I tried cooking dehydrated hash browns for breakfast for the first time. I had saved a couple of packs of dehydrated hash browns for emergency food storage, so I thought I better learn to cook them now, before an emergency happens. A disaster situation would not be a great time to figure out how to cook something new.
What happened when I first tried cooking dehydrated hash browns?
The first thing I did was soak the potatoes in warm tap water for 15 minutes. I then added some oil to a pan and cooked the hash browns. On my first try, the hash browns came out a little tough. I think the water I used for soaking was not hot enough.
The next time I tried it, I heated some water to boiling. I added the dehydrated hash browns to a bowl and poured the hot water over them. I let them sit for about 15 minutes.
I fried the hash browns in olive oil with a bit of salt and pepper and they came up very tasty. The taste and texture was the same as fresh hash browns. With proper soaking, the hash browns turned out well. The family gave them a thumbs up.
How to cook dehydrated hash browns
You will need: dehydrated hash browns Each 1/4 cup of dry hash browns makes one serving.
Equipment needed: Bowl, pot for heating water, colander
Place the dehydrated hash browns in a bowl. Boil around five cups of water. Once the water boils, turn off the heat and pour the water over the hash browns until the potatoes are submerged.
Soak the potatoes in the hot water for about 15 minutes. The re-hydrated potatoes will look a lot thicker as water gets absorbed.
Using a colander, drain off all the water. Squeeze out any excess water from the potatoes using paper towels or kitchen towel.
Heat oil or butter in a skillet. Place the hash browns in a single layer and fry over medium heat for about five minutes on each side. Add salt and pepper to taste. Turn the hash browns over to cook the opposite side. Cook for five minutes more until nicely browned.
Variations: If you sprinkle bacon bits and grated cheese, it becomes a meal in itself. You can also fry an egg sunny side up or over-easy and place it on top of the cooked hash browns.
Note: If an emergency happens and you don’t have any hot water, you will have to soak the dehydrated hash browns in tap water a lot longer (an hour or so).
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Bernie Carr is the founder of Apartment Prepper. She has written several books including the best-selling Prepper’s Pocket Guide, Jake and Miller’s Big Adventure, The Penny-Pinching Prepper and How to Prepare for Most Emergencies on a $50 a Month Budget. Bernie’s latest e-book, FRUGAL DIY has just been released on Amazon. Her work appears in sites such as the Allstate Blog and Clark.com, as well as print magazines such as Backwoods Survival Guide and Prepper Survival Guide. She has been featured in national publications such as Fox Business and Popular Mechanics. Learn more about Bernie here.
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I throw in some finely chopped green onion….or sometimes bell peppers. Like you, I found that if you don’t stir too often they get crispy.
I make my own hashbrowns. I boil potatoes with the skin on until they’re almost but not quite cooked. There should be firmness in the middle of your spud. Put in the fridge over night. I peel mine and then shred. I found an attachment that I have for my KitchenAid works great. Box grater works too, but you don’t get as clean of a shred. Dehydrate and store. Love the fact that I can do this myself.
Hi Island Girl, Great additions-green onions and bell peppers. I can use leftovers. It’s great to be able to make your own hashbrowns. Thanks for the comment!