Corned Beef Hash

 

Looking for ideas for that leftover corned beef?  Start here... with hash!

Recently we went out to brunch and I had a dish that included Corned Beef Hash.  While ordering, the waiter asked if I wanted sautéed onions and peppers in my hash… I thought hmmm… why not.  My Corned Beef Hash has always included onions.. but peppers?.. sounded good to me.. and it was!

We can learn a lot from restaurant chefs… we can make our cooking more efficient and flexible to fit all tastes…. and this was a prime example.  I had never thought of making the ingredients separately, and in this case, potatoes, sautéed onions and peppers each separately then mixing them together.  By doing it this way.. you can accommodate everyone’s preferences… with onions, without onions… with peppers, without peppers.. and so on.

TIPS

The ingredient amounts are flexible… the amounts listed are approximate and just a suggestion.  Since you use leftover corned beef, use what you want to use for the hash and mix in the other ingredients by eye until you get the right balance for your own tastes. 

The ratio I like to use is…. 1 part corned beef…  potatoes are the same amount as the corned beef… onions are half the amount of the corned beef.. and all the peppers combined are ½ the amount of the onions.  So.. 2 cups corned beef… 2 cups cubed potatoes…  1 cup onions… ½ cup peppers. 

I used a mix of yellow, red and green peppers.. it adds great color and the flavors are slightly different… red and yellow being far milder than green pepper.

You can use any kind of potatoes you have on hand.. and you can peel them or leave the skins on for a more rustic hash.  I cut my potatoes in tiny cubes because I wanted to be able to use the hash in another dish. 

If you cut larger pieces of potato you will need to cook them longer to get them cooked through… you want them slightly crispy on the outside and soft on the inside.  You can par boil them briefly before sautéing them.

While you’re cooking the potatoes, you can add a couple of tablespoons of water to the hot skillet after you add the potatoes and putting a lid on the skillet.  The steam will help cook the potatoes faster.  After the steam evaporates you can add olive oil and continue cooking to crispy perfection.

You can cube the corned beef or shred it.  If you decide to shred it… you will need to heat it briefly in the microwave (if it has been stored in the fridge) because it does solidify in the fridge during storage.

This is a very, very easy recipe that is delicious!  Serve it by itself or with an egg on top.. great for a breakfast, lunch or dinner.

Recipe:  Corned Beef Hash

All you need:

2 cups corned beef, cooked and cubed or shredded

2 cups diced potatoes

1 cup diced onions

½ cup diced peppers

About 3 tablespoons butter

About 2 tablespoons olive oil

1 tablespoon fresh parsley, chopped

Salt and pepper to taste

All you need to do:

*Note if you are accommodating different preferences… keep all the ingredients separate and mix them in individual servings.

Add the corned beef to a large bowl.

Sauté the peppers in 1 tablespoon butter until soft over medium high heat.  Remove from the pan to the bowl.  *Note if you are accommodating different preferences… keep all the ingredients separate and mix them in individual servings.

Sauté the onions in 1 tablespoon butter until soft over medium high heat.  Remove from the pan and add to the bowl.

Cook and brown the potatoes in 1 tablespoon butter and 1 tablespoon olive oil.  Remove from the pan and add to the bowl.

Mix the ingredients, including the chopped parsley.  Add a little butter and olive oil in equal parts to the skillet if needed.  You will not need much grease.. you just want enough so the hash doesn’t stick.   Cook until the hash is hot and slightly crispy.  Add salt and pepper to taste.

Serve with an optional poached or fried egg on top.