I’ve got a confession to make. Ready? I’m not good at following recipes. Unless I’m baking, which requires some level of precision (like exact measuring) I tend to view recipes as a guideline. I also like to make things that you take one dish. My specialty is taking bits and bobs of whatever’s leftover in the fridge and turning them into dinner and that’s how my One Pot Meal: Corned Beef Hash and Eggs was born.
(If you’re looking for a precise recipe with measurements, this post is not for you.)
But first, a little bit of the events that led to making this. It all started with St. Patrick’s Day dinner. I look forward to this dinner every year for one reason – the leftovers. Don’t get me wrong. I do more than my fair share of damage plowing through the corned beef, cabbage, carrots and potatoes but I stay focused on the prize. What prize, you may ask?
Leftover corned beef. How else can one make a Reuben sandwich or corned beef hash?
Corned beef hash is one of my all-time favorite foods. If I go out for breakfast and the establishment serves house-made hash, I’m a goner. So when the chance to have some leftover corned beef comes my way, I’m all over it.
For me it’s all about balance. You need to have just the right ratio of potatoes to corned beef with a bit of onion thrown in. It’s also important (to me) to get your hash a little crispy.
To get the best results, use a pan with a heavy bottom that has a lid.
If you’ve got leftover potatoes from your dinner, fantastic. If not, boil medium sized russet potatoes with the skin on until they are just barely tender. Peel while hot and cut into whatever size you like. I prefer a 2 to 1 ratio of potatoes to corned beef. In other words, if I have 1/3 cup of corned beef, I’ll cook up 2/3 cup potatoes. Brown the onions with the potatoes and let them all get nice and tender. Then add the corned beef. Be sure to season with salt and pepper along the way.
At this point you can dig in OR you can get a little crazy and add some eggs into the mix.
Notice the nice browned bits? That’s what you’re looking for. To add eggs, make little pockets in the hash and drop a little bit of butter in each little hole.
Carefully drop an egg in each hole and season with a little salt and pepper.
Lower heat, cover the pan and let the eggs cook until they’re done the way you like. I like it when the yolk is still runny but the whites are nice and firm.
So now you can understand why the leftover hash is so important, right? What do you do with your leftover corned beef?