My favorite meal of the day is breakfast; or brunch depending on what time you wake up. There’s such an assortment of amazing dishes which fit into the combo morning/lunch category and I’m always seeking out new restaurants around Atlanta that can meet or exceed my expectations.
A southern staple at most places in town are skillet potatoes which can be shredded, diced (chunked and topped for you Waffle House fans) and prepared in numerous ways.
Have you tried making skillet potatoes at home and they didn’t turn out the same?
The secret is parboiling.
What’s parboiling??
Parboiling is a method where food is cooked partially in water then finished on the stove or in the oven. This cooking method decreases cooking times and allows you to achieve potatoes with a crispy outside and a perfectly cooked center.
If you don’t own a cast iron skillet, get one. You can purchase a Lodge Cast Iron Skillet on Amazon for less than $20 and it will last more than a lifetime, literally. You’ll pass this down to your grandchildren. You can make these breakfast skillet potatoes in any pan but the flavor and texture achieved with a well seasoned cast iron skillet cannot compare.
Tips for Skillet Fried Breakfast Potatoes
1: Use Yukon Gold, Red Potatoes or a combination of the two. These poatoes have better flavor than your average baking potatoes.
2: Parboil the potatoes. Parboiling reduces the cooking time and ensures a crispy outside and soft inside. Dice the potatoes before parboiling to save your hands from hot potatoes.
3: Use a seasoned cast iron skillet for maximum flavor and texture.
4: Fat (in moderation) is your friend. Cooking bacon? Use the rendered fat to cook the potatoes in.
Ingredients
- 4 cups diced yukon gold or red potatoes
- 2 tbs canola or vegetable oil
- 1/2 Vidalia Onion, diced (aprox. 1 cup)
- 2 cloves fresh garlic, minced
- 1/2 tbs fresh rosemary, chopped
- 2 tsp smoked paprika
- 1/2 tsp red pepper
- Fresh salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
- Bring 4 cups of water to a boil. Add potatoes and par-boil for 6-7 minutes. Drain
- Add oil to cast iron skillet on medium heat.
- Add onions and saute for 5 minutes or until light brown.
- Add garlic, potatoes and remaining ingredients. Saute till potatoes are crisp and browned.
- Season with salt and pepper to taste.
Love the recipe – I will be trying this Christmas morning! About how long do you saute the potatoes?
Just long enough to get a crispy outside and give them a little crunch. Maybe 3-5 minutes.
Thanks for the tip on parboiling. I will try it next time.
Billy @ Wagner Cast Iron recently posted…How To Restore Cast Iron
Brunch is probably one of my favorite meals of the day and “Breakfast for Dinner” has been a tradition in our house fo years. Thanks for explaining the parbroiling! Now I won’t have to pull out the frozen potatoes!
Nicole
http://sweetteaproper.com
Once you try these potatoes you won’t go back to the frozen bag!