Why can't cruise ships make hash browns?

[Jchivers]

Hash browns (or, hashed browned potatoes): shredded potatoes, seasoned, formed into a patty and smashed onto a greasy hot griddle, then cooked until one side is crispy and golden.  Served crispy side up, and delicious (with ketchup, but YMMV).  Available at every diner and coffee shop in America.  

 

I've been on 5 cruise lines: Princess, HA, Celebrity, Viking and Disney; and they all claim to serve hash browns but in actuality it's something like a deep-fried mashed potato disc.  

 

They have potatoes and a griddle (since they can make pancakes); why don't they make a proper hash brown?

[BklynBoy8]

1 hour ago, Jchivers said:

Hash browns (or, hashed browned potatoes): shredded potatoes, seasoned, formed into a patty and smashed onto a greasy hot griddle, then cooked until one side is crispy and golden.  Served crispy side up, and delicious (with ketchup, but YMMV).  Available at every diner and coffee shop in America.  

 

I've been on 5 cruise lines: Princess, HA, Celebrity, Viking and Disney; and they all claim to serve hash browns but in actuality it's something like a deep-fried mashed potato disc.  

 

They have potatoes and a griddle (since they can make pancakes); why don't they make a proper hash brown?

 

Many serve what is equal to McDonalds.

 

My HBP are sherred, loose, seasoned and pan/fried and all love them. Had them this morning.

[CGTNORMANDIE]

I can’t remember the last time I saw real hash browns at sea.  You always see that pre made McDonald’s type of hockey puck.  Better than that would be real home fries with onion done on the grill with garlic salt and pepper, a little butter, oil and a touch of bacon fat.  

[lenquixote66]

To me there is no such thing as bad FF’s.

[Hlitner]

On 12/9/2022 at 3:17 PM, Jchivers said:

Hash browns (or, hashed browned potatoes): shredded potatoes, seasoned, formed into a patty and smashed onto a greasy hot griddle, then cooked until one side is crispy and golden.  Served crispy side up, and delicious (with ketchup, but YMMV).  Available at every diner and coffee shop in America.  

 

I've been on 5 cruise lines: Princess, HA, Celebrity, Viking and Disney; and they all claim to serve hash browns but in actuality it's something like a deep-fried mashed potato disc.  

 

They have potatoes and a griddle (since they can make pancakes); why don't they make a proper hash brown?

Seabourn has hash browns at breakfast and it they are pretty good.

 

Hank

[BklynBoy8]

11 hours ago, Hlitner said:

Seabourn has hash browns at breakfast and it they are pretty good.

 

Hank

 

We are also talking about the style that are made.

[Jchivers]

1 hour ago, BklynBoy8 said:

 

We are also talking about the style that are made.

True.  Everybody says they have "hash browns" at breakfast, and they don't taste bad.  They're just not real hash browns.

[Hlitner]

2 hours ago, BklynBoy8 said:

 

We are also talking about the style that are made.

DW just reminded me that Seabourn actually had several kinds of hash brown at their breakfast in the Collonade cafe.  On the buffet they would have a large tray with, what we would call, real has browns.  Some days they were just plain hash browns and other days they had some bacon mixed-in and was truly excellent.  One could also order hash browns from the waiter (the Collonade has both a buffet and table service) in which case we got something akin to pre formed frozen hash browns.   The freshly made stuff on the buffet was certainly superior.

 

Hank

[BklynBoy8]

2 hours ago, Jchivers said:

True.  Everybody says they have "hash browns" at breakfast, and they don't taste bad.  They're just not real hash browns.

 

There are pan fried, pan sauteed, there are shredded, chopped, quartered, sliced.....

 

Not to be confused with Potatoes O'Brien which is very different.

 

Can't stand the rectangle or triangle fried like Mc D's.

[Donald]

There are many cultural challenges to preparing dishes / foods for one particular culture or group.

American Thanksgiving Dinner is a great example.

The basic menu is pretty bland and awful - but quite easy to prepare.

