How to Make Hash Browns on a Blackstone Griddle – 4 Ways Tested
Everybody seems to have an opinion about hash browns.
Fresh potatoes are better. Frozen are easier. Dehydrated get crispier. Refrigerated are the way to go.
Well, instead of arguing about it, I figured we'd cook 'em all.
I tested four different types of shredded hash browns on the Blackstone griddle:
· Fresh russet potatoes
· Refrigerated shredded potatoes
· Frozen shredded hash browns
· Dehydrated hash browns
Same griddle. Same basic cooking method. Then we did a blind taste test to see which one I actually preferred.
And I'll tell you right now — the results surprised me.
Best Griddle Temperature for Hash Browns
Preheat your Blackstone griddle to about 320–340°F (160–171°C).
You want enough heat to develop that crispy golden crust without burning the potatoes before the inside gets tender.
Add a generous amount of avocado oil or your preferred cooking oil to the griddle. Hash browns need some fat to get crispy, so this ain't the time to be stingy.
Clarified butter or bacon grease can also be added for extra flavor and browning.
The #1 Rule for Crispy Hash Browns
Once the potatoes hit the griddle:
DON'T TOUCH 'EM.
Spread the potatoes into a relatively thin, even layer and tuck the edges together. Then leave them alone.
Constantly stirring, flipping, and checking underneath keeps that crispy crust from developing.
Give them approximately 4–7 minutes on the first side, checking near the end for a deep golden-brown crust. Flip and continue cooking until the second side is browned and the potatoes are cooked through.
Cooking time will vary depending on the type of potato, thickness of the layer, and temperature of your griddle.
Method 1: Fresh Hash Browns
What You Need
· 2 medium russet potatoes
· Avocado oil, as needed
· Salt and pepper or your favorite seasoning, to taste
How to Prepare Them
· Grate the russet potatoes using a box grater or food processor. You can peel them first or leave the skins on.
· Place the shredded potatoes in a bowl and cover with cold water.
· Massage the potatoes around in the water, then drain.
· Repeat the rinsing process 2–3 times.
· Drain the potatoes thoroughly.
· Dry them extremely well. A salad spinner works great, or squeeze them dry in a clean kitchen towel.
Getting rid of that excess starch and moisture made a BIG difference.
How to Cook Fresh Hash Browns
Add plenty of oil to the preheated griddle.
Spread the shredded potatoes into a thin, even layer and lightly season.
Then leave them alone until a good golden crust develops.
Flip and cook the second side until crispy and tender.
Blind Taste Test Result: These ended up being my favorite of the entire test. I've made fresh hash browns before and wasn't crazy about them, but thoroughly rinsing and drying the potatoes changed the game.
Method 2: Refrigerated Hash Browns
Refrigerated shredded potatoes are about as convenient as it gets.
How to Cook Them
· Add a generous amount of oil to the griddle.
· Spread the refrigerated potatoes into a thin layer.
· Season to taste.
· Leave them alone until browned underneath.
· Flip and cook until crispy and cooked through.
These took a little longer than I expected to develop good color, and they benefited from a little extra oil during cooking.
Blind Taste Test Result: Second place.
Method 3: Dehydrated Hash Browns
I've been a fan of dehydrated hash browns for a long time because they're convenient and get beautifully crispy.
Prepare the potatoes according to the package directions before cooking.
How to Cook Them
· Preheat the griddle to approximately 320–340°F (160–171°C).
· Add plenty of oil.
· Spread the prepared hash browns into a thin, even layer.
· Season to taste.
· Don't mess with them while that first crust develops.
· Flip once they're deeply golden and crispy.
· Cook the second side until browned.
These developed some of the best color and crunch of the entire test.
Blind Taste Test Result: Technically third place, although second and third were REALLY close.
Method 4: Frozen Hash Browns
Frozen shredded hash browns are another easy option, but there's one important thing I learned during this test:
Keep them frozen until you're ready to cook them.
Mine sat outside in some pretty serious North Carolina heat and started thawing. The first batch got soft enough that they looked more like mashed potatoes than hash browns, so we started that test over with potatoes straight from the freezer.
How to Cook Them
· Keep the hash browns frozen until cooking.
· Add plenty of oil to the hot griddle.
· Spread the frozen potatoes into a thin layer.
· Season to taste.
· Let them cook undisturbed until browned.
· Add additional oil if they begin looking dry.
· Flip and continue cooking until golden and crispy.
Blind Taste Test Result: Fourth place — but they were still perfectly good hash browns.
My Hash Brown Test Results
After tasting all four blind, here's how they finished:
1. Fresh shredded potatoes
2. Refrigerated shredded potatoes
3. Dehydrated hash browns
4. Frozen shredded hash browns
The biggest shock was fresh taking the top spot.
I went into this test already liking dehydrated hash browns, but properly rinsing and — most importantly — thoroughly drying those freshly grated russets made a huge difference.
My Tips for Better Blackstone Hash Browns
· Use russet potatoes when making fresh hash browns.
· Rinse fresh shredded potatoes 2–3 times.
· Get fresh potatoes as dry as possible before cooking.
· Keep frozen hash browns frozen until they hit the griddle.
· Use more oil than you think you need.
· Bacon grease or clarified butter adds great flavor and helps with browning.
· Spread the potatoes relatively thin.
· Don't overcrowd them.
· Don't constantly flip or stir them.
· Wait for a good crust before flipping.
And most importantly, cook them the way you like them.
Do your own hash brown test and see which one wins at your house.
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