatoes (you can leave skin on if preferred). Using the large holes of a box grater or a food processor grating disk, grate the potatoes into a large bowl.

2. Immediately after grating, place the grated potatoes into a clean kitchen towel or several layers of cheesecloth. Gather the cloth and squeeze firmly over the sink to remove as much liquid as possible — aim to remove at least half the moisture. This step is essential for crisp hash browns.

3. Transfer the squeezed potatoes to a bowl and sprinkle with the 1 tsp kosher salt. Toss to distribute.

4. Prepare onion

Peel and finely grate or very finely mince the yellow onion. If the onion releases a lot of juice, squeeze lightly to remove excess moisture and then add the grated onion to the potatoes.

5. Combine binder

To the bowl with the drained potatoes and onion, add the egg, 1 tablespoon flour, and 1/2 teaspoon black pepper. Mix until evenly combined. The mixture should hold together loosely — if it feels too wet, add another 1 teaspoon of flour; if too dry, spoon in 1 teaspoon of water or beaten egg.

6. Heat pan

Place a 10- or 12-inch nonstick or cast-iron skillet over medium-high heat. Add 2 tablespoons neutral oil and, if using, 1 tablespoon butter. Heat until the fat shimmers and the butter is melted and just beginning to brown lightly but not burn.

7. Form and fry

For each hash brown, scoop about 1/2 cup of the potato mixture and shape into a loose patty about 1/2-inch thick (for a single serving make 3–4 small patties or 1 large). Carefully place patties in the hot skillet without crowding — leave space so steam can escape and they can crisp. Press gently with a spatula to flatten and increase contact with the pan.

8. Cook undisturbed for 4–6 minutes until the underside is deep golden brown and releases easily. Flip and cook the other side for 3–5 minutes until crisp and cooked through. Reduce heat slightly if browning too quickly before inside is cooked.

9. If making a larger batch, transfer finished hash browns to a baking sheet in a 200°F (95°C) oven to keep warm and crisp while you cook the rest.

10. Taste and season: sprinkle flaky sea salt to taste over the hot hash browns and garnish with the chopped fresh chives. Serve immediately with ketchup, hot sauce, sour cream, or eggs as desired.