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Corned Beef Hash with Poached Eggs

Source of Recipe

From "Cook's Illustrated All-Time Best Brunch"


Recipe Introduction

"Corned beef hash is the ultimate comfort food, its warm, runny eggs nestled among salty, seasoned corned beef and tender pieces of potato making for a laid-back, fuss-free brunch. To prepare a homey hash from scratch, we gave starchy russet potatoes a head start by cooking them in boiling water, shortening their skillet cooking time without turning them mushy. Smoky bacon, garlic, and thyme established our hash's aromatic base, and stirring in thick slabs of deli corned beef cut into ¼-inch pieces (rather than the tinny, pasty canned variety) promised rich meaty bites. When we added the potatoes, we encouraged profound browning by packing them down against the bottom of the hot pan. A bit of heavy cream gave the hash some moisture and richness while a touch of hot sauce introduced some welcome heat. We allowed the hash to build up a distinct crust by cooking it undisturbed for a few minutes before flipping it in large portions using a spatula. For runny, just-set eggs, we saved poaching for last, cracking the eggs into individual wells in the hash, covering the pan, and cooking them over low heat. With that, we had a complexly and supremely satisfying corned beef hash. You will need a 12-inch nonstick skillet with a tight-fitting lid for this recipe."

List of Ingredients

â—¦ 2 pounds russet potatoes, peeled and cut into ½-inch pieces
â—¦ Salt and pepper
â—¦ 4 slices bacon, chopped
â—¦ 1 onion, chopped fine
â—¦ 2 cloves garlic, minced
â—¦ ½ teaspoon minced fresh thyme
â—¦ 1 pound corned beef, cut into ¼-inch dice
â—¦ â…“ cup heavy cream
â—¦ ¼ teaspoon hot sauce
â—¦ 4 large eggs


Recipe

Bring potatoes, 5 cups water, and ½ teaspoon salt to boil in medium saucepan over medium-high heat. Once boiling, cook potatoes for 4 minutes, then drain and set potatoes aside.

Cook bacon in 12-inch nonstick skillet over medium-high heat for 2 minutes. Add onion and cook until well browned, about 8 minutes. Add garlic and thyme and cook for 30 seconds. Stir in corned beef. Mix in potatoes and lightly pack mixture with spatula. Reduce heat to medium and pour heavy cream and hot sauce over hash. Cook without stirring for 4 minutes. Flip hash, one portion at a time, and fold browned bits back into hash. Lightly repack hash into skillet. Repeat process every minute or two until potatoes are cooked, about 8 minutes longer.

Make four indentations (about 2 inches wide) in surface of hash using back of spoon. Crack one egg into each indentation and season eggs with salt and pepper. Reduce heat to medium-low, cover, and cook until whites are just set and yolks are still runny, 4 to 6 minutes. Cut into four wedges, making sure each wedge contains one egg, and serve.

Serves 4