Cheesy Hashbrown Casserole Recipe (2024)

FAQs

What is the hashbrown casserole at Cracker Barrel made of? ›

Shredded potatoes, Colby cheese, chopped onions, our signature seasoning blend, salt and pepper baked together in the oven for our Signature Hashbrown Casserole. *May be cooked to order. Consuming raw or undercooked meats, poultry, seafood, shellfish or eggs may increase your risk of foodborne illness.

Frozen hash browns will leak moisture during cooking, which could leave a soggy, sad mess behind. For the best results, let the frozen hash browns thaw overnight in the fridge, then thoroughly pat them dry to remove as much moisture as possible before cooking them to crispy.

Without thawing them beforehand, that moisture ends up in your dish and your hash browns turn out wet and mushy instead of crispy and crunchy. To prevent this, as Prepare and Nourish advises, you can also drain any excess liquid from the potatoes after they're defrosted.

Tips for the Crispiest Hash Browns

Squeeze out moisture: Use a potato ricer, orange or lemon press, or a tea towel to wring out excess moisture from the shredded raw potato. Some people find a salad spinner can work well too.

I have heard of them called hash brown au gratin, cheesy potatoes, and as just “The potatoes”(emphasis on “the”). They are a delectable blend of frozen hash browns, grated cheese(usually colby jack or cheddar), American cheese(like Velveeta, but Kraft singles also work), butter, and sour cream.

Pasteurized Milk, Cheese Culture, Salt, Enzymes, Annatto (Color), Natamycin (A Natural Mold Inhibitor).

Most recipes require soaking your raw, shredded potato in cold water to rinse off the excess starch, then squeezing every last bit of moisture out before tossing it in a pan.

To ensure ultimate crispness, be sure to rinse the grated potatoes with cold water until the water runs nearly clear and to use a very hot, well-seasoned pan. As with all potato dishes, remember to season well.

Whisk together equal parts cornstarch and cold water in a small bowl. Use one tablespoon of cornstarch per cup of liquid you would like to thicken. Stir out all the lumps. A few minutes before your casserole is done, add it a little at a time until you are happy with the thickness.

Most recipes for shredded hash browns advise squeezing the potatoes to release as much liquid as possible before they're cooked. This makes sense—potatoes are loaded with moisture, which makes browning difficult. By getting rid of excess water, you enable the potatoes to brown more evenly and quickly.

Are frozen hash browns just shredded potatoes? ›

Commercially the potatoes are steamed and tumbled to get the skin off, then shredded and blanched in water or oil and then (this is key) individually flash frozen in huge freezers by running the potato pieces thru on a conveyor belt. Then bagged and ready for the customer to oven bake or finish fry.

In essentially any dish that calls for peeled and prepped potatoes, you can (and should) use frozen hash browns.

A: Exposure to air or oxygen is the cause of this situation when the potatoes are cut and stored in advance for any future cooking.

This process, which is called oxidation, happens because potatoes are a naturally starchy vegetable. And when exposed to oxygen, starches turn gray, brown, or even black. An oxidized potato is completely safe to eat. The process doesn't affect the flavor or texture of the vegetable.

The key for perfectly cooked hashbrowns is to keep the hashbrowns to about 1/3 to 1/2-inch thickness in the pan, otherwise, they won't crisp up and cook through properly. Here are the guidelines we follow: 10-inch skillet: use 1.25 lb potatoes. 12-inch skillet: use 1.5 lbs of potatoes.

According to the Cracker Barrel internet-published menu, the hashbrown casserole is shredded potatoes, Colby cheese, chopped onions, Cracker Barrel's signature seasoning blend, salt and pepper baked together in the oven. The loaded hashbrown casserole is that, grilled and topped with Colby cheese and bacon pieces.

Our scratch-made Hashbrown Casserole, hot off the grill and layered with pieces of crispy bacon, farm-fresh scrambled eggs, melted Colby cheese, fried onions, green onions, and fresh diced tomatoes. Served with Buttermilk Biscuits (160 cal each). *May be cooked to order.

WE WANT TO LET YOU KNOW THAT OUR HASHBROWN CASSEROLE IS MADE THE TRADITIONAL WAY USING MEAT SEASONINGS AND IS NOT STRICTLY VEGETARIAN.

By far and away, the vast majority of our ingredients come from right here in America. Our green beans, potatoes, farm raised catfish, sweet potatoes, turnip greens, and all of our beef, pork, and poultry are domestically grown or raised.