McDonald's brought its breakfast to the nation in 1977,
including the famous Egg McMuffin and hash browns. The classic hash brown took its crunchy goodness
to the post-brunch crowd with 2015's debut of all-day breakfast. And people love them.
It's portable. It's a potato. It's salty, filling, and simply good. These crispy bites are addictive,
and hash brown lovers can't get enough of the unique McDonald's taste.
But did you know that you can make the hash browns even better?
It’s simple really: Crispier, crunchier goodness.
You can take your hash browns up a level when you order with this clever hack that takes advantage
of one of the big selling points for eating at Mickey D's, namely their industrial fryers. It
used to be an industry secret, but you can order your hash browns well done. Just ask
for "well done" when you place your order either in person or via special instructions in the app.
You'll get a game-changing crispiness that you never knew you needed.
But why is this hash brown so good? And how can you reproduce that goodness at
home? The secret is more than just the cut or frying because, as always, ingredients matter.
On the surface, McDonald’s hash browns aren't all that different from any other.
The potato patties contain potatoes. No surprise there. They also have vegetable oil, salt,
binders like corn flour and dehydrated potato, and then fast food additives like dextrose and sodium
acid pyrophosphate, which is supposed to help with color. The company also lists extractives
of black pepper and natural beef flavor among its ingredients. For those who know McDonald's
history with beef tallow, the hash brown's beef flavor is actually not made from beef but rather
from wheat and whey. All of those ingredients come together for a very tasty treat that's…
"Kind of funny looking."
"Your mother gave me this tie."
"Not your tie. Your hash brown."
The biggest game-changer is one specific ingredient,
namely a potato that will get both properly crispy and properly soft. McDonald's uses specific potato
varieties that resemble a Russet Burbank. Think of a potato that is very starchy and low in moisture,
then let it age just a little so it gets a bit drier, and you'll have a hash browns-ready spud.
The Russet Burbank we grow today was developed in 1914 by Lou Sweet, but the original seeds
were discovered by Luther Burbank. This variety of spud is described as having "a distinctive,
earthy potato flavor" with slightly chewy skin and is hugely popular for baking and frying.
When it comes to crave-able bites, texture can matter as much as flavor, so this hack will help
you capitalize on the starchy goodness that makes the McDonald's hash browns so delicious to begin
with. You couldn't pick a better variety of spud to cook a little extra than the Russet Burbank.
After you've got your extra crispy hash brown, it's time to level up that hash brown yet again.
The first hack you need to try is a breakfast upgrade known as "Menu Remix #82." It's suggested
by the Golden Arches themselves. Pick up an Egg McMuffin and a hash brown. Don’t forget to ask
for extra crispy, for extra deliciousness. Then place the hash brown in the sandwich.
For a lunch- or dinner-themed mashup, check out the "Quarter Hash Pounder."
A meal created by the Daily Meal. For this hack, you'll need a Quarter Pounder and
two hash browns. Ditch the buns of your burger and replace them with your hash browns. You can think
of this a bit like eating your burger and fries all in one. This one looks a little unwieldy,
given the size of the patty, and sounds messy since you're handling a sandwich with greasy hash
browns as the "bread." But it's worth it when you think of the flavor explosion potential.
Finally, meet what the website the Daily Meal calls the "Big McCarb Mac." The McCarb requires
your standard Big Mac and fries along with two hash browns. Admittedly, we're not quite sure
how you're supposed to take a bite because this burger gets really tall really fast. Disassemble
your Big Mac. The bottom layer is a bun with the condiments and toppings followed by a beef patty,
then a hash brown with fries on top. Next, add the middle bun and repeat the order of ingredients.
Go ahead and try these ideas, no matter what time it is. After all,
McDonald's breakfast is offered all day!
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