Hash brown help needed.

[CrispyQ]

I have tried about 4 times to make hash browns from fresh potatoes & they aren't very good. What am I doing wrong?

I shred the spuds & cook them in olive oil in a cast iron skillet at medium-high heat. If I turn the heat up more I have problems with smoke. I always end up putting the spuds under the broiler to get them brown & crisp. They are pretty greasy, too. x( I have the same problem with frozen spuds. :(

Also, can anyone recommend a vegan sausage link?

And lastly, someone on another site has recommended this company's products. Has anyone here tried them?

Vegan Grain Meats http://www.fieldroast.com/products.htm

Happy weekend! :hi:

[yewberry]

1. Hash browns!

I think the trick is to get as much moisture out as you can--if there is too much moisture in them, they get gummy and greasy by the time the water cooks out of them. The surface starch absorbs the water instead of browning.

Restaurants solve this by letting shredded potatoes sit in heavily salted water, which helps draw the water out of them. You can press them thoroughly with a kitchen towel instead--some people swear by using a ricer. The spuds should be dry when they hit the pan, and you shouldn't turn or mix them until the bottom browns.

What kind of potatoes are you using? High-starch potatoes (like russets) seem to make the best hash browns. Also, the kind of olive oil might be making a difference if you're having to adjust based on smoke point. Unrefined, extra-virgin, and virgin have lower smoke points than light & extra-light olive oils. You can also use part olive oil and part vegetable oil.

I think they're harder than they look.

Good luck! :hi:

[CrispyQ]

4. Thanks for your tips!

I had never heard about the moisture in the spuds.

I'm glad someone else thinks hash browns are harder than they look!

:hi:

[Chan790]

2. This is good faux-sausage IMO.

It tastes nearly real provided you don't undercook it; then it tastes like play-doh. I don't know if it's vegan or not though, but the ingredients are posted on the webpage.

http://www.lightlife.com/gimmelean.html

[livetohike]

3. For hash browns, I use a cast iron skillet and canola oil

I shred the potatoes and then press out as much water as I can. I heat the canola oil to a high temperature and then put the potatoes into the pan. I press the potatoes down a bit and then flip the whole mass when the underside is brown and crisp.

I can't offer help on the sausage links. I use Morningstar Farms and they are not vegan.

[CrispyQ]

5. I will try a different oil.

Yesterday I found a safflower oil that has been refined for cooking on high heat. Perhaps I will try that for frying purposes. Thanks!

:hi:

[livetohike]

6. That will probably do it!

:hi:

(I love hash browns :-) )

[flamingyouth]

7. The Field Roast sausages are good, IMO

We like them, but didn't care for the chorizo ones. :hi:

[NMMNG]

8. I've never had a problem with shredded hash browns

I've done both home-made (shredded with a Salad Shooter) and the frozen kind.

I use a thin layer of oil (either olive oil or Enova) in a skillet, then toss in the shredded potatoes . I spread them out evenly with a spatula then press them down lightly . Once they've browned on the first side I flip them over so the other side can brown.


And Tofurkey makes a line of vegan sausages, though none of them are the classic "breakfast" sausage.