Corned Beef Hash: The Crispiest Homemade Recipe
Have leftover corned beef and cabbage? Make corned beef hash! We've got the perfect fool-proof method for the crispiest, most delicious hash around!
Quick Reference: Corned Beef Hash
- Best base: 2 parts corned beef to 1 part potatoes, plus a finely chopped onion.
- Optional add-ins: leftover cabbage, rutabaga, or carrots, used sparingly since less is more.
- Cookware: cast iron, nonstick, or even a waffle iron. A flat top grill is ideal.
- The secret to crisp: spread it thin, do not crowd the pan, and toss lightly for air pockets.
- Serve: topped with poached or fried eggs. Serves 2.
Have leftovers from your St. Patrick’s Day celebrations? Corned beef hash is a traditional and delicious way to use up that extra corned beef and cabbage, making it the centerpiece for a fabulous meal, for breakfast or any time. The method below turns a pile of leftovers into a crisp, golden skillet that beats anything from a can.
Hashing Out History
The popular breakfast dish, usually served with eggs, has been around since the 1800s but gained popularity during WWII as a result of the rationing of fresh meat. Canned, or “tinned” corned beef was an important protein source in Europe and the US during the war. In the postwar era, canned hash grew in popularity, especially in the United States.
Most of the hash served at your local diner is likely to be of the canned variety, but for many, the consistency is not terribly pleasing to the palate. If you want truly superior corned beef hash, it is best to make it yourself. The word “hash” itself comes from the French “hacher,” meaning to chop, which is exactly what you do to the beef and potatoes before they hit the pan.
While National Corned Beef Hash Day is September 27, it would seem that the day after St. Patrick’s Day would have been a better choice. So let’s call March 18th the unofficial National Corned Beef Hash Day.
Making The Perfect Corned Beef Hash
Corned beef hash has three essential components. Here they are in order of importance:
- Corned Beef
- Potatoes
- Onions
You can also add any leftovers from the St. Paddy’s Day meal, which can give extra flavor and texture to the hash, not to mention help you use them up:
- Cabbage
- Rutabaga
- Carrots
A good ratio for the hash is 2:1 meat to potatoes. As for any additional ingredients, less is more. The magic of a great hash is balance and browning. It is important to note that if your leftovers are very wet, they could make your hash mushy or gloppy. If the vegetables seem overcooked and mushy, you may want to omit them.
One more tip before you start: give the corned beef a rough chop rather than a fine dice. Bigger, ragged pieces catch more surface on the hot pan and crisp into the browned edges that make hash worth the trouble. Cold, day-old potatoes hold their shape far better than fresh-boiled ones, so this really is a leftovers dish at heart.
Use the Right Cookware
A flat top grill would give you the best results. Unfortunately, most people do not have flat tops in their homes. Any skillet will work: cast iron, non-stick, you can even make terrific hash in your wok, especially if you are feeding a crowd. Cast iron holds heat the most evenly, which is why it browns so well. Or try crisping up your hash in a waffle iron!
Don’t Crowd the Pan
Do not try to cook too much hash for your pan, so you can get more browning. It is better to spread the hash out and cook it in a thin layer, think “hash pancake,” to maximize crispness. If you are cooking for a full table, work in two batches rather than piling it all in at once. A crowded pan steams the hash instead of frying it, and steam is the enemy of a crisp crust.
Aeration
Great hash needs a bit of aeration, meaning air pockets between the ingredients. This comes from tossing the ingredients together lightly, not mashing or compressing. Handle the mixture the way you would a delicate salad, keeping it loose and fluffy so heat and a little oil can work their way through every crevice.
Corned Beef Hash Recipe
Ingredients:
2 cups leftover corned beef, coarsely chopped
2 tablespoons vegetable oil or butter, for the pan (add more as needed)
1 cup leftover boiled potatoes, diced
1 small onion, finely chopped
1/4 cup leftover cabbage, finely chopped (optional)
1/4 cup leftover rutabaga, diced (optional)
1/4 cup leftover carrot, diced (optional)
Salt and Pepper to taste.
4 large eggs, poached (or any style).
Approximate cooking time: 20 to 30 minutes.
Instructions:
Melt butter or oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat and add onions (and other leftover vegetables, if using), cooking until soft and translucent. Meanwhile, in a large bowl, toss potatoes and corned beef together lightly with a fork or your hands. Keep the mixture “fluffy.” Add the mixture to the onions, incorporating until just mixed, and using a spatula, shape into a large “pancake.” Add more butter or oil if needed.
