Sausage and Potato Breakfast Hash
One of my favorite breakfast items to order at a restaurant are the crispy hash browns. With their salty crunch and comforting potato-y center I could eat a giant plate. Restaurants manage to master this simple dish better than any efforts I’ve been able to mimic. I end up with soggy centers, burnt edges, and an overwhelming desire to find a donut instead.
So I gave up looking to recreate the crispy crunch found in a diner (at least for today) and made a potato hash with a gravy like sauce that offers its own type of competition in the world of perfect breakfast potatoes. I kept the sauce light versus a heavy cream and used fresh herbs. It’s just enough sauce to incorporate all of the ingredients without making it too heavy. And when you break the egg yolk and it mixes in…mmmmm, yum! These potatoes do not disappoint.
Sausage and Potato Breakfast Hash Recipe
Serves 1; easily double for 2.
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup potatoes (about half of one large russet potato), diced
- 1 breakfast sausage (patty or link)
- 1/2 of a shallot, minced
- 1/2 cup water (1/4 cup and 1/4 cup)
- 1/2 tsp dried thyme (1 and 1/2 tsp fresh or about 3 sprigs, chopped)
- 1/4 tsp dried rosemary (1/2 tsp fresh, chopped)
- 1 Tbsp fresh parsley, chopped
- Salt and pepper
- Olive oil
Directions
- Preheat oven to 425,
- Peel the skin from a potato and dice it into cubes. Toss the potato with olive oil, salt, and pepper. Add the cubes to a foil or parchment paper lined baking pan in a single layer. Roast at 425 for 15-18 minutes. Stir the potato half way through cooking.
- While the potato cooks, finely mince half of a shallot. Chop the parsley into 1 Tbsp. If using fresh thyme and rosemary, chop the thyme and rosemary. Set aside.
- Heat a stainless steel skillet over medium heat. Remove the casing from the breakfast sausage and add to the skillet. Brown the meat in the skillet, breaking up into small pieces with a wooden spoon or spatula. When cooked through, remove and set aside.
- Drizzle a little olive oil in the pan (unless there is enough leftover grease from the sausage) and add the shallot. Cook for 1-2 minutes.
- In a small bowl, mix 1/4 cup of chicken stock with 1 tsp cornstarch. Warm it in the microwave for about 30 seconds.
- Add the stock/cornstarch to the skillet. Add the thyme and rosemary. Stir the liquid breaking up the flavors stuck to the pan.
- Add the potatoes, sausage and parsley to the skillet. The cornstarch causes the liquid to thicken so it will reduce quickly. Add additional stock if needed to prevent the potatoes from sticking. Cook for about 2-3 minutes.
- In a separate pan, cook an egg sunny side up or over easy until the edges begin to crisp.
- Remove the hash from the skillet and add to a plate.
- Return the skillet to the heat and add the remaining 1/4 cup of chicken stock. Cook for 2-3 minutes stirring to break up the flavors in the pan.
- Drizzle the hash with the reduced glaze and top with the egg.
A stainless steel pan works best in this recipe for deglazing. You can use a non-stick pan but you may need to reduce the amount of liquid.
One of the challenges of breakfast potatoes is creating a crispy crust on the potato. If you have the time, and patience, it does help to soak the potatoes in water for about 15 minutes after dicing them to remove some of the starch. If you decided to add this step, make sure you let the potatoes dry after being soaked. I’ve also found that it helps to use day-old cooked potatoes that have been kept in the refrigerator. They are a bit more dry so its easier to get that crispy crust.
If you like this hash, try my Sweet Potato Breakfast Hash.
Use the Extra Ingredients
Use the rest of the potato by popping it in the microwave for lunch or using in tomorrow’s breakfast burrito. Save leftover breakfast sausages in individual serving sizes in the freezer/refrigerator so they can be easily cooked.
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