The Only Way You Should Ever Cook Jimmy Dean Stuffed Hash Browns

Breakfast on the go has practically become a staple of American culture. From the crowded drive-thru lines at fast food restaurants during rush hour to the abundance of budget-friendly breakfast foods you can bring to the office, it's clear that Americans have to get creative to fit in the most important meal of the day. That's where premade options by trusted brands like Jimmy Dean come into play.

Jimmy Dean is probably most famous for its frozen breakfast sandwiches, but the brand also offers an array of other portable morning meals, such as egg scramble cups, sausages inside pancakes on a stick, and crisp and hearty stuffed hash browns. This option is exactly what it sounds like — a pocket of delicious shredded hash browns enfolded around a protein-rich combo of bacon, ham, and sausage with both mozzarella and cheddar cheese. There's a distinct lack of eggs, but you hardly need them with all other filling ingredients.

Though the package shares microwave instructions, we believe the air fryer is the only way to cook these stuffed hash browns. Microwaves are notorious for turning out unevenly heated food with soggy or burned areas. Air fryers, on the other hand, evenly surround these hash browns with convection heat, crisping the shredded potatoes to golden perfection, while simultaneously warming the filling into a gooey, savory delight. This process takes about 15 minutes at roughly 360 degrees Fahrenheit — just about 10 minutes longer than the microwave instructions — but the superior results are well worth the extra time.

We already know that frozen Jimmy Dean breakfast sandwiches belong in the air fryer, so it's really no surprise that stuffed hash browns respond equally well to this cooking method. As mentioned, there's less margin for error, or disappointing results due to the nature of the appliance. Plus, in the 15 or so minutes it takes to heat up your breakfast, you're free to put the finishing touches on your outfit, toss together a packed lunch, or get your coffee ready in your favorite to-go cup.

Aside from multitasking, the best way to make this breakfast as hassle-free as possible is to avoid common mistakes when using an air fryer. Not preheating your air fryer is the biggest culprit, as this lengthens cooking times and may cause your food to burn. However, some believe skipping the liner is just as bad, since air fryer liners help absorb oil for much easier cleanup. You may also want to turn your stuffed hash browns halfway through just to ensure the surfaces touching the liner are fully crisp.

Something else to keep in mind is that you won't need the cooking sleeves included in the stuffed hash browns' packaging. Since they're made to facilitate cooking in a microwave, they'll only shield your hash browns from the air fryer's heat and become a fire hazard. It's also best to set the hash browns an inch or two apart inside the basket to ensure all surfaces are exposed to the convection heat.