Corned Beef Hash – Savory and Hearty Breakfast

If you are looking for flavorful leftover corned beef idea, this Corned Beef Hash Recipe is the answer. Crispy potatoes, onion, peppers, and eggs combined with savory corned beef, for an amazing breakfast or brunch.

My husband grew up with the classic boiled corned beef and cabbage meal to celebrate St. Patrick’s Day, and without fail there would always be leftovers. The question was, what do you do with leftover corned beef? These days we go out of our way to actually smoke corned beef for more flavor and then set aside some of the leftovers for a corned beef hash. We also make our own corning brine for our brisket flats too.

The smoked corned beef is easily what makes this recipe so popular. But making the corned beef hash from scratch with eggs, potatoes, peppers, and onions provides an extremely comforting food combination. This hash is so tasty and versatile that it can be cooked anytime throughout the year.

Breakfast Corned Beef Hash

Corned beef hash is an amazing breakfast dish that incorporates meat, potatoes, onions, and other flavors, and is a great use for any leftover meat. Most commonly you see corned beef as the primary meat, but you can use any meat your heart desires.

Corned beef hash also makes for a delicious side or main dish. It’s rich and filling without including eggs, but mixing you’re hash with eggs will make it a richer and more satisfying breakfast or brunch. Cooking takes just a few minutes longer.

This is a classic American dish served as far back as the mid 1860’s, but hash goes back centuries. The idea is to use up those leftover meat (in this case the beef we cured), and then finished with a mix of vegetables in a simple, yet flavorful, dish.

Ingredients for Corned Beef Hash

We keep it simple with a few key ingredients for this corned beef hash. But the steps in how we cook it are important in order to get a crispy potato and soft vegetables.

• Potatoes – Specifically we are using yellow potatoes. They are soft and easy to par-boil so they can be pan-fried in fat before the rest of the ingredients. We find the level of starch is much lower as well, then say a Russet.
• Leftover Corned Beef – We use leftover corned beef that is diced or shredded.
• Peppers and Red Onion – We love red bell pepper for the flavor and color, and when you combine it with a red onion the smell and flavor are magical!
• Garlic – A little goes a long way for that kick.
• Egg – Sunnyside up is the way to go on these. That way as you bite into the egg, the yolk infuses with the corned beef hash.
• Tomatoes – A fresh tomato at the end adds a brightness to this dish.
• Optional – Add a touch of pickled hot peppers for a little kick, or add sour cream, or hot sauce to enhance the flavor.

Crispy Potatoes

The secret to getting crispy versus steamed potatoes is to par-boil them, like we do for our perfect roasted potatoes. Instead of finishing in the oven, pan fry the potatoes with oil for a golden crispy texture and crust.

1. Cut up the potatoes into small cubes and add to cold salted water. We use two tablespoons of kosher salt for 1 pound of potatoes in the water.
2. Turn the heat to high and then immediately set a timer for 12 minutes. The water will come to a boil around the 8 minute mark. Reduce the heat slightly. When the timer goes off, the potatoes will be soft, and slightly salted.
3. Drain potatoes and then add to a well oiled pan over medium heat.
4. Let the potatoes crisp up for 5 minutes before you start to stir them. The contact with the pan will get the golden color. So try to minimize how often you stir.
5. When the potatoes are at the consistency you like reserve them in a bowl and prepare the remainder of the hash.

If you are using a smaller pan, crisp up the potatoes in two batches. If the potatoes are too crowded in one pan, they will steam each other versus getting crispy.

How to Make Corned Beef Hash

1. After finishing the potatoes, use the same pan over medium heat and add the leftover corned beef. You don’t really need more oil as there is still plenty of fat in the beef that will render. Stir and reheat for 5 minutes until warm and then add the meat to the bowl of potatoes.
2. Add more olive oil to same pan and then add the onions and peppers. Adjust heat as needed so they are softening, not browning. Stir occasionally until soft. This takes about 8 – 10 minutes. Add garlic and stir for 1 minute to soften but not fry.
3. Add tomatoes, potatoes, corned beef, and any optional ingredients back into the pan. Stir to incorporate. Taste to see if any salt is needed. Likely it won’t from the salted potatoes and the cured corned beef.
4. Place portions on a plate and serve with eggs. Our favorite is Eggs sunny side up. Garnish with some parsley.

A dollop of sour cream is amazing on top of a corned beef hash, you can also add your favorite hot sauce.

Other Breakfast Ideas

• Steak and Egg Breakfast Burritos
• Smoked Ham Hash
• Pulled Pork Breakfast Hash
• Smoked Sausage Gravy
• Corned Beef Hash

More Great St. Patrick’s Day Ideas

• Shepherd’s Pie
• Corned Beef Sandwich with Guinness Au Jus
• Smoked Corned Beef Round
• How to Make A Cure for Corned Beef

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