Ingredients
2 LBS Yukon Gold or Russet Potatoes (peeled & cubed)
1 LB Ground Breakfast Sausage
1 Red Bell Pepper (diced)
1 Green Bell Pepper (diced)
1/2 Yellow Onion (diced)
1/2 Jalapeno- optional (diced)
1/2 TBSP Chili Powder
1/2 TBSP Garlic Powder
1 TSP Paprika
1 TSP Fresh Rosemary (chopped) or 1/2 TSP Dried Rosemary Powder
Dash of Cayenne Pepper Powder
Dash of Freshly Ground Black Pepper
Optional: Chopped fresh parsley for garnish
Salt (see note)
Beef Tallow, Duck Fat, Lard, or other good fat/oil (not butter) for cooking.
Optional: Top the hash with a sunny-side up fried egg.
Execution
Cut & Season the Potatoes: Peel the potatoes and cut them into 1/2 inch or so cubes. Season the potatoes heavily with chili powder, garlic powder, paprika, rosemary, cayenne pepper and salt.
Cook the Potatoes: Set a very large pan over medium-high heat. Once hot, add 1-2 TBSP of cooking fat and coat the entire pan. Add the diced potatoes, stir to coat them in oil, & cover the pan. Lower the heat to medium and allow the potatoes to cook undisturbed for about 10 minutes. This will give you a nice browned crust while also steam cooking the potatoes until soft. It is preferred that you a non-stick pan (like a well-seasoned cast-iron or “green” non-stick).
Cook the Breakfast Sausage: While the potatoes are cooking, set another pan on medium heat. Once hot, add 1 TBSP of cooking oil to coat the pan, then add your ground breakfast sausage. Brown the sausage meat until thoroughly cooked. Once cooked, remove the sausage from the pan, but keep some of the oil in the pan to cook the veggies in.
Cook the Veggies: In the same pan that you cooked the breakfast sausage, add the veggies (bell peppers, onion, and optional jalapeno) and sauté until the onions are translucent and the bell peppers are softened (about 7 minutes or so). Add salt and pepper to taste.
Check on Potatoes: After 10 minutes, remove the lid from the potato pan. Mix the potatoes in the pan (making sure to scrape any crust that may have stuck to the pan) and take a bite to check for doneness. The potatoes should be nicely browned and soft–but not mushy. If they are not done, cover the pan again and let them cook a little longer until they reach the desired consistency.
Combine the Hash: Once the potatoes are cooked, add the cooked breakfast sausage and sautéed veggies to the potato pan. Stir to combine all of the ingredients. Taste. If it tastes at all bland, add more salt. Mix, taste, and salt until the flavors pop. (see note on salt)
Optional Fried Egg: In the same pan that you cooked the breakfast sausage in (or a new pan if that pan is sticking), heat the pan to medium and add butter to coat. Crack a few eggs (1 for every serving that will include a fried egg) and fry until the whites are cooked and the yolk is still runny.
Plate and Serve: Spoon the hash into serving bowls. Top with a fried egg. Sprinkle with chopped fresh parsley. Serve & enjoy!
Additional tips
- SPICES: The amount of spices in the recipe can be adjusted to taste. This recipe is designed to be something that you can whip up to your taste. I don’t measure the spices when I make this at home…
- SALT: I don’t give a specific amount of salt because it highly depends on the kind of salt you are using. For example, a tablespoon of table salt is much saltier than a tablespoon of Maldon sea salt. Heavily salt the potatoes, do not salt the breakfast sausage, and lightly salt the veggies. Taste as you go and add more salt if necessary. Remember: you can always add more salt, but you can’t add less…so salt a little at a time until it actually tastes good.
- VEGGIES: This is a flexible recipe that you can use with a wide variety of veggies that you have on hand. Try it with mushrooms, kale, asparagus, red onions, leeks, etc.
- BREAKFAST SAUSAGE: You can actually use a wide variety of meats in this recipe. Sometimes I just warm up leftover shredded roasted chicken, duck confit, or lamb instead of breakfast sausage.
- COOKING FAT: The potatoes taste best when cooked in an animal fat like beef tallow, duck fat, or lard. Butter will burn, so do not use butter. Olive oil is a fine substitution, but it is not my favorite. I personally do not like the flavor of ghee…but to each his own.