Reduce the heat to medium and let the mixture brown on one side. Resist the impulse to fiddle with the hash, or toss it around prematurely. You do not want it to burn, so you can lift gently with a spatula to take a peek, but you are looking for golden brown and crisp.
Flip the hash using a spatula, and let it brown on the other side. You may have to do this in sections, as the hash will break apart a bit. Shake the pan briskly to even out the layer of hash as best you can. Brown the second side to desired crispiness.
Slide onto a plate, top with poached eggs, and serve immediately. Serves 2.
How to Serve Corned Beef Hash
Hash is happiest under an egg. A poached or fried egg with a runny yolk acts like a sauce once you break it over the crisp beef and potatoes. Some folks like a fried egg with lacy, crisp edges. Others swear by soft-poached. Either way, the yolk is the point.
Round out the plate with buttered toast or an English muffin, a splash of hot sauce or ketchup, and a little chopped parsley or scallion for color. Hash makes a fine centerpiece for a lazy weekend brunch, and it stretches a holiday meal into a second morning. Pick a good-weather morning for it with our long-range weather forecast, then browse more of our seasonal recipes for sides and sweets to serve alongside.
Storing and Reheating Leftover Hash
Because hash is built from leftovers, it pays to handle it safely. Refrigerate any cooked hash within two hours of cooking, store it in a covered container, and use it within three to four days. Utah State University Extension’s guide to leftovers food safety is a plain-English reference worth keeping on hand for the whole week of St. Paddy’s leftovers.
To reheat, skip the microwave if you can. Warm the hash in a hot, lightly oiled skillet, pressing it into a thin layer again so it crisps up a second time rather than turning soft. A quick sear brings back most of the fresh-cooked texture.
Plan Your Feast by the Best Days
Corned beef and cabbage is a St. Patrick’s Day tradition, and the leftovers keep the celebration going for days. When you are planning your next big cook or gathering, our Best Days calendar lists the traditionally favorable days for entertaining, baking, and preserving, the same way generations have used the Almanac to plan ahead.
Corned Beef Hash: Frequently Asked Questions
What is the best ratio of meat to potatoes in corned beef hash?
A good ratio is 2 parts corned beef to 1 part potatoes. Corned beef is the star, so let it lead. Add a finely chopped onion, and keep any extra vegetables like cabbage, rutabaga, or carrots to a minimum, since less is more.
How do I get my corned beef hash crispy instead of mushy?
Spread the hash into a thin layer and do not crowd the pan, which steams it instead of browning it. Toss the ingredients lightly for air pockets rather than mashing them, and resist stirring while one side browns. Very wet leftovers can make hash gloppy, so drain them well or leave them out.
What is the best pan for corned beef hash?
A flat top grill gives the best results, but most home cooks do not have one. Any skillet works, including cast iron, non-stick, or even a wok if you are feeding a crowd. Cast iron holds heat evenly and browns well. For a fun twist, you can even crisp hash in a waffle iron.
When is National Corned Beef Hash Day?
National Corned Beef Hash Day is September 27. Since hash is such a natural way to use up St. Patrick’s Day leftovers, we like to call March 18th, the day after St. Patrick’s Day, the unofficial National Corned Beef Hash Day.
How long does leftover corned beef hash keep?
Refrigerate cooked hash within two hours, keep it covered, and use it within three to four days. Reheat it in a hot, lightly oiled skillet, pressed thin, so it crisps up again rather than turning soft. For a full reference, see Utah State University Extension’s leftovers food safety guide.
Can I make corned beef hash without leftovers?
Yes. You can use deli corned beef and either boil potatoes ahead of time or use leftover boiled potatoes. Cold, day-old potatoes hold their shape best, so cook them in advance and chill them before you build the hash. The rough chop and thin-layer browning matter more than the source of the beef.
Edward Higgins
Edward Higgins is a freelance writer, artist, home chef, and avid fly fisherman who lives outside of Portland, Maine. He studied at Skidmore College and Harvard University. His article 10 Best Edible Insects appears in the 2020 Farmers' Almanac.
- Edward Higgins
- Edward Higgins
- Edward Higgins
- Edward Higgins
Yum!! I am going to try this!