Post Punk Kitchen Forum

What does Waffle House do to the hashbrowns to get them all browned and fried? I've been trying my own at home and although tasty they do not achieve the same color or crispiness. I've been frying with EB, oil or that new coconut spread. Should I simply be coating the pan with about an inch of the stuff to get it browned? More of a deep fry than a pan fry?

I've wondered about this, too. I wonder if the cooking surface matters. They cook everything on a flat top.

are the waffle house hashbrown shredded style? or cubes?

Gonna have to get some covert Waffle House hashbrown investigation going on.

They are shredded, which is what I've been using at home.

isn't it high heat? That's what I always thought it was

I did some research into this recently. The secret is getting as much water out of the potatoes as possible. You can squeeze water out by pressing them into a ricer, or just into a fine strainer. Or I guess you could probably even wrap them in towels and press them like tofu! I made some real fine crispy hashbrowns last week by just squeezing them into a strainer. I didn't use that much oil.

Some google research is suggesting that getting rid of all moisture is the key. I was using frozen, perhaps that is the problem? One article says WH uses dehydrated hashbrowns.

The only times I've had a truly crispy homemade hashbrown have been the times when I've shredded all the potatoes in a bowl and then pressed the water out of them with a tea towel, paper towels, or cheesecloth. (And in my experience, adding more oil to unsqueezed potato shreds has just made them super-greasy rather than deep-frying them.)

If the water doesn't get pressed out, the potatoes just steam rather than get all righteously crispy and delicious. But that process is time-consuming, and it requires at least ten minutes of foresight, which is why I'm usually eating mediocre and mostly-steamed homemade 'browns.

ETA jinx for stupid me posting without clicking preview and seeing that this has already been covered

You know, that's what I do with my latkes, and they get pretty crispy. I bet that would work.

ETA latke photo

Dang. I just finished my bag. I must get some potatoes and get on the crispy train.
Also, latkes please.

ok, here's my method. i shred them and then salt them and let them drain in a strainer with a weight on it. they get cripsy. i once tried to cook them in a waffle maker when i was excited about waffle makers, from which birthed drier less greasy hash.

High heat, single layer in the pan, squeeze out the water throughly. It is really important to use a large enough pan or to do batches if you want waffle house level of crispy.

I use a kitchen towel, put the shredded potatoes in, and twist both ends until no more water comes out. But wait, you're using frozen. Use high heat and give them time. Every time you budge them early, you lose a shot at perfect crispness. And yes, to thin layer.

Interest piqued.

Yep, this was pretty much my thought. Also, once you finally get them into the pan, don't mess around with them too much. Just let them do their thing and once they're nice and browned, they'll release at their own crispy leisure.

yeah! don't crowd the pan!

Scattered, smothered and covered.

These aren't really Waffle House-style hashbrowns, but they look delicious, and you might want to try making them sometime when you are willing to put a lot of time/effort into it: http://www.itaintmeatbabe.com/2010/03/s ... rowns.html

Report back if you end up making them! I have been meaning to try this recipe for a while.

fork yeah.

My fiancée used to work at waffle house, here is the down low:

Their hash browns are dehydrated, then rehydrated with water

1 oz of oil per serving

hot flattop to cook it on.



I want hash browns now.

I just sat down with a bowl of soup, and now I want latkes. Badly.

More on topic: the best hash browns I ever made involved squeezing them to death to get rid of as much water as possible and then cooking them in a very thin layer on slightly *lower* heat than I would normally use, for a long time before flipping. Like 10+ minutes before even peeking to see how done they are.

I always press out the water with paper towels...but now im thinking of trying my Tofu Xpress next time to press it

Where does one buy dehydrated hashbrowns? Do they sell them at regular grocery stores, or do you have to buy them from a special restaurant/ food service supply store?

Someone online said they found them at a grocer, but I've never seen them. Or looked really. I think the brand they found was Hungry Jack.