This Is The Best Type Of Oil To Make Hash Browns With
Depending on who you ask, there are some very different answers as to what kind of oil is best for frying up hash browns. Of course, you should try a variety out to find which you like best, but there are some things to consider if you branch out.
Though it isn't an oil, Blue Apron says butter is another good choice to try, too, while Food Routes suggests ghee, which eliminates the need to clarify butter if you so choose to use it. The milk solids in butter have to be removed after the butter has been melted because it will burn at a much lower temperature making it hard to pan-fry hash brown in regular butter (via All Recipes). But clarified butter can reach the higher temperatures you need to succeed.
For similar reasons, you need to be selective about which oils you use to make crispy hash browns. Food Routes explains that expeller-pressed coconut oil is a winner while Blue Apron suggests olive oil. Pressed coconut oil will not smell or taste like coconut and acts more like a blank slate for flavor. You're likely very familiar with extra virgin olive oil, but you actually want to stay away from it and use light olive oil instead, according Bon Appetit.
This is why you should carefully choose oil for your hash browns
The reason you have to be careful about which oils you choose to use comes down to how they act when heated to a high temperature. Just like regular butter, some oils tend to smoke before reaching higher temperatures and can even taste like they've spoiled when heated beyond their smoke point, according to Bon Appetit. That's why you want those that can heat up enough without smoking to fry the hash browns until a crisp coat appears on the exterior.
Per Bon Appetit, light olive oil can reach temperatures up to 465 or 470 degrees Fahrenheit while extra virgin olive oil can only heat to roughly 325 degrees. Light olive oil tastes more neutral than extra virgin olive oil, which means you'll get less flavor from the oil. It does, however, allow the flavor of the potatoes to shine through more easily.
Sunflower seed oil, avocado oil, vegetable oil, and grapeseed oil are all great picks too. This group is rather neutral when it comes to taste and can reach high temperatures that will allow you to get your hash browns nice and crunchy on the outside and avoid sogginess. So, give a second thought to what you pour into the pan — it can make or break your hash browns.