The Butter Tip To Live By For Truly Unbeatable Hash Browns

Think of a wholesome and delicious breakfast meal, and we're sure that hash browns are included. Though this delicious fried potato side dish is mostly associated with diner food, traditional hash browns can easily be made at home. But what the trick is for preparing truly unbeatable hash browns? Use clarified butter to cook them. The unique properties of clarified butter render the final hash browns crispy on the outside and tender on the inside, which is exactly how we want them.

Hash browns are a comfort food that appeals to many. There is evidence to support the fact that the humble "hash brown"  dates back to the Dark Ages. This shows that people have loved and experimented with this dish for centuries. Arriving at the conclusion that clarified butter makes an unbeatable addition to hash browns has been one of the best discoveries along the way. Let's find out why.

To understand how clarified butter enhances the flavor of hash browns, it is important to look at what clarified butter is. When butter is cooked to a degree that its milk solids and part of its water content are removed, what remains is a clear liquid that is yellow in color. It has the same richness and is quite similar in taste to regular butter, but it has the distinct advantage of having a higher smoke point, as it's devoid of milk that burns when cooked. This allows it to be cooked at higher temperatures.

Using clarified butter in place of regular butter means that your hash browns won't have any burned portions for you to deal with. Secondly, the clean and intense flavor of clarified butter is a bit less sweet, which also works in favor of a truly delicious hash brown.

While writing in The Guardian about the perfect hash browns, Felicity Cloake, the author of six cookbooks and winner of the Guild of Food Writers award for Food Journalist of the Year, says, "Butter really does taste better than olive oil here, trust me." Now that you are convinced about substituting oil or butter for clarified butter while cooking hash browns, you may be curious to know how to use it for optimal results.

Clarified butter should be heated on medium heat in a large nonstick pan. The shredded potatoes should be added to it evenly. As the potatoes cook, you can add a little more clarified butter to the skillet. The trick is to ensure that the potatoes are constantly sizzling. If they stop sizzling, just add more clarified butter.

In response to a query on Reddit on "What is the trick to hash browns...?" one user responded that the butter needs to cover the entire pan, and the hash browns need to be flattened on the pan to ensure that contact is made with the butter. Finally, just before flipping the patty, more butter needs to be added on top and swirled around so that both sides are evenly coated.