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How Do I Make My Own Freezer Hash-Browns?

Q:

How do I make my own freezer hash browns, I can’t find any recipes. I want to be able to take my homegrown potatoes, shred them and store them in the freezer for later use without having added ingredients that store bought hash browns have… Any ideas?

A:

I’m not sure you can be successful at doing this… First off the potato has to be cooked. Just shredding fresh potatoes and freezing them will be a problem, the cut uncooked potato surfaces exposed to air will oxidize and turn black. There are a few people that do latkes by baking the potatoes and letting them cool, putting into the refrigerator and then peeling and shredding but I have never had luck with this as the potatoes are usually too gummy to shred cleanly. Homemade Hashbrowns

Best way, I think, is going to be to partially cook the shreds, either in the oven or in a little oil, just like blanching fresh potatoes for fries. Then let cool and freeze. Here is a recipe from one of the food bloggers we work with: DIY Frozen Hash Browns

Commercially the potatoes are steamed and tumbled to get the skin off, then shredded and blanched in water or oil and then (this is key) individually flash frozen in huge freezers by running the potato pieces thru on a conveyor belt. Then bagged and ready for the customer to oven bake or finish fry.

Find tips on preparing in quantity, but also serving right away at All Things Hash Brown Potatoes.

And here is a fun recipe to try if they do work: Hash Brown Casserole With Ham, Leeks, Pepper Jack Cheese

Hash Brown Casserole With Ham, Leeks, Pepper Jack Cheese