Categories: Breakfast, Side dish, Info/tips 
      Yield: 99 servings 
  
           Potatoes 
           Butter/margarine,oil 
  
  Hmmm... After years of experimenting (read: Whoops!), I think I can safely 
  give you an idea on how to come up with *good* Hash Browns. 
   
  I'm going to start with raw potatoes. They make the best HBs. Diners and 
  real "cook-it-on-site" restaurants do it this way. Peel and prep the spuds 
  however you like for the final product. ie. Hash Browns will be diced, Home 
  Fries can be sliced as thin as potato chips. Grated ones I have seen with 
  many names, but the most common was Latkes . (The names are not really 
  important, pick the *type* you like. The name can vary from cook to cook.) 
   
  Next for the real diner type spud, parboil them THE NIGHT BEFORE! They 
  should be dropped into rapidly boiling water, then returned to a boil. By 
  the time the water has gotten back to a "rolling" boil, they should be 
  done. Stir 'em a couple times and test one or two. The "crunch" of fresh 
  spuds should be all gone, but they can't be mushy. Then, drain them 
  completely and run COLD water over them until they are no longer warm. If 
  you fail to do this, the internal heat of the spuds will continue to cook 
  them. You want to do that yourself, in the skillet. 
   
  NOTE: If using grated or very thinly sliced potatoes, drain and rinse 
  before the water returns to a full boil. These cook *very* quickly. 
   
  Now, after you've cooled everything down under the faucet, drain, and store 
  in a sealed container in the fridge. Refrigerate overnight. 
   
  Next morning, pull out the amount of spuds you'll need, about 1 medium 
  potato per person. (Or 1 large handful) Then, pre-heat a skillet or griddle 
  until a drop of water "dances". Add your butter/margarine/oil. The amount 
  is up to you and the quantity you're cooking. You will need enough to 
  lightly coat all the spuds. Keep your heat around a "medium" temp. 
  Remember, grills in diners are at a constant temp all day long. You need 
  even heat for best results.  Do not use a "Shedd-spread" type whipped 
  butter substitute. They don't fry well. 
   
  Type of pan? Use heavy cast-iron or aluminum. You are going to be dropping 
  cold spuds into hot oil and thin pans will cool off rapidly, requiring 
  extra cooking time to re-heat the pan. 
   
  Drop the spuds into the oil and flip constantly until all of them are 
  coated with b/m/o. Press down to ensure even heating and place a flat pot 
  lid over the potatoes until they are ready to turn the first time. Brown to 
  your desired preference. Turn once and when browned on the other side, use 
  your spatula to break them loose from the pan and slide onto a serving 
  plate. Enjoy. 
   
  (If using frozen spuds, such as Ore-Ida, thaw them first. They are already 
  partially cooked and will give you "crisp on the outside, mush on the 
  inside" if used frozen rock-solid) 
   
  Now, aren't you sorry you asked?