this post was submitted on 01 Feb 2026
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Homemade hashbrowns (lemmy.world)
submitted 2 days ago by StickyDango@lemmy.world to c/cooking@lemmy.world
31 comments fedilink hide all child comments
 

In North America, we have McCain hashbrowns that are tiny cubed potatoes you find in the freezer aisle. In Australia, hashbrowns are hashbrowns patties, and we don't have the cubes. I haven't been able to find them anywhere.

I was hit with nostalgia this morning, so I made hashbrowns. Just cut up whatever potatoes I had in to 0.5cm cubes and fried them up in the pan. Fried some onions and capsicum on the side and then added together.

Usually I put in a bit of bacon or sausage, but we're going to a German restaurant for dinner tonight, so I'm saving my fatty meat allocation for later.

Seasoned with Hy's seasoning salt.

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[–] PapaStevesy@lemmy.world 13 points 1 day ago (2 children)

You forgot to brown them, those are hashwhites.

[–] StickyDango@lemmy.world 4 points 1 day ago (2 children)

Omg 😂 in my defence, they aren't really browned when I find the commercial ones in the freezer aisle. I did try to brown them, but they started to stick to the pan, so the browned bits separated from the cubes. :( I think the McCain ones are flash deep fried so they don't stick to your pan at home. I've only made these a handful of times, so I'm still perfecting it. One day, I will get it right!

[–] geekwithsoul@piefed.social 5 points 1 day ago (1 children)

The secret to hash browns like that is two step cooking. After cubing, put in a pot of boiling salted water for like 4 minutes. Drain them with a colander and spread out to let some of the excess moisture steam off. After that, fry them as you did and you'll end up with fluffy on the inside, golden brown on the outside bits of deliciousness. Also make sure your pan and oil are really hot when you start cooking to stop them from sticking to the pan. The oil should just be beginning to smoke when you put the potatoes in.

[–] StickyDango@lemmy.world 2 points 17 hours ago

Thank you for the detailed instructions! I'll report back the next time I make these. 🫡

[–] PapaStevesy@lemmy.world 1 points 1 day ago (1 children)

You just need some fat in the pan-butter, olive oil, etc. I recommend a little of both as the butter adds more flavor while the oil keeps the butter from burning. Just don't use extra virgin, it burns easier than plain olive oil.

[–] StickyDango@lemmy.world 2 points 6 hours ago (1 children)

I did use quite a bit of oil (canola), but I think my fatal mistake was frying onions in the pan first. Should have used a clean pan for the potatoes. :(

[–] dgdft@lemmy.world 1 points 5 hours ago (1 children)

The other common trap you might be hitting is trying to turn them too early.

Once most foods (but potatoes especially) sear properly, they’ll release their hold on the pan and you won’t lose the skins/outer layer quite as easily.

[–] StickyDango@lemmy.world 2 points 3 hours ago

I tried that, actually.. It was the burning smell that alerted me that something was wrong 😬 So perhaps it is that I fried onions in the pan just prior, or I haven't prepped the potatoes properly. I ended up with a lot of forbidden potato in the sink drain, lol (?).

[–] FauxPseudo@lemmy.world 9 points 1 day ago (2 children)

We call them "home fries" rather than hash browns. I prefer them a little larger and crispier but even these are nice.

[–] tiredofsametab@fedia.io 1 points 17 hours ago

Exactly what I was thinking (grew up in Ohio, USA)

[–] StickyDango@lemmy.world 2 points 1 day ago (1 children)

I can't remember where you're from, sorry. Tbh, I will devour anything potatoes no matter what it's called 🤤

[–] FauxPseudo@lemmy.world 4 points 1 day ago (1 children)

I'm in the United States but this term can be regional. There are parts of the country where you don't know what will show up on your plate if you order "hash browns." There are parts that don't even know diced potatoes are a thing that exist. It's all rather unstandardized.

[–] StickyDango@lemmy.world 1 points 1 day ago (3 children)

Ohhh right. Hmm, maybe more of a Canadian thing, then. I grew up seeing McCain hashbrowns in cubes, so that's what it is for me. Thanks for teaching me something today. 😊 Maybe I'll spend a few weekends making different kinds of hashbrowns in the next while!

[–] FauxPseudo@lemmy.world 2 points 1 day ago

All hash browns matter.

[–] k0e3@lemmy.ca 1 points 1 day ago (1 children)

Even as a Canadian, I never knew these things were called hash browns. Hash browns have always been those things you can get at McDonald's (patties, as you called em). I thought these were hashed potatoes.

