Pickles Give Your Hash Browns A Tangy Twist

Haven't hash browns always been there for us? Hash browns can be loose or formed into a patty, but, either way, create a starchy contrast that works well with eggs, various sauces, and maybe a few strips of bacon or a patty of sausage. Some may argue, though, they can be a bit one-note, at least in their most primal state. Those folks must have never been to Anthony Bourdain's favorite roadside diner, Waffle House, where the talented short-order cooks provide you with hash browns that have been "scattered, smothered, covered, chunked, diced, peppered, and capped" with sauteed onions, American cheese, ham, tomatoes, jalapeño peppers, and sauteed mushrooms. These added ingredients make the sturdy hash browns sing. But there is another ingredient — one Waffle House doesn't offer — that can really kick these spuds up a notch: dill pickles.

Divisive, maybe, but if you're an avowed dill pickle lover, then the pairing makes a lot of sense. We even like potatoes boiled in pickle brine. The sharp, salty, brine of the pickles is an apt foil for the starchy hash browns. What's more? Adding them is a snap. Regular hash browns require raw potatoes to be grated and squeezed of their excess water. Do the same for your pickle so that you're left with a shredded pickle that is roughly the same size as the shredded potato. Fold them together, and, at the most basic level, you're good to go.

Simple hash browns need only shredded, squeezed russet potatoes and a nice hot cast iron skillet that has been heated with oil. Add the potatoes and salt and let them sit over moderately-high heat to form a crust. For pickle-spiked hash browns, take the above folded-together mixture and give it the same treatment. The pickles may extend the cooking time as they will not brown in the same way as the shredded potato, but it will be roughly the same. The result is a tangy, but still hearty breakfast side that brings a welcome note of acid to the plate.

While simplicity has its merits, there's nothing wrong with gussying up your pickle hash browns. Sauteed onions and garlic can add layers of sweet and sharp flavors, and cheese, either mixed throughout or melted on top adds creamy richness. 

Of course, you may want to take things a step further and create pickle hash brown patties. For these, add some corn starch as a binder along with herbs and spices, such as chopped fresh dill, chives, and garlic powder to the potato and pickle mixture and form into tight patties. You can do this by hand for a more rustic look or using a mold for more exact hash brown patties. Using a spider or your hand, gently drop the patties into a pot of heated oil to deep-fry until supremely crispy outside and bursting with flavor inside.