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Corned Beef Hash is one of my favorite breakfast recipes to make with leftover corned beef. It’s full of flavor and way easier to make than you might think!
Corned beef hash is one of my favorite menu items to order for a hearty breakfast at restaurants. If you haven’t tried it before, it’s hearty breakfast dish consisting of corned beef, potatoes and sauteed onions.
I know a lot of people like to eat the canned version at home, but I find homemade corned beef hash is so much better than the canned stuff. It’s truly comfort food!
All you need are a few simple ingredients to make this traditional Irish corned beef hash breakfast. It’s a great way to use your St. Patrick’s Day leftovers the next day, but just having access to corned beef is a good enough reason to make this easy recipe any time of year.
Ingredients and Supplies
- 3 pounds of chopped cooked corned beef
- 3 pounds of cubed Yukon gold potatoes
- 1 chopped white onion
- ¼ cup of unsalted butter
- Salt and pepper
- Knife
- Cutting board
- Large mixing bowl
- Large frying pan
- Heavy wood spoon
By the Numbers: How to Make Corned Beef Hash
Follow these simple step by step instructions to learn how to make the best corned beef hash breakfast you’ve ever tasted.
Step 1: Lightly Cook Onions.
The first thing you want to do is melt half a stick of butter (¼ cup) in a large frying pan or cast iron skillet over medium low. Add 1 chopped white onion and cook until the onions are about halfway cooked through – not quite translucent.
Step 2: Add Gold Potatoes to Bowl.
While the onion is cooking, add your cubed yellow potatoes to a large mixing bowl. These potatoes should be raw, not cooked.
Step 3: Add Cooked Corned Beef to Bowl.
Next, you want to mix in the cooked corned beef brisket that you chopped into the raw potatoes in the bowl.
Step 4: Add Cooked Onion to Bowl.
Once the onions are halfway done cooking, add them to the mixing bowl with the meat and potatoes. Make sure that everything is really well mixed together and the potatoes are covered in grease and butter. It’s very important if you want them to cook evenly.
Step 5: Cook Corned Beef Hash.
Dump the corned beef hash mixture into a skillet or frying pan that has been pre-heated (it’s best if it’ll fit into the pan in a single layer, but it’s okay if it doesn’t.
Cook covered over low heat for 40-45 minutes. You want to be able to cut the potatoes with a spoon before moving onto the next step in the recipe.
Step 6: Brown Meat & Potatoes.
Once the potatoes are fork tender, you want to remove the lid and turn the heat up to high. Cook the corned beef hash for about 10 minutes on high heat, flipping occasionally to get a nice brown sear on as much of the corned beef as possible. Be very careful that it doesn’t scorch to the bottom of the pan.
Step 7: Serve Corned Beef.
Once the meat and potatoes are nice and browned, season to taste with salt and pepper (corned beef is already very salty, so season with caution) and serve in a bowl. You can serve with a fried or poached egg on top of the hash as well.
Tips for Making Homemade Corned Beef Hash
Answers to all of your questions about making this delicious corned beef hash breakfast recipe.
What’s the best way to cook corned beef?
A lot of people like to cook it in the slow cooker, but I prefer the speed and convenience of making it in a pressure cooker. Check out my Instant Pot Corned Beef recipe to see how quick and easy it is.
Is a fried egg or poached egg more authentic?
There is a lot of debate about whether a fried or poached egg over corned beef hash is more authentic. I have to tell you, both ways are delicious! My personal preference is a fried runny egg cooked sunny side up as it goes better with the feel of beef hash, but poached is amazing too.
Either way, it’s best with eggs with a runny yolk. I love how runny eggs just drizzle down into the beef and potatoes and give it extra flavor!
No matter how you prefer your eggs, I recommend topping your hash with an egg!
Can other types of potatoes be substituted?
The best potatoes to use are Yukon Golds, but you can really use any type of potato you like. Russet potatoes are a popular choice.
The first thing you should know is that russet potatoes are much more absorbent than yukon golds. I find they tend to soak up about twice as much moisture.
So, while you can absolutely use russet potatoes, I find that golden potatoes cook much more evenly and stick to the pan less.
You can also make sweet potato hash using this same method. If you like sweet potatoes, be sure to check out my Sweet Potato Shepherd’s Pie recipe too.
Why don’t you cook the potatoes first?
If you cook the potatoes first, your corned beef hash will come out greasy and mushy. That is why I also don’t recommend using leftover potatoes to make hash with. For best results, use fresh, raw potatoes.
How to make dairy free corned beef hash?
All you have to do is substitute olive oil for butter and this homemade corned beef hash recipe is dairy free.
Where to buy corned beef?
We normally just get it at one of the local grocery stores every year. However, there are places you can buy it online in the United States like Snake River Farms. Check out my post on the best places to buy meat online for more shopping ideas.
More St. Paddy’s Day meal ideas?
If you need some new recipes to celebrate St. Paddy’s Day, try one of these:
- Shamrock Fried Eggs for a low carb yet comforting breakfast
- Irish Colcannon – a tasty mashed potatoes and kale or cabbage side dish
- Sweet Potato Shepherd’s Pie – an alternative to traditional Shepherd’s Pie
Corned Beef Hash Recipe
Ingredients
- 3 pounds cooked corned beef - chopped
- 3 pounds Yukon gold potatoes - cubed
- 1 white onion - chopped
- ¼ cup unsalted butter
- Sea salt - to taste
- Freshly ground black pepper - to taste
Equipment
- Knife
- Cutting Board
- Large mixing bowl
- Large frying pan
- Heavy wooden spoon
Instructions
- Melt butter in a large frying pan or skillet. Add the onion and cook until the onions are about cooked about halfway, then turn off the heat.
- Place potatoes (raw) into a large bowl.
- Mix in the cooked corned beef into the diced potatoes in the bowl.
- Add the sautéed onion to the mixing bowl and mix really well, making sure all of the potatoes have a nice layer of grease and butter covering them.
- Pour the corned beef hash mixture into a frying pan or skillet that has been pre-heated and cook covered over low heat for about 40-45 minutes.
- Once the potatoes are tender enough to cut with a spoon, remove the lid and turn the heat up to high. Cook the breakfast hash for around 10 minutes over high heat, carefully flipping the hash every once in a while so you get a nice golden brown sear over the beef and potatoes.
- Once you have crispy corned beef and brown potatoes, season to taste with salt and black pepper and serve in a bowl. Top the finished dish with a poached or fried egg and hot sauce, if desired.
