Corned Beef Hash and Eggs
Inside: The major difference between canned and homemade corned beef hash and the best skillet to make crispy-edged corned beef hash for breakfast.
Corned beef hash and eggs are easy to make with leftover corned beef, onion and potatoes. A poached or fried egg on top makes it a universal favorite weekend breakfast or breakfast-for-dinner recipe for the whole family.
Whenever we go out to our local diner for brunch, my Dad is all about creamed chipped beef on toast, Emily loves chicken and waffles, and Scott likes a stacker. Mom and I agree, you can’t go wrong with corned beef hash and eggs.
But you don’t have to stand in line on a Sunday morning to enjoy homemade corned beef hash. You can make them (in your pajamas) at home in practically no time.
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Table of Contents
Why you’ll love this corned beef hash recipe:
- It’s great when you have leftover corned beef on hand.
- It’s a quick and easy recipe that only takes about 30 minutes.
- This no-frills breakfast uses everyday ingredients.
- It’s hearty, savory and delicious.
Ingredients:
- Leftover Corned Beef – You can use corned beef from your St. Patrick’s Day dinner or canned corned beef. (Make your own with this brisket brine recipe).
- Waxy Potatoes – I used red-skinned potatoes, but you can also use Yukon Gold. Avoid russets as they are too starchy.
- Onions – I used yellow onion, but you can also use white or red.
- Olive Oil – for frying the hash. Use your everyday stuff, not an expensive finishing oil.
- Salt & Pepper – I use Kosher salt and fresh ground black pepper for the best flavor.
- Fried or Poached Eggs – or however you like them.
How to make a corned beef hash:
- Dice the potatoes into equal ½” cubes. No need to peel the spuds.
2. Bring a pot of water to a boil and add the potatoes. Cook until the potatoes are just tender, about 5-10 minutes.
3. Drain the potatoes well and transfer to a sheet pan lined with paper towels. Spread the potatoes out in an even layer and let the heat evaporate and cool the potatoes. The evaporation will dry out the surface of the spuds making them easier to pan fry.
4. Shred or dice the corned beef into bite-sized chunks. (We like shredding ours with a fork or even BBQ claws because the craggy edges get browned and crispy and have a heartier mouth-feel.
You can also dice the corned beef into cubes (I admit, this is easier) that are roughly the same size as the potatoes. Just make sure the chunks of beef aren’t too large.
5. Heat the olive oil in a large skillet and sauté the diced onions until tender. Transfer the onions to a small dish.
6. Add more olive oil to the skillet and add the potatoes. Spread them out in an even layer and let them cook for 4-5 minutes to develop a golden crust.
7. Flip the potatoes and spread them into another even layer to cook and get golden and crispy. This usually takes about 10 minutes or so.
8. Drizzle in a little more olive oil and add the corned beef and onions back to the pan. Spread the corned beef out and let it cook for several minutes to brown and develop a crust.
9. Stir and cook the hash until heated through with the potatoes crispy and the corned beef has developed a slightly crusty edge.
While the hash is cooking, fry eggs to your liking in another skillet and season with salt and pepper.
10. Portion out the corned beef hash to individual plates and top with a fried egg or poached egg and a little parsley for color if desired.
Pro-Tips:
- If potatoes are too moist, they’ll fall apart in the frying pan, so give them time to cool and for the steam to evaporate.
- The key to frying potatoes is to ensure the pan and oil are hot (but not smoking) before you add the potatoes to the pan. A higher heat will quickly fry and brown the diced potatoes, giving them a golden, crispy crust. However, adding par-cooked potatoes to a cold pan with oil allows them to soak up the fat instead of frying it.
Recommended pans for cooking corn beef hash:
- A well-seasoned cast iron skillet works very well. Let the steam evaporate completely from the boiled potatoes, and heat the skillet BEFORE adding the olive oil.
- Good nonstick pans are no-brainers for frying potatoes – “Good” is a relative term. This means the pan is heavy for its size (for better conductivity without hot spots), and the nonstick coating doesn’t have scratches that ruin the slick surface.
- A heavy-bottomed stainless steel pan will work, but it needs to be prepped first. Heat the pan over medium-high heat, then flick a few drops of water over the surface. If the water dances (not sizzles), it’s hot enough. Spray the hot pan with vegetable spray before adding the oil (that’s just extra insurance that they don’t stick).
Storage and Reheating:
Storage:
Store leftover corned beef hash in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3-5 days. Don’t store leftover eggs in the same container as the corn beef hash.
To Reheat:
To rejuvenate the corned beef and potatoes, you’ll want to fry it again in a hot skillet with olive oil until the potatoes are golden and crisp. Do not reheat cooked eggs with the hash — that would be messy.
Freezing:
You could freeze leftover hash in an airtight container for 2-3 months, though I like it better when it’s freshly made—Defrost before reheating.
