I will not lie to you: I am a sucker for corned beef hash. In a pinch, Hormel Corned Beef Hash, a gluten-free product, serves as the basis for a hearty breakfast. Seriously, how can you go wrong with the salty deliciousness?
Add an egg, and you have a meal!
Of course, it’s easy enough to make corned beef hash from scratch. All it takes is some chopped corned beef and diced potatoes. Maybe some onion if you’re wanting to get all fancy.
While your rules for hashes may vary, mine are pretty simple when I make hashes at home. First, the hash should contain potatoes. Or a potato-like vegetable. Second, onions. Third, a fried or poached egg. You can scramble yours if you like.
Now that I’ve gotten that out of my system, let’s consider other types of hashes:
- Ham Hash: If you make a ham, eventually you must face the fact that you need to get creative with the leftovers. Hash to the rescue! Ham, potatoes, onions. Try this on New Year’s morning with some Hoppin’ John.
- Rutabaga Hash: I know, I know, you’ve been dying for a perfect rutabaga recipe! This probably isn’t that recipe, but it’s a great use of this great root vegetable. Substitute some or all of your potatoes with diced rutabaga. Parboil the rutabaga to speed things up.
- Sausage Hash: Slice sausages and saute with bell pepper, onion, and potatoes. Top with eggs, and serve with a side of greens.
- Sweet Potato Hash: One of my favorite sweet potato hashes was a mix of diced sweet potatoes, kale, and quinoa. Oh, and a tiny bit of smoked salmon. It was tossed with a very light mustard vinaigrette. While my father-in-law declared it “not hash”, I declared it heaven. Sweet potatoes are also great with sausage and peppers. Note: parboil the sweet potatoes (see tip below).
- Turkey Hash: Still hungry after your Thanksgiving dinner? Need a fast breakfast the next day? Turkey, onions, potatoes, and whatever greens you have handy…and you have hash!
- Vegetarian Hash: Hello, versatility! Use whatever’s in season (or, ahem, whatever’s about to die in your fridge). Kale, brussels sprouts, green beans, peppers, mushrooms. And, of course, potatoes.
Tip of the Week
The most time-consuming part of making a hash is the darn potatoes. They simply take a long time to cook through. Because you want a crispy, not burned, exterior for your potatoes, parboil the potatoes. Drop the cubes into a pot of boiling water for about five minutes. I like this suggestion from Serious Eats about adding vinegar to your cooking water.
Menu of the Week
This is a great meal for brunch. The sauteed greens add a touch of elegance, while the hash — simple and filling — propels you through the rest of the day. Obviously, you can incorporate any of the ideas above instead of corned beef. I won’t judge.
Corned Beef Hash
Fried Eggs
Sauteed Greens