This is the go to breakfast recipe for us when we are out camping. I stumbled on it one year during sukkot. We were tired of eggs and had a few things still in the cooler so I went to work.
Ingredient list:
- 1 stick of butter
- 1 package of beef bacon ( I have used skinless beef sausage also)
- 5 or 6 medium yellow potatoes
- 1 medium onion
- 1 garlic (optional)
- salt and pepper
You can add or subtract to this recipe. I have added fresh squash from the garden, fresh hot or mild peppers, fresh okra...your imagination is the limit! Ive even been known to throw a half dozen eggs in at the end.
I start the cast iron on low while the butter is melting. I put half a stick of real butter in each skillet but if you have a big skillet, it works better. I was limited on space so I used two this time. You don't want to burn that butter, just melt it real nice and slow like!
OK, while the butter is slowly melting, gather the onion and potatoes and cut then in hashbrown size cubes. Everybody likes them different so this is up to you. I cut the potato in half lengthwise then each half horizontally again. then you can cut a nice grid and make nice cubes! I keep the onion cut a little bigger so you dont end up with tiny little burnt onions when your done. Mine end up looking like little onion petals.
Throw them potatoes in a bowl and salt them liberally! This will start to draw the moisture out of them allowing them to brown faster.
This is where the magic starts! I just cut the package right in half. No need to fuss with opening it from the top and getting your fingers all messy!
Then, just to make things simpler, I just cut right through the stacks like so. You can make the pieces smaller or bigger here, whatever strikes your fancy! The smaller the pieces, the faster it will crisp up.
Throw them potatoes in the skillet now and crank the heat up to Medium High. These things should be sizzling now! Keep turning them every so often until they are just starting to brown.
Throw the onions and bacon in and keep turning them until either bacon is crisp or potatoes are satisfactorily browned. I don't mind a little really dark potatoes in there or a few pieces of onion that are sauteed well! I just want to get that bacon crisp...If you don't like dark hashbrowns, then throw everything in at the same time and it should turn out well. You can see in this->> picture how the onion pieces are petal shaped and rather large!
This is how I prefer them! You can see a little bit of well done potatoes and onions but nobody in my house seems to mind it! This is by far their favorite breakfast dish!
This year at Sukkot, I had a large 16 inch skillet so I made huge batches so I could share!! I usually throw it all into a paper towel lined bowl to soak up the grease and butter and deliver it to to the watering mouths waiting patiently for it!
Now go empty that fridge and get to browning!
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