The crust is the whole point of this corned beef hash from the Hairy Bikers, so everything gets pressed flat under a spatula and left alone. Their Meat Feasts version feeds 4 at around 380 calories in 40 minutes, with fried eggs on top if you know what’s good for you.
A quick word on the potatoes, because they only get 2-3 minutes in boiling water before joining the pan. That short head start means they finish cooking in the fat, where they take on colour instead of turning mushy.
The flavour lives in one small jug, since ketchup, Dijon mustard, and Worcestershire sauce get loosened with water and stirred through. The book’s quiet extra tip is adding any leftover gravy here too, which takes longer to reduce but makes the hash properly meaty.
Hairy Bikers Corned Beef Hash Recipe
Description
Diced floury potatoes take a brief head start in boiling water, then join golden fried onion and chopped corned beef in one pan. A loosened mix of ketchup, Dijon, and Worcestershire goes through with parsley, and the hash cooks flattened firmly until deep colour builds, ready for eggs on top.
Ingredients
Instructions
- Give the potatoes a head start: Cover the diced potatoes with water, bring to the boil, then salt and simmer for just 2-3 minutes. Drain them and set aside.
- Fry the base: Heat the oil, dripping, or butter in a large frying pan, then cook the onion gently until soft and turning golden-brown.
- Press and colour: Add the potatoes and corned beef, press everything down firmly with a spatula, then leave it to cook for 5 minutes so the underside starts to brown.
- Season the pan: Loosen the ketchup and mustard with a little water, then pour it in with the Worcestershire sauce and parsley. Season with pepper but go easy on salt, since the corned beef carries plenty already.
- Build the crust: Keep cooking, stirring then pressing back down, until everything is hot, the potatoes are tender, and plenty of the mixture has taken on deep colour. Top with fried eggs and serve.
FAQs
Can I make this with canned corned beef?
Yes, and the book says so directly, since the recipe was written to work with a can or with homemade. A standard 340g tin is close enough to the 400g called for, so chop it in with the potatoes and carry on.
Homemade is the upgrade though, because the book calls the hash the bees’ knees made with their own 10-day cure, which is leaner and firmer than tinned. That cure uses the same cut as their beef brisket pot-roast, just brined instead of roasted.
Can I make corned beef hash with mash instead?
You can, but the Bikers never do, and the reason is the crust. Diced potatoes hold their edges in the pan and fry into crisp golden corners, while mash turns the whole thing into a soft cake that colours only on the outside.
If leftover mash is what you have, press it into a thin layer and be patient with the flipping. The proper diced version is worth the extra 3 minutes of boiling though.
What should I serve with corned beef hash?
Fried eggs, and the book treats them as near enough part of the recipe. The runny yolks break into a sauce over the crisp potato edges, so poached work on the same logic if you prefer.
Beyond eggs it needs very little, though baked beans, buttered bread, or a splash more Worcestershire all belong at this table. Brown sauce is the classic bottle, but taste first, since the ketchup and mustard already season the pan.
Is corned beef hash healthy, and is there a lighter version?
The Bikers answer this themselves in their diabetes book, which carries its own corned beef hash built for exactly that question. It swaps the potato for diced carrot and celeriac, and drops to a 200g can of lean corned beef.
The pan method stays identical, so you lose calories without losing the crust. This version at 380 a serving is honest everyday food rather than a health hazard anyway.
Can I cook corned beef hash in a slow cooker?
Honestly, no, and it is worth understanding why before wasting the ingredients. The entire dish is built on a dry pan crust, while a slow cooker steams in its own trapped moisture, so you would get hot corned beef mush.
Slow cookers earn their keep on long braises instead, which is why their beef and ale casserole converts to one beautifully and this never will.
Can you freeze or reheat corned beef hash?
It freezes fine for up to 2 months in portions, though the potatoes soften slightly on the way back. Defrost fully, then reheat in a frying pan rather than a microwave, since the pan rebuilds the crust the freezer took away.
In the fridge it keeps 2 days covered, and the pan rule applies there too. Fry the eggs fresh either way, because those never survive storage.
Is there a Hairy Bikers corned beef hash pie?
Yes, and their corned beef hash pie lives in Brilliant Bakes as a galette, which the book explains is just a free-form open pie. The filling adds swede and carrot alongside the potato, wraps in homemade shortcrust, and takes an optional cheddar and parsley topping.
The book’s verdict is that a hash in a pie is bang on, so it makes a proper weekend upgrade of this pan version. For the fully enclosed classic instead, their corned beef and onion pie is the one.
