How One Classic Canned Meat Turns Baked Potatoes Into A Hearty Meal

Baked potatoes are one of the easiest and tastiest ways to prepare America's favorite tuber. Made correctly (such as baking your potatoes right in the slow cooker), their skins are crispy with salt and oil, while their pale interiors are steaming warm, starchy, and tender. They're also perfect for piling on the toppings, which easily elevates them from a side dish to a satisfying main. One especially delicious way to do that is to top your tater with salty and savory canned corned beef hash. 

Despite the name, corned beef doesn't actually contain any corn. Rather, the name refers to a vintage curing technique that used huge salt crystals as a dry brine to preserve tough cuts of beef like brisket. It's flavored with seasonings like peppercorns and bay leaves, giving it big flavor and a surprisingly tender bite. The canned stuff is also packed in preserving liquid, which helps with tenderness, and mixed with tiny diced potatoes, which tame the saltiness a bit.

Drained, heated, and folded into the flesh of a baked potato, canned corned beef hash seasons that starchy interior with salt while simultaneously offering a hefty dose of protein. Since corned beef and potatoes both benefit from fat and moisture, it's easy to bring them together with a knob of rich butter or a few spoonfuls of sour cream. Top it all off with some roasted veggies and a handful of cheese for a complete, comforting meal perfect for any night of the week. However, while this is a simple upgrade, there are a few things to keep in mind for the tastiest results.

Canned corned beef hash can taste satisfyingly robust and indulgent, especially when paired with the blank canvas of a steaming baked potato. Two steps you don't want to skip are draining and heating the hash to keep your spud from getting soggy and to help develop and revive the beef's flavor. It also improves the taste, as a quick sear can help to mask the metallic flavor canned foods can sometimes retain, even after draining.

When seasoning and garnishing your corned beef hash baked potato, consider traditional pairings. For instance, one of the many ways to upgrade corned beef is to tuck it into a succulent Reuben sandwich — which, of course, has fillings that are also perfect for a baked potato. Picture a buttery, fluffy baked spud draped in layers of tangy sauerkraut, umami-rich corned beef hash, and topped with spicy, pickley, creamy Reuben dressing.

If sauerkraut isn't your thing, you can also go the barbecue route, as cured meats and potatoes pair beautifully with rich, earthy grilled flavors. You could whisk some of your favorite barbecue sauce, Worcestershire, and liquid smoke into sour cream and smash it into your potato before adding a layer of corned beef hash mixed with sweet and smoky baked beans, then top the whole tater off with grated sharp cheddar for a potato that's as filling as it is delicious. With a can of corned beef hash and a few baked spuds, a hearty meal is never far off.