Easy To Make Frozen Hash Browns

      I used to love those frozen hash browns from the store.  It seemed to make breakfast a bit easier.  But the truth is, comparing the cost to a bag of potatoes,  it loses.  That's why I needed to know how to prepare these and keep those handy bags of shredded potatoes for a busy day. 
     Hash browns can have so many different meanings depending on who you talk to and where they are from.  Our family likes them any which way, whether they are diced, shredded, or filled with corned beef.  I decided for plain simple shredded hash browns for my freezer.  I do it a bit backwards and will explain that, but not sure if I can explain why.

First I peel my potatoes, or not, it's really up to you.  If they are perfect fresh potatoes there really is no need to peel them.  I then feed them into my food processor to grate them.  They can be grated using a hand grater, although that will take a little bit longer. 

When they are grated they should look like this.      

I then dump them into a bowl of cold water since shredded hash browns can turn brown very quickly.  I don't like when they do that.





Then using a slotted spoon, or drain them in a colander, put them into a pot of boiling water.  Boil them for about three minutes, no more than five or you will have mush.  Or rather, mashed potatoes for your next meal.  Pull them out, placing them into a bowl of cold water, or a colander and rinsing with cold water. (Did you notice how I put the proper way and the lazier way?)  Yeah, I use the rinsing method.  Either way, I let them sit in the colander for a short time to drain, shaking them a little to get them somewhat dry. 

  I then load them onto my trays as flat as possible kind of pushing them together to get rectangular flat shapes.  You can choose to keep them looser, and you can also use waxed paper on your tray. They don't seem to stick to my tray.  Then I load both my trays onto the shelf closest to the ice dispenser/bin so they will freeze as quick as possible.  When they are frozen I break them in half or quarters and put them into a gallon size freezer bag. 

When it's time to cook them, I preheat my cast iron or stainless frying pan for a minute or two.  I then add my expeller pressed coconut oil and sometimes I add in a few onions.  I then throw the amount I want into the pan and spice it up.  Salt and pepper is an easy one, but sometimes I like a bit of dill.  I let them fry until brown and then flip them over and brown the other side.  With a couple of eggs on the side and bacon or sausage it makes a great brunch.                                                                                                            

Now I'll explain what I do differently from some of the other recipes.  They cook the potatoes first, then they shred them.  I'll be trying that sometime soon.  I'm sure it makes it easier so you aren't trying to drain or scoop out a bunch of shredded potatoes.  It does make sense totally, but if you've ever seen me make potato salad you would understand why I do it this way.  

Another thing, is some people prefer to cook the potatoes all the way, which is fine.  Some prefer to blanch, or heat through enough to stop those enzymes from turning the potatoes brown, which is what I do.  It's just a personal choice and either way you will have a handy food for breakfast or breakfast for dinner.