Breakfast Hash
Not a side dish at all, this is a well-stocked breakfast entree. Make sure the potatoes are diced—that is, in 1/2-inch cubes. They must be small and evenly sized to cook in the stated time. Skip processed sandwich meat and look for whole, roasted smoked ham at the deli counter. Have the butcher cut it into 1/2-inch slices to make the dicing easier for you.
Not a side dish at all, this is a well-stocked breakfast entree. Make sure the potatoes are diced—that is, in 1/2-inch cubes. They must be small and evenly sized to cook in the stated time. Skip processed sandwich meat and look for whole, roasted smoked ham at the deli counter. Have the butcher cut it into 1/2-inch slices to make the dicing easier for you.
- 1 1/2 cups chicken broth
- 1/4 tsp ground black pepper
- 1 tsp dried thyme
- 3 tbsp butter
- 1 medium yellow onion (chopped (1 cup) )
- 1 medium green bell pepper (stemmed cored, and chopped (1 cup) )
- 1 medium red bell pepper (stemmed cored, and chopped (1 cup) )
- 1 lb smoked deli ham ((not thinly shaved) any coating removed, the meat diced )
- 2 medium garlic cloves (peeled and minced (2 teaspoons))
- 1 tsp dried sage
- 1/2 tsp celery seeds ((optional))
- 1/4 tsp fine table salt
- 1 lb yellow potatoes (diced (no need to peel))
- Carbohydrate 0.237687500002738 g
- Cholesterol 367.877343759811 mg
- Fat 77.9378459412012 g
- Fiber 0.128431248664856 g
- Protein 85.6891134375388 g
- Saturated Fat 25.307171252344 g
- Serving Size 1 1 -6 serving (698g)
- Sodium 383.401375026284 mg
- Sugar 0.109256251337882 g
- Trans Fat 6.49791593775911 g
- Calories 1066 calories
Step-by-step
- Press Saute, set time for 5 minutes.
- Melt the butter in a the cooker. Add the onion and both bell peppers. Cook, stirring occasionally, until softened, about 4 minutes. Add the ham, garlic, sage, thyme, celery seeds (if using), salt, and pepper. Cook, stirring often, until fragrant, about 1 minute.
- Turn off the SAUTE function. Stir in the potatoes and broth, scraping up any browned bits on the pot’s bottom. Lock the lid onto the cooker.
- Optional 1 Max Pressure Cooker
- Press Pressure cook on Max pressure for 10 minutes with the Keep Warm setting off.
- Optional 2 All Pressure Cookers
- Press Pressure cook (Manual) on High pressure for 12 minutes with the Keep Warm setting off.
- Use the quick-release method to bring the pot’s pressure back to normal. Unlatch the lid and open the cooker. Stir well.
- Press Saute, set time for 10 minutes.
- Bring the mixture to a simmer, stirring often. Continue without stirring until the liquid boils off and the hash touching the hot surface starts to brown, 3 to 4 minutes. Turn off the SAUTE function and remove the hot insert from the machine to stop the cooking. Some of the potatoes may have fused to the surface. Use a metal spatula to get them up. The point is to have some browned bits and some softer bits throughout the hash.
While standard breakfast potatoes are typically served as a mild accompaniment to eggs, this robust entree treats root vegetables and cured meat as the main event. Traditional pan-fried hashes rely on constant attention to prevent burning, but pressure cooking alters that math by rapidly softening the starches throughout the interior of each half-inch cube. Scaling this recipe upward requires caution because electric pressure cookers demand adequate liquid to generate steam safely without triggering burn notices. Doubling the batch does not mean doubling the broth linearly; instead, increase the chicken broth by only fifty percent to prevent excess moisture from accumulating at the base. Conversely, halving the ingredients works well without altering the cooking times, provided the total volume remains within the minimum operational limits specified by your appliance manufacturer. Texture relies entirely on the final reduction phase. Leaving the lid off during the subsequent ten-minute sauté period allows residual moisture to evaporate completely so the starches in contact with the metal can develop a deep, savory crust. Stirring too frequently during those final four minutes prevents that crust from forming, while failing to scrape up the fond left by the ham leads to uneven browning. Selecting a thick slab of whole smoked deli meat rather than pre-diced cubes ensures the fat renders evenly during the initial sauté without releasing excess water into the pot.