FAQs
The first difference you’ll notice is in the appearance. Canned hash is processed so fine that you could almost mistake it for dog food. Homemade has texture from identifiable chunks of either diced or shredded corned beef and cubes of crusty, golden potato.
You can fry canned hash and attain a bit of crust, but the flavor and texture don’t compare favorably to scratch-made.
Yes. This is not a bad option if you don’t have any leftover St. Patrick’s Day beef in your refrigerator. Several brands sell it in a can — and it can be diced or shredded to make corned beef hash and eggs.
You can make hash with any cooked, leftover meat, like chicken, turkey, beef or pork.
Yes. Defrost the potatoes and spread them on a paper towel-lined sheet pan. Pat the diced potatoes dry before frying.
Hash is from the French word “hacher,” meaning “to chop,” hash has always been a simple, efficient, and delicious way to use leftovers. Classic hash is made with chopped meat, fried onions and potatoes. It doesn’t get much simpler than that.
Hash Trivia:
- Breakfast hash has been popular in America since the 1800s, with many hash recipes and popular “hash houses” serving various types of hash and other diner-style favorites. However, hash is not strictly an American phenomenon.
- In Denmark, “biksemad” (a.k.a. thrown-together food) was traditionally made with pork, potatoes, and onions, seasoned with Worcestershire, and topped with a fried egg.
- In Austria, “Gröstl” is typically made from chopped leftover meat (sausage is common) with potatoes, onions, and herbs, topped with a fried egg.
- Picadillo is a Spanish form of hash made with chopped meat made with tomatoes (or tomato sauce), vegetables, and spices.
- Germany has Labskaus made from corned beef minced with onions, boiled potatoes fried in lard, and the requisite fried egg on top.
This recipe is a traditional corned beef hash and eggs found in diners across the U.S.
Serve with:
- Tropical Fruit Salad with Honey Lime Dressing
- Sugar n’ Spice Broiled Grapefruit
- V8 Bloody Mary
- Apricot Almond Fruit Pastry
- Cinnamon Raisin Oatmeal Bread
- Garlic Cheese Grits
- Ruby Thyme Spritzer
More hash and eggs recipes:
- Sweet Potato and Bacon Hash
- Spicy Chorizo Hash
- Leftover Stuffing Hash
- Corned Beef Hash with Shaved Brussels Sprouts
- Mexican Taco Hash Brown Waffles
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Corned Beef Hash and Eggs
SPECIAL EQUIPMENT:
- heavy nonstick skillet
INGREDIENTS:
FOR THE HASH:
- ½ pound corned beef preferably shredded but can be diced
- ½ pound potatoes I used red potatoes, cut in 1/2″ dice
- 1 small onion diced
- 2 tablespoons olive oil divided
- salt and pepper to taste
GARNISH AND TOPPINGS (optional)
- 1-2 fried or poached eggs per person
- chopped parsley for a bit of green
- hot sauce if you like it spicy
DIRECTIONS:
- Bring a medium pot of water to a boil. When it starts to bubble add a generous pinch of salt. Add ½ pound potatoes and cook for 10 minutes or until tender.
- Line a baking sheet with paper towels and set aside.
- When the potatoes are tender, pour them through a fine mesh strainer to drain the water off, then transfer to the lined baking sheet.
- Spread the potatoes in an even layer to drain and dry. Potatoes should be at room temperature and tacky to the touch, but not wet.
- While the potatoes cook/dry, saute 1 small onion. Heat 2 teaspoons olive oil in a wide-nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add the onions and saute, stirring occasionally, until the alliums are slightly softened and translucent. Transfer the onions to a small bowl.
- Heat 2 more teaspoons of olive oil in the same skillet over medium-high heat. Add the dried and cooled potatoes to the pan and spread into an even layer. Lightly sprinkle with salt and pepper to taste.
- Don’t fuss with the potatoes. Let them cook undisturbed for 4-5 minutes, so they can brown and start to develop a crust.
- Once one side of the spuds is golden and crisp, flip the potatoes to brown the other sides. After flipping, give them time to cook without disturbing them. When they start to get golden, flip them again.
- Once the potatoes are crispy to your liking (between 10-13 minutes for me) add the remaining olive oil and stir in the ½ pound corned beef and sauteed onions.
- Spread the hash into a single layer to cook so that the beef starts to get browned and crispy edges. Toss a few times with a wooden spoon or rubber spatula.
- Serve with 1-2 fried or poached eggs (per person) a little chopped parsley for color and hot sauce if you like a kick. I especially like this with a side of rye toast.
NUTRITION:
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Also my go to diner breakfast!! Love this…
Can I use other potatoes and/or sweet potatoes (supposedly better for diabetics;-))
Excellent tasting recipe with a nice ratio of potatoes to corned beef.