Short-Order Kitchen
Diner-Style Home Fries
- Servings
- 2
- Prep
- 15 minutes
- Cook
- 10 minutes
- Method
- Griddle
- Heat
- 350 to 375°F (griddle)
- Difficulty
- Medium
Part 3 of the thread Hash brown school
- Microwave the quartered potatoes 3 to 4 minutes first, until a knife slides in but they're not falling apart.
- Cube them after they cool for a minute or two.
- Griddle at 350 to 375°F for 8 to 10 minutes, flipping only 2 or 3 times.
- Leave them alone. Too much stirring and they won't brown.
Ingredients
You'll need
- Griddle
- Microwave-safe bowl
Directions
- Heat the griddle to 350 to 375°F.
- Peel the potatoes and cut them into quarters.
- Microwave for 3 to 4 minutes, until the tip of a knife slides easily into the center but they're not falling apart.
- Let them cool a minute or two, then cut into cubes.
- Put the oil and butter on the griddle, add the potatoes and all the seasoning, and toss to combine.
- Cook 8 to 10 minutes, flipping only 2 or 3 times.
- Once they're browned on all sides, serve.
wesellis.com/blog/diner-style-home-fries/
Home fries are the side dish that tells you whether a diner is any good. Soft in the middle, crispy and brown on the outside, with enough paprika and garlic that you'd eat them on their own. The shortcut to getting there at home is the microwave.
Par-cook first
Raw potato cubes on a griddle take forever, and they usually burn on the outside before the middle is done. So the quartered russets get 3 to 4 minutes in the microwave first. You want the tip of a knife to slide into the center easily, but the potato should still hold its shape. Overdo it and you'll be making hash instead of home fries.
Give them a minute or two to cool so you can handle them, then cube them. That way they cut cleanly.
Hands off
Heads up
The most common home fry mistake is fussing with them. Every time you stir, you knock them off the hot surface before a crust can form. Flip them two or three times over 8 to 10 minutes and that's it.
The butter adds flavor and the oil keeps the butter from burning. Toss the seasoning in with the potatoes as they go down so everything gets coated evenly.
Pile them next to a couple of eggs (the How to Make Eggs post has you covered) and a cup of coffee. If you're more of a shredded-potato person, try Fresh Hash Browns from Scratch.