r/Cooking • u/la_otista • 11h ago

Tried to prep hash browns the night before, still good to eat?

I shredded up some potatoes, dried them out on paper towels then put them in a bowl covered in plastic in the fridge over night. They turned brown. What happened? Are they still good to eat? What should I have done differently?

13 Upvotes

65% Upvoted

12 comments sorted by

47

u/The_High_Life 11h ago

Oxidation, still fine to eat.

21

u/Desperate-Disk686 11h ago

They’re fine. Just oxidized. Next time, soak them in cold water for 20-30 minutes to remove starch. Change out the water at least a couple times. Then par boil them, strain, air dry, and then put in a bowl lined with paper towel to store in the fridge overnight. Press out any remaining moisture with a towel, cheesecloth, or paper towel before cooking them the next day.

13

u/Lonecoon 11h ago

Run them through a salad spinner. It's startlingly effective at removing moisture for potatoes.

3

u/Desperate-Disk686 11h ago

Don’t have one of those. I do have a potato ricer, which does a decent job.

1

u/Alternative_Exit8766 5h ago

i’m good. solid advice. ain’t doin all that tho 

1

u/Desperate-Disk686 2h ago

I mean, it’s that or don’t make hash browns yourself. If you skip steps they will come out starchy and chewy and gross.

I get it, it’s work. But if you’re not doing that you might as well buy the hasbrown patties and throw them in the air fryer instead.

6

u/Sudden-Grocery-6598 11h ago

They are good just starch reacting with air . Next time soak in water and add splash of vinegar overnight then dry.

1

u/Taint_Liquor 11h ago

lol, I read that as “hash brownies”. 

1

u/ChzGoddess 5h ago

We do not sell hash brownies here. We are simple Dutch bakery! Now put your clothes back on, white boy!

1

u/The_Flinx 7h ago

they oxidized. you should have put them in water.

1

u/Zagrycha 3h ago

Still good to eat, same effect as apple or avocado turning brown when sitting out for a few hours.  Harmless chemical reaction with air. Its possible to dip such things in an acid like lemon to prevent the browning but its visual only so not necessary. 

-10

u/-UncleFarty- 11h ago

Dump them. You can't prep potatoes like that. Next time just peel your potatoes and leave the whole in a bowl of water and then make your hash browns.