Happy St. Patrick’s Day! Yes today is actually St Patrick’s Day, not this past Saturday. After the pub crawls, green beer, corned beef and cabbage and soda bread, I think most people are done with this holiday. But wait there is hope! Corned Beef Hash.
To be frank, I am not Irish. I have only celebrated St. Patrick’s Day with the masses drinking Jameson and eating green-colored foods. However, I did grow up eating in Jewish delis and we do a pretty good job with the Corned Beef Hash. So no matter what background you may be, this dish is perfect for brunch or dinner, St. Patty’s Day or Shabbat. (Not a typical Shabbat dinner but hey…who cares).
Since I typically do not make corned beef and cabbage, I purchased my corned beef from the deli at Whole Foods which works perfectly fine. It’s definitely not as tender as braising your own but it will do the trick. Now in my Corned Beef Hash experience there’s always 2 dilemmas. First, the corned beef itself is always ground up so fine that you can’t even tell what it is. Second, corned beef hash can be very mushy. No texture, no life, just kind of like slop.
I promise you this Corned Beef Hash will be unlike any of those you’ve had before. Don’t even compare it to that shit from a can. Gross.
So I have a few tricks. First I divide the large piece of corned beef in half. One half goes into a food processor so it becomes those small pieces that you might typically see in a “diner” or “deli” version of corned beef hash. The best part about these little bits is that they get caramelized and crispy when you fry up the hash. It’s one of my favorite parts. The second half of the corned beef gets cut into cubes. Now this is something I have rarely seen. It’s a nice surprise when you’re digging around your hash and you get this big chunk of corned beef. So it’s slightly unconventional but definitely worth trying.
The second step that I do is to pre-cook the potatoes in boiling water. However, my trick is to boil the potatoes in the same skillet I use to sauté them. Why you might ask? I am lazy. Plain and simple. So first you need to boil the potatoes until they are around 85% cooked through. Drain the potatoes and make sure they are super dry. Then add the vegetable oil to the pan.
Then I add everything to the pan. The potatoes, ground corned beef, cubed corned beef and scallions. Sauté on super high heat. Since everything is already cooked through this step is to ensure that everything gets caramelized, hot and crispy.
My last trick to achieve the ultimate crispy Corned Beef Hash is to broil the top of the hash. It will take this dish to the next level and you will love the results. After the top is crispy then you can crack a couple eggs onto the hash, bake it for a few more minutes and then you’re ready to dig in.
Whether you’re celebrating St. Paddy’s Day or just making brunch for your friends (or yourself) my version of Corned Beef Hash will blow minds. You’re welcome in advance.
- 10 oz corned beef, divided
- 1# red potatoes, cubed
- 1 tbsp grapeseed oil
- 3 scallions, thinly sliced, green and white separate
- eggs, optional
- Slice the piece of corned beef in half.
- Place 5oz into the food processor and pulse until roughly chopped. Set aside.
- Cube the other 5oz of corned beef into 1/3″ pieces. Set aside.
- In a large cast iron pan, add the cubed potatoes and season with salt and pepper. Cover with cold water and turn the pan up to high heat.
- Bring the water to boil and allow the potatoes cook until they are almost cooked through, about 85%.
- Drain the potatoes and make sure they are thoroughly dry. Add the grapeseed oil to the pan and turn the heat up to high.
- Next add the potatoes, ground corned beef, cubed corned beef and the white part of the scallions.
- Cook on high heat, turning frequently, until the potatoes are cooked through and the corned beef is caramelized and hot.
- Last, place the skillet into the oven and broil for 1-2 minutes until the top is crispy and golden brown. Serve immediately and garnish with green scallions.
Great classic brunch dish, thanks for breaking down the recipe.