Cook The Crispiest Hash Browns On Your Blackstone Griddle With This Tip

Breakfast is the most important meal of the day, and what better way to break your fast than by enjoying a golden brown and crispy diner-style hash brown? These pucks of shredded potato, when fried to perfection, make the best accompaniment to a plate of fried eggs, and perhaps a strip of bacon or even a link or two of your favorite breakfast sausage. But cultivating the right cooking technique with these breakfast spuds is essential. Just one wrong move, and you may end up with an oily, sodden mess. We've found that secret to cooking the crispiest hash browns on your Blackstone griddle (or any other pan or griddle, for that matter) lies in not flipping them prematurely.

In order to get that perfect crisp browning, avoid touching your hash browns as they cook. It may be tempting to flip them often to check on the progress if you're hungry, but doing that too soon means that the surface of your hash browns won't have enough time directly exposed to heat. Without extended exposure to the hot surface, they will not properly undergo the Maillard reaction — where the surface moisture evaporates and the proteins and sugars in the potato react to form a golden brown crust.

While lifting them up a bit and sneaking a quick peek every now and then (after the first 12 minutes or so) won't hurt, it's best not to flip them until they've properly formed that crust. And definitely avoid messing with them if they stick to the cooking surface — they'll release eventually once a crust forms, so just remain patient. We promise it will be worth it!

Besides leaving your hash browns without flipping them too often, there are some additional factors that can ensure perfectly crispy hash browns every time, whether you're using a Blackstone grill or not. For starters, make sure to rinse and dry your potatoes. For the best chance of browning when you throw your shredded potatoes on the heat, it is always a great idea to wring out the excess starch and moisture.

And don't cook these potatoes at a temperature that's too high — medium or medium-low is perfect. While it may seem like upping the heat would allow for better browning, cooking hash browns on high could result in a really crispy exterior but a crunchy, raw, and starchy undercooked interior (yuck). Covering the griddle with a melting dome or an inverted metal bowl to let the potatoes steam is an additional way to ensure a fully cooked hash brown, so long as you cook it uncovered once you've flipped it. To ensure even cooking with no soggy bits in the middle, it's also best to press the hash browns in an even layer. When they're ready, serve them straight away so they have no time to soften.

But these tips won't help if you don't know when to flip. The bottom line: Less is more when it comes to touching your morning hash browns — they'll be just fine if you leave them for a bit to crisp up on a griddle's hot cooking surface. Have any leftovers? Check out these 14 things you'd never think to do with hash browns.