Canned Corned Beef Hash's Mushy Texture Turns Crispy With This Simple Trick

Corned beef hash might just be the best breakfast for cold winter mornings. The salty, savory flavors of corned beef layered on top of crispy cooked potatoes, fried onions, and peppers create a true breakfast of champions — especially if you stack it up alongside brown butter cinnamon rolls and your favorite coffee. It's an easy dish to make, but it can get mushy.

So we reached out to Corey Small, executive chef at Oasis Bar & Bistro, for tips on keeping corned beef hash crispy. He made us feel a bit better about our cooking skills when he explained that mushy corned beef hash is a common problem, "since the product is already soft and fatty."

"The key is moisture control and patience," Small said. "I always recommend draining off some fat or liquid ... and pressing the mixture down [on the pan] to let it build a crust. The biggest mistake people make is stirring too soon. If you give it five to seven minutes undisturbed, you'll get that crisp edge everyone loves."

There are a few different ways to make canned corned beef hash. Some people boil the potatoes first and saute the ingredients separately before making the final dish. Others cook it all up on the stovetop in one skillet, and then there's the oven-cooking method. There are even those who have attempted air fryer corned beef hash for breakfast. Of these cooking methods, Corey Small said, " ... Skillet is best, air fryer is a strong second, and the oven is decent but milder."

"An air fryer does a surprisingly good job if you spread the hash in a thin layer and cook at around 400 F. The air circulation crisps it nicely," Small said. "The oven will brown it, but more slowly and not as aggressively as a skillet."

If you're going to make corned beef hash on the stovetop, reach for a heavy-bottomed cast iron skillet because they retain heat well, according to Small. Though he said carbon steel and stainless steel are both great options, too. The most important thing is giving the corned beef hash time to brown. " ... Truly, the less you stir, the better. Constant movement stops the browning reaction you actually want," advised Small.