Country Corned Beef Hash and “Dirty” Fried Eggs

It’s another beautiful Sunday.  My guys have been busy trimming, pruning and generally cleaning up the yard.  We have both a large backyard and spacious side yard. The two are separated by a chain-link fence. Along the entire back fence are trees – all in need of a little TLC. One of those trees is an almond tree, planted back when all this land was part of an almond orchard. The side yard is just dirt with planter boxes. Come spring, the side yard will be transformed into our garden. Last year we had tomatoes. This year – who knows? A great deal will depend upon the return of the drought to our state and the cost of water.

In any case, my guys are doing their thing – getting the yard ready for the coming of spring. That means they’ll be working up a nice appetite and I’ve got the perfect breakfast that will fill them up.

One of the things I like to keep on hand is a case of Hereford Corned Beef from Costco. It’s great because it means I’ll always have corned beef whenever I want to cook up a big skillet of old-fashion country hash.  I know it sounds crazy, but I like the fact that you need a key to open the can. There’s something wonderfully nostalgic about “real” tin cans.  There’s a strange sense of comfort  – a promise from yesteryear that not everything needs to change. Besides, the flavor and texture is perfect for hash.  It’s salty, without being too salty.

Corned Beef Hash
4 Russet Potatoes
Salt to taste
1-2 Tablespoons Bacon Drippings
Pepper to taste
½ White Onion
1 Can Corned Beef

Scrub potatoes, cut into chunks about an inch or so in size. Place cued potatoes into a large, microwave proof bowl. Season with salt, toss to combine. Microwave potatoes on HIGH for about 10-12 minutes.

Meanwhile, slice ½ of a white onion into thin slivers. Set aside. Open canned corned beef and remove meat from the tin can. Break up meat into large chunks. Set aside.

Warm bacon drippings in a large skillet over medium heat. Remove potatoes from microwave and continue to cook in bacon drippings. (Microwaves cook from the inside-out. The skillet will continue to cook the potatoes from the outside-in. This will produce a fried potato that is nicely browned on the outside, moist and tender on the inside.) Season potatoes with a little pepper and cook in bacon drippings for about 6 minutes.

Add onion slivers and crumbled corned beef. Stir to blend. Cover and continue to cook about 5-6 minutes, allowing the onions, meat and potatoes to “steam” warm. Remove lid, stir and finish off to brown, about 5 minutes longer.

Dirty Fried Eggs
4 Tablespoons Bacon Drippings
Vegetable oil as needed
6 Eggs
Salt & Pepper to taste

Heat bacon drippings in a large non-stick skillet over medium-low heat. Add enough oil to dripping to coat the bottom of the pan about 1/8 inch deep.

Crack eggs into the skillet one egg at a time, holding the egg in place with the shell until it begins to turn white. This will keep the egg from running all over the skillet. Once all the eggs are cooking and the outer edges are firm, use a wooden spoon or the back of a spatula to “splash” hot grease over the eggs until the whites are cooked through while the yolks are still runny. Season with salt and pepper.

To serve, plate the hash. Eggs can be placed on top of the hash or to the side. Serve with lightly buttered toast points.

Author: Rosemarie's Kitchen

I'm a wife, mother, grandmother and avid home cook.I believe in eating healthy whenever possible, while still managing to indulge in life's pleasures. View all posts by Rosemarie's Kitchen