I have to tell you, whenever I make my Italian Sausage and Potato Hash, Steve gets excited! It’s so comforting and so delicious he can’t get enough. This is why I’m making a double batch today. I do everything in my cast iron skillet so there’s no cleanup. For me, that’s always a plus.

The other thing about this dish is that it’s so versatile. You could use hot Italian sausage, or maybe Chorizo, really whatever you like. For this recipe, I’m using a sweet Italian sausage. I also used a variety of those mini sweet bell peppers, but you could use a mix of peppers—for example, maybe a Poblano, or something a little spicier.

The combination of ingredients is up to you.

Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 1 hour 25 minutes
Total Time: 1 hour 40 minutes
Yields:  4 servings
Equipment: 1 (12-inch) cast-iron skillet, 1 (6-quart) saucepot with a tight-fitting lid, chef’s knife, cutting board

Ingredients:
2 pounds (10 links) of sweet Italian sausage (substitute hot Italian sausage)
2 1/2 pound bag of small multi-colored baby Yukon potatoes, 1-inch dice
6 tablespoons of butter, unsalted and divided
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 pound package of mini sweet bell peppers, seeded and thinly sliced
2 medium-size sweet onions, diced
3 cloves of garlic, minced
3 cups of chicken stock, unsalted (2 1/2 cups for poaching, 1/2 cup to *deglaze)
1 tablespoon of dried oregano
1 tablespoon of kosher salt, divided
1 teaspoon of black pepper, freshly ground and divided
2 tablespoons of Italian flat-leaf parsley, roughly chopped
2 tablespoons of basil leaves, roughly chopped

Instructions:
First, dice all your potatoes. It’s really important to pat the diced potatoes dry to remove any excess water or starch. Paper towels work fine for this task.

In a large cast-iron skillet on medium-high heat, melt 3 tablespoons of butter. Add the dried oregano first, giving the herb a chance to bloom (become fragrant), then add half of the diced potatoes, and stir to coat with the butter. Season with half the kosher salt and half the fresh ground black pepper. Remember you want the potatoes to brown, not steam; don’t overcrowd the pan, and cook for 10 minutes. Do not touch! Turn the heat down to medium, and turn the potatoes over. Cover the skillet and cook for another 10 minutes.

Transfer the potatoes to a large mixing bowl, and repeat the process for the remaining half. This whole process will take around 40 minutes to complete.

A good tip is to do any prep while the potatoes are browning in the pan.

Using a fork, prick 3 sets of holes on both sides of each sausage link.

Meanwhile, in a pot over medium heat, arrange the sausage links in an even layer. Pour 2 1/2 cups of chicken stock, and poach for 6-8 minutes. Par-cooking the sausage links ensures a good head start. Transfer the links to a plate lined with a paper towel. Set aside.

After the sausage links are finished poaching and all the potatoes are cooked, transfer the sausage links to the preheated cast-iron skillet over medium-high heat. You won’t have to add any fat to the pan. Brown the sausage on both sides, about 10-12  minutes. Transfer to a plate again and set aside.

Reduce the heat to medium, and add the diced onions. Add the remaining kosher salt and fresh ground black pepper. Cook until translucent, 2-3 minutes. Next, add the peppers and minced garlic, stirring occasionally. Cook, stirring occasionally, for another 5-7 minutes. While this is happening, slice the sausage links on the bias.

Add the remaining chicken broth to *deglaze the pan by scraping up the bits from the bottom. Allow the broth to reduce by half for about 3-5 minutes. Add the sliced sausage back into the skillet, stir to combine, and simmer for another 10 minutes until the sausage is cooked through.

Next, add the cooked potatoes, and stir until they’re warmed through. Finally, turn the heat off, and add the fresh herbs; toss to combine. This dish has so much flavor that it gives you “warm fuzzies“ inside.

There you have it, my Italian Sausage and Potato Hash. 

Notes:
1) *Deglaze: To dilute meat sediments on the bottom of a pan to make a gravy or sauce. Typically done with wine or stock.

2) Linda Lou Hamel is not a nutritionist or dietitian, and any nutritional information shared is an estimate. If calorie count and nutritional value are important to you, I recommend running the ingredients through a preferred online nutritional calculator of your choice. Calories and values can vary depending on the brands you choose.

https://lindalouhamel.com/2019/07/10/summer-time-flowers-and-herbs/