Trader Joe’s Shredded Potato Hash Browns
Hash browns are the base of many good meals. They are most famous for breakfast, like when they’re topped with things like eggs, peppers, sausage, and such. They’re also good for breakfast casseroles and bakes. That’s not to say that they’re not good for other meals, too: there are plenty of recipes out there that put the shredded potatoes to work for lunch or dinner.
Aldi’s distant cousin, Trader Joe’s, sells some of the very best hash brown patties we’ve ever had. TJ’s also stocks a more conventional bag of shredded hash browns, something we decided to pick up and try.
Trader Joe’s Shredded Potato Hash Browns can be found in the frozen section of the store. They come in a 20-ounce bag and cost $2.49, or about 12 cents an ounce. That price is comparable to what Aldi sells its shredded has browns for.
The hash browns have just two ingredients, potatoes and dextrose (corn). Each 3-ounce serving has 60 calories, 10 milligrams of sodium, and 13 grams of carbohydrates. They have no fat.
The cooking instructions say they should be cooked from frozen on a frying pan. They say to preheat 4 tablespoons of vegetable oil in a 12-inch nonstick skillet, heating the oil to 350 degrees. Then, place 1/2 a bag of hash browns in an even layer over the skillet. Cook for 10 minutes, turning product over every 2 minutes during cooking.
There are a few things I would note about the instructions. One, I thought 4 tablespoons was on the high side as to what these needed — I would suggest reducing it to 2-3 tablespoons. As it was, there was more oil left dripping off the hash browns than I’m used to.
Two, although the instructions don’t say so, I usually cover my hashbrowns. They cook faster that way and it also helps prevent splatter.
Three, with other shredded hash browns I’ve used, the instructions say to wait more like 5-6 minutes before turning. It’s a matter of taste, but there is an argument for waiting a little so they can crisp up more. In the end, I ended up cooking mine closer to 12 minutes.
That all said, these are pretty good. They have the taste and texture I’d expect, and they pair just right with breakfast. I put some over-easy eggs on mine, along with salt and pepper, and they were solid.
The Verdict:
Trader Joe’s Shredded Potato Hash Browns hit the right notes on taste and texture for the shopper who needs hash browns. Better still, they’re both inexpensive and simple in their ingredients. My only beef is with some of the instructions, but those are easy to tweak to taste.
