How Gordon Ramsay Makes Perfectly Golden Hash Browns Every Time

Crunchy yet tender, golden hash browns elevate any breakfast or brunch dish. They're immensely satisfying to make from scratch, but although there are plenty of handy tips for the perfect hash browns, it's not always the easiest of dishes to master. If you want to get chef-worthy hash browns at home, Gordon Ramsay swears by a couple of simple steps to guarantee great results. You need to use the right potatoes — which, surprisingly, means a waxy variety in this case — and to squeeze the water out of them.

Whether you're after crispy fries or fluffy mash, different types of potatoes belong in different dishes. Often, hash brown recipes suggest using starchy potatoes for better crisping, but Ramsay has other ideas. Instead, the British chef recommends using waxy potatoes, for two reasons: "They cook better, but — more importantly — hold themselves together," he explains (via YouTube).

The reason starchy potatoes, such as Idaho or russet, are generally considered the best type of potatoes for crunchy hash browns is because they contain less moisture than waxier spuds. But since Ramsay's technique involves removing as much liquid as possible before you start cooking, it also produces a crispy finish — "seriously crispy," according to the chef (per YouTube).

Gordon Ramsay shreds the potatoes for his hash browns rather than slicing them. You can either use a regular box grater or a food processor with a shredding disc attachment if you don't fancy the intensive arm workout of doing it by hand. The chef also grates some onion into the mix to add extra savory flavor to every bite. Though it makes it incredibly tasty, this also means there is even more moisture in the mixture, so it's especially important to drain everything before cooking. There are several ways to do this.

Ramsay gets rid of the excess liquid by squeezing the shredded veg combo with his hands, using a colander set over a bowl to catch the starchy water — but you can certainly make the job a little easier. Try wrapping the shredded spuds in a clean and dry dishtowel or cheesecloth, and wringing it out to help absorb the moisture.

If you find that the tubers are still on the soggy side, there are other kitchen utensils you can turn to for assistance. Try a potato ricer or a citrus press to make the squeezing process a little more efficient. Alternatively, you may find that your salad spinner does the job well.

If you're still worried about waxy potatoes not producing crispy edges, then Gordon Ramsay has another tip: He dots butter around the rim of the pan as the hash browns cook in olive oil. Because butter has a lower smoke point than oil, it means the edges become caramelized as well as absorb more rich dairy flavor. While it's generally a mistake to cook hash browns in butter because it burns faster, combining it with oil produces a good balance of taste and texture.

A top tip to keep tubers crispy is to parboil them before you grate them; this makes the texture drier than when they're raw. You can do this by boiling the spuds whole for 10 minutes before letting them cool. If you're making individual hash browns, pouring melted butter over the grated potato mixture, forming them, and then popping them in the fridge for up to a day will give a more cohesive texture, as well as a starchier surface for better crisping. 

You need to cook the shredded spuds on both sides to get the crunchiest result. Use a large flat spatula to flip, or follow Ramsay's lead and use a plate instead — just put it on top of the pan, then turn the whole thing over. Alternatively, try a different way altogether: Ina Garten's favorite kitchen tool for the crispiest hash browns is to use a waffle iron, so they evenly cook on both sides.