Go to any diner, and you’re sure to find corned beef hash, a savory mixture of finely diced meat and potatoes that’s fried until crisp. Red flannel hash contains all that yummy stuff, plus the addition of tender, dark-red beets.
A tasty and colorful dish, red flannel hash is a favorite among New England recipes. Just add a side of scrambled or fried eggs for a hearty breakfast. Or stay in the theme, and serve alongside some New England baked beans and oysters Rockefeller.
How did red flannel hash get its name?
A longtime staple of diners and home kitchens in the Northeast, hash is a way to make use of leftovers from New England boiled dinners. Meat and potatoes are chopped or ground, seasoned and cooked in a single layer in a skillet, where a crispy brown crust develops across the bottom.
Red flannel hash is distinguished by the addition of diced cooked beets thrown in with the corned beef and potatoes. As the mixture cooks, the beet juice turns everything a pale pink. The combination of cubes of red beets, pink corned beef and pink-white potatoes gives the dish a resemblance to a red plaid flannel shirt. And, just like the shirt, red flannel hash is warming and comforting on cold winter days.
Ingredients for Red Flannel Hash
- Corned beef: Use chopped cooked corned beef left over from a boiled dinner, or pick up some cooked corned beef at the deli counter. Corned beef is a cured meat with lots of salty, spiced flavor, and it makes the hash very tasty.
- Cooked potatoes: If you don’t have any cooked taters in the fridge, simply boil or bake whole potatoes ahead of time, then dice them to add to the hash mixture. The cooking step in this recipe is only enough to warm the ingredients and meld the flavors; raw potatoes won’t cook through in time.
- Beets: This recipe gets its name from the brilliant-red color of canned cooked beets. The meat, potatoes and onion soak up the beets’ color and flavor.
Directions
Step 1: Heat the skillet
Choose a large, heavy-bottomed skillet (such as a cast-iron skillet), and add the vegetable oil. Place the pan over medium-high heat to get the oil hot.
Step 2: Cook the hash ingredients
Add the beets, corned beef, potatoes, onion, cream, melted butter, parsley, Worcestershire sauce, salt and pepper. Reduce the heat to low, and cook the hash, stirring occasionally, until lightly browned and heated through, about 20 minutes. Serve while hot.
Editor’s Tip: Don’t over-stir the mixture as it cooks, and let it finish cooking undisturbed for a few minutes. Constant stirring would prevent the delicious, crispy brown crust from forming on the bottom.
Red Flannel Hash Variations
- Use sweet potatoes: Add a little sweetness (and orange color) to the dish by swapping out regular potatoes for cubes of cooked sweet potatoes.
- Ditch the meat: For a vegetarian red flannel hash, omit the corned beef, and instead use tempeh, which is made from fermented soybeans and compressed into a sliceable brick. Cut the tempeh into cubes, and add to the hash mixture. Another option is to just use more onions, beets and potatoes in place of the meat.
- Add cheese: Though it may not be a traditional ingredient in red flannel hash, the addition of shredded cheddar or crumbles of goat cheese would be delicious.
- Try other meats: Leftover brisket, pot roast, steak or ham can be used in place of the corned beef. Just chop the meat into pieces the same size as the beets and potatoes.
How long does red flannel hash last?
Any leftover hash should be stored in the fridge in an airtight container; it will keep for up to three days. Reheat it in a skillet over medium heat.
Can you freeze red flannel hash?
Yes! Let the cooked mixture cool completely, then transfer it to an airtight freezer-proof container. Store the hash in the freezer for up to two months. When you’re ready to eat, allow it to thaw in the fridge, then reheat the hash in a skillet on the stovetop.
Red Flannel Hash Tips
How do I get a crust on my red flannel hash?
Let the oil in the pan get hot before adding the hash ingredients. Stir the ingredients a few times as the mixture cooks to warm everything through, then let the hash sit, undisturbed, in the pan for the remaining cook time. This will let all the ingredients at the bottom of the pan brown and develop a crispy crust.
Why is my red flannel hash soggy?
This happens when moisture and steam are trapped in the hash mixture, usually because the pan is too small or too deep. Use a large, wide skillet, and spread the ingredients out in a thin layer in the skillet. This lets the moisture easily escape during cooking, resulting in a crispier hash.