I love regional differences.

[–] StickyDango@lemmy.world 1 points 6 hours ago (1 children)

Which part of Canada are you from? Maybe hashbrowns are a West Coast thing..

[–] k0e3@lemmy.ca 1 points 24 minutes ago

I'm from Ottawa, but admittedly, I didn't talk to many of my friends and neighbours about potatoes so I don't really have a good sample to base my assumption on. It could very well have been just my family, haha.

[–] I_Fart_Glitter@lemmy.world 0 points 1 day ago (1 children)

I’m from California and have always seen those cubes ones on menus as “country potatoes.”

[–] StickyDango@lemmy.world 1 points 17 hours ago

Hmm.. Maybe it's just a Lower Mainland BC thing...

[–] redhorsejacket@lemmy.world 4 points 1 day ago* (last edited 1 day ago) (1 children)

all fried potatoes have a place in my heart (lodged into the arterial walls, secured with cholesterol glue), but I'll always insist that hashbrowns are shredded potatoes, not cubed. don't get me wrong, I'd happily house this entire bowl and ask you for seconds, but these are what I usually picture.

did you hand cut the potatoes? they're very neatly done. I'm useless at consistency when it comes to anything smaller than 1 cm dice.

[–] StickyDango@lemmy.world 4 points 1 day ago (1 children)

Oh, I also LOVE hashbrowns in shredded potatoes form, but I don't get those often since I've only seen them in some restaurants. Never in Australia so far in either Sydney or Melbourne.

Thank you! Yup, all hand cut. I can do the first and second direction of slices very uniformly, but when it comes to the cubing step, 0.5cm becomes 0.3-0.8cm 🥴 so I end up getting some cubes overcooked and some undercooked, but still entirely edible.

[–] redhorsejacket@lemmy.world 3 points 1 day ago (1 children)

I hear you. I'm blessed with more choices for potato ingestion than I need or deserve in the supermarket aisle. a benefit of living in middle-America, I suppose. I've heard that you can approximate them by squeezing as much moisture as possible out of grated potato using a cheesecloth or tea towel, and then freezing the shreds before frying them off in a pan, but that degree of foresight and prep work doesn't factor into most of my breakfasts lol.

[–] StickyDango@lemmy.world 2 points 1 day ago

Oh, definitely. I'll have to give your hashbrowns a go next time I have a lazy Sunday. I think I've tried this year's ago, but I can't remember. I think you mix flour in it so it holds better? I'll have to research this again. Thanks for the idea!

[–] VibeSurgeon@piefed.social 2 points 1 day ago (1 children)

Reminds me a lot of the Swedish dish Pytt i panna.

[–] StickyDango@lemmy.world 1 points 6 hours ago (1 children)

That look so good.. I didn't eat beetroot until I came to Australia. I had a housemate serve it to me, and it was actually quite pleasant! Haven't had pickled beetroot yet, though.

[–] VibeSurgeon@piefed.social 1 points 5 hours ago (1 children)

It's pretty alright. It's my favourite way of eating beetroots, which I guess isn't saying much given that I'm not that into them.

[–] StickyDango@lemmy.world 1 points 5 hours ago (1 children)

Even then, you've introduced me to them, and I'd like to try them. I'll do that when I stop over in those countries next! Thanks for sharing.

[–] VibeSurgeon@piefed.social 0 points 4 hours ago (1 children)

All good!

For checking out the true Classics of Swedish cuisine, look for dishes belonging to the Husmanskost-family. Pytt i panna is one, meatballs is another, fried pork with onion sauce is one of my all-time favourites.

[–] StickyDango@lemmy.world 1 points 3 hours ago

Thank you!! I've copied this down and put it in my notepad of travel tips. If I'm going to Sweden, I will try all of the foods! Except maybe surströmming. I have a pretty strong gut and smells don't usually bother me, but I have seen so many videos online, and I feel like they're over exaggerating for the views.. But maybe I am underestimating it. 🥲

[–] sparklehedgehog@lemmy.world 1 points 1 day ago

I love that you recreated these frozen hash browns! I have had them too but forgot about them. Now I will do them too! 🥰 Thanks! Had a thought on the boiling then frying comment. I do this thing with potatoes where I put some water in the pan, just a little, cover and steam them for a bit, then uncover and cook it off and add more oil for the frying part. That might do it too, but in one pan. Not sure if you need this step though for such small pieces.