A home cook tried to replicate the iconic fast food breakfast side order at home – but make it “crunchier” and “healthier”
The McDonald’s hash brown is known for being very crisp and golden(Image: 4kodiak via Getty)
Globally, McDonald’s breakfast hash browns have gotten so much fame for their crispness and golden colour. But is it possible to whip up a homemade batch that rivals -or even surpasses – the original?
Daniele Di Nunzio, known online as The Air Fryer Geek, made a video that showed him try to craft an at-home version of the beloved fast-food morning staple, with a promise of extra crunch and a healthier profile, steering clear of deep frying. Here’s everything necessary to create four scrumptious hash browns.
Ingredients:6-7 medium-sized potatoes1TBS cornstarch1TBS of salt3TBS of extra virgin olive oilRecipe:
To start, Daniele grated some Idaho potatoes into a bowl that was filled with salted water. He claimed that this step allowed the potatoes to absorb the flavor of the seasoning over the course of a few hours. Daniele said it was very important to then wring out as much moisture from the potatoes as possible. “We don’t want water, as I say, we want crispiness,” he told viewers.
This online cook showcased the easiest trick to drain water from the spuds right back into the bowl using a kitchen towel, then proceeded to add “a couple of tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil” before starting the two-stage cooking technique. Getting his potato mix ready, Daniele fires up his air fryer to 400F (200C), reports the Express.
McDonald’s Hash Brown At Home
Eight minutes in, Daniele stops to season the mix with corn starch. He said: “Inside a clean bowl, I’m adding corn starch that will help to keep the hash brown together.”
Next, he tried to copy the signature McDonald’s shape by pressing 70g of his hash brown mix into a biscuit cutter. You could just eyeball it, but this method ensures all your hash browns come out looking as uniform as those from the Golden Arches.
To ensure these hash browns hold their form, Daniele popped them in the freezer for a few hours before cooking. This is a great make-ahead option for those mornings when you’re craving a McDonald’s-style breakfast and miss the deadline.
McDonald’s no longer offers all-day breakfast in the USA. The all-day breakfast menu was discontinued in 2020 to streamline operations and reduce wait times, according to CNBC, with no plans to reintroduce the morning menu past 11am.
McDonald’s hash browns are sold during the breakfast period(Image: 4kodiak via Getty)
For the final step, Daniele preheats the air fryer at 400F (200C) for 10 minutes to get it “super hot” and ready to cook the side dish “to perfection”. He placed two hash browns into the sizzling basket, gave them another drizzle of olive oil, and after eight minutes of pre-heating, had crispy, golden hash browns.
Is preheating my air fryer necessary?
While some air fryers can be used without preheating and certain recipes may not call for it, always check your air fryer’s user manual or recipe instructions for specific preheating advice.
Preheating can result in better crisping, quicker cooking times, and more even cooking, particularly for frozen foods. If you skip the preheat, you might end up with unevenly cooked food, with some parts undercooked and others overdone.