A cruise line typically has a European Corporate Chef, giving instructions to an Asian, European, or Indian Executive Chef, who then instructs a Galley brigade of Filipinos, Indians, and a few Europeans, on how to prepare the Classic American Thanksgiving Dinner Menu. The result is usually quite good, but many pax are shocked when it does not exactly resemble last year's Thanksgiving Menu at Aunt Mary's Farm in Ohio.

I have the same problem with Sushi and Sashimi.

I live in Japan part of the year and really love Japanese food.

When I go on a cruise, I always look for good Japanese Food onboard.

In 40 years of cruising, I have NEVER tasted good Japanese Food on a Western Cruise Ship.

Same problem with Japanese Food outside Japan.

Let's not even talk about Europe. Japanese food there is disgusting.

I frequently visit the USA on business. My colleagues there always want to take me to their latest find of a Great Japanese Restaurant. I am always disappointed. Occasionally in California or Hawaii, I am able to find Japanese Food that is just OK - but never Great. They just cannot manage to match the quality and style of Japan.

[BklynBoy8]

12 hours ago, Donald said:

There are many cultural challenges to preparing dishes / foods for one particular culture or group.

American Thanksgiving Dinner is a great example.

The basic menu is pretty bland and awful - but quite easy to prepare.

A cruise line typically has a European Corporate Chef, giving instructions to an Asian, European, or Indian Executive Chef, who then instructs a Galley brigade of Filipinos, Indians, and a few Europeans, on how to prepare the Classic American Thanksgiving Dinner Menu. The result is usually quite good, but many pax are shocked when it does not exactly resemble last year's Thanksgiving Menu at Aunt Mary's Farm in Ohio.

I have the same problem with Sushi and Sashimi.

I live in Japan part of the year and really love Japanese food.

When I go on a cruise, I always look for good Japanese Food onboard.

In 40 years of cruising, I have NEVER tasted good Japanese Food on a Western Cruise Ship.

Same problem with Japanese Food outside Japan.

Let's not even talk about Europe. Japanese food there is disgusting.

I frequently visit the USA on business. My colleagues there always want to take me to their latest find of a Great Japanese Restaurant. I am always disappointed. Occasionally in California or Hawaii, I am able to find Japanese Food that is just OK - but never Great. They just cannot manage to match the quality and style of Japan.

 

Trying to understand your point related to the original subject 

[Donald]

6 hours ago, BklynBoy8 said:

 

Trying to understand your point related to the original subject 

 

The original subject was the inability of cruise ship cooks to prepare hash brown potatoes the way that American cruisers think they should be made.

My point is that this is a very common problem - and not just on cruise ships  - and it is based on different ethnic and cultural ideas about food.

The cruise ship cook who is preparing your hash browns is almost surely not American. His Supervisor is also not American. They may receive a recipe, or training to prepare the perfect American Hash Browns, but their own interpretation of that recipe is not what you expect.

The very same thing happens on land.

My Italian colleagues go to New York and try “authentic Italian Pizza”. They think it is disgusting.

Is it bad? Not to you. But to someone from Napoli, it is not even pizza.

I visit the “best Japanese Restaurant” in L.A. or Honolulu. The food I have there is not as good as the takeaway food from my local supermarket in Tokyo.

Is the food bad? Not to the Americans. But most Japanese would not even eat it. 

[SRQbeachgirl]

Guy's Burger Joint on Carnival serves a breakfast burger with a very decent griddled hash brown serving. Just ask for the hash browns minus the burger. 😆 You won't find these hash browns at the buffet on Carnival, though. Those are just the miniature fried hockey pucks.

[Mum2Mercury]

I had a triangular hash brown (from the Windjammer) on one of my recent cruises, but it wasn't good.  I didn't even finish it.

[CGTNORMANDIE]

23 hours ago, Mum2Mercury said:

I had a triangular hash brown (from the Windjammer) on one of my recent cruises, but it wasn't good.  I didn't even finish it.

Ahhh yes…the triangular hockey puck! 

[BklynBoy8]

2 hours ago, CGTNORMANDIE said:

Ahhh yes…the triangular hockey puck! 

 

Hash Browns are suppose to be prepared on Grills not deep fried.

 

Triangles are deep fried like in Mc D. One time I saw them on the QM2 in the buffet area turned away from looking at them..