Whether you’re looking for a dish to make use of leftovers or to mix up your breakfast routine, a corned beef hash can fit the bill. While bits of salty corned beef, fragrant onions, and tender potato are good on their own, topping them with a runny egg takes this dish to the next level.
With only a handful of ingredients, this dish may seem simple. But much of its success depends on proper technique. Chef Instructor Dan Bearss recently let us in on some of the secrets of perfecting this recipe.
What Is Corned Beef?
Corned beef is typically made from beef brisket that has been brined in a salty liquid for about a week. While salt is essential, producers may also add sugar, spices, and herbs. The end result is a salty, sour, and supremely tender cut of meat that’s perfect for Reuben sandwiches.
While the curing process helps preserve the meat, the corned beef will still need to be cooked before consuming. Boiling or cooking in a slow cooker are two common cooking methods.
How to Make Corned Beef Hash
Here’s Chef Bearss’ take on corned beef hash.
Ingredients
- 3 Tablespoons Oil
- 1 Medium Onion, Finely Chopped
- 3 Cups Finely Chopped, Cooked Corned Beef
- 12 Ounces Whole Potatoes, Preferably Yukon Gold
- Ground Black Pepper
- Chopped Fresh Parsley
Instructions
1. Rinse potatoes and cut into ¼ inch cubes. Cover with cold water in a pot and bring to a boil until potatoes are fork-tender. Strain and cool in the fridge for 30 minutes or so.
2. Heat oil in a pan over medium heat and saute onions until translucent.
3. Mix in the chopped corned beef and potatoes. Spread out evenly over the pan. Increase the heat to high or medium-high and press down on the mixture with a spatula.
4. Do not stir the potatoes and corned beef, but let them brown. Use a spatula to see if the underside is browning. If nicely browned, use the spatula to flip sections over in the pan so that they brown on the other side. Press down again with the spatula.
5. If there is too much sticking, you can add a little more oil to the pan. Continue to cook in this manner until the potatoes and the corned beef are nicely browned.
6. Remove from heat, and stir in chopped parsley. Add freshly ground black pepper. Serve with eggs over easy.
Tips for Making a Perfect Corned Beef Hash and Eggs
Now that you know what corned beef is, it’s time to explore how to perfect your corned beef hash and eggs. Here are some of the top tips from Chef Bearss.
Time It Right
Corned beef hash and eggs involves two basic components: the hash and the eggs. To get the final dish just right, you’ll need to plan ahead so both pieces are ready at the same time.
Proper organization and time management are two pieces to solving this puzzle. By reading your recipe ahead of time and practicing mise en place, you’ll be able to execute the entire dish in a timely manner.
Choose the Best Corned Beef
Since corned beef is one of the stars of this dish, you don’t want to skimp on quality.
Chef Bearss recommends staying away from canned corn beef, as it can be saltier and fattier than fresh options. Additionally, it may have a bit of a chemical taste that overshadows the flavor of the beef.
Instead, you can head to your local butcher or deli counter to pick up a slab of fresh corned beef.
Pick the Perfect Potato and Parboil
Since the potato is one of the other main components of the hash, take time to pick out the proper type.
Yukon Golds are the best variety due to their waxy yet moist texture and sweet taste. If you can’t find these golden gems, you can substitute another waxy variety like French fingerling or new potatoes.
Once you’ve selected the right type of potato and chopped them into cubes, you’ll want to parboil them. This involves boiling the potatoes so they’re almost all of the way cooked, but still a little raw. When you place them in the hot frying pan, they’ll be able to develop a crispy crust while maintaining a creamy interior.
Evenly Dice Your Hash Ingredients
As with any hash, you want all the components to be cooked perfectly. A burnt bit of corned beef or a crispy rather than tender potato can quickly ruin the hash.
One of the best ways to ensure all ingredients are cooked properly is to make certain that all the pieces of onion, potato, and corned beef are the same size. If you have some large pieces of onion mixed in with smaller bits, some pieces will end up either undercooked or overcooked.
While knife skills may seem like an easy thing to master, they’re crucial to other types of kitchen success! That’s why Escoffier Culinary Arts students start off practicing these skills in the Culinary Foundations class.
Cook an Over-Medium Egg
To fully cook the egg white without overcooking the yolk, ensure the egg white is evenly distributed throughout the pan. When you first crack an egg into the pan, some of the white will fan out towards the pan’s edges but much of it will remain in a bubble near the yolk. By “popping” this bubble, you allow the entire white to spread out evenly across the pan.
Another key part of a properly-cooked egg is the type of pan and the temperature. Chef Dan recommends using a non-stick pan coated with a bit of neutral oil like canola oil or vegetable oil and placing the pan over low heat.
The last component of a properly-cooked egg is flipping it when the egg white has set – that means the previously clear white has turned opaque.
Watch Your Salt and Seasonings
Before you reach for the salt shaker, you’ll want to think about the components of this meal. Although you haven’t added any table salt, the corned beef adds a salty flavor.
Therefore, it’s best to taste your final hash first, and then season as necessary. While you may not need to add salt, this hearty dish can benefit from a dose of freshness, which can be done by mixing fresh, chopped parsley into the finished hash.
Learn More From Chef Instructors
Thanks to Chef Bearss’ helpful tips and tricks, you’re ready to perfect corned beef hash and eggs!
If you’d like to learn more from Escoffier’s talented Chef Instructors, consider exploring our available
Culinary Arts programs. With both in-person and online options for culinary school, it may be easier to attend culinary school than you imagined.
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