# Which would you rather have a side of for breakfast? Hashbrowns or corned beef hash? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [July 2, 2015, 2:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-would-you-rather-have-a-side-of-for-breakfast-hashbrowns-or-corned-beef-hash/724015 "2015-07-02T02:25:11Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Idle\_Thoughts](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/838e76/32.png) [@Idle\_Thoughts](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Idle_Thoughts)\ **Post date:** [July 2, 2015, 2:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-would-you-rather-have-a-side-of-for-breakfast-hashbrowns-or-corned-beef-hash/724015/1 "2015-07-02T02:25:11Z")
You can have ANYTHING else that you want, either as the main breakfast dish (eggs, pancakes, waffles, cereal, biscuits and gravy, oatmeal, etc) or as a side (bacon, sausage, toast, grits, etc)… …but with these two things, you must have either one or the other. You cannot choose NEITHER, although you can choose to have one but then leave it untouched/not eat it/give it to someone else. Which would you choose? ---
**Author:** ![GaryM](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/garym/32/241_2.png) [@GaryM](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GaryM)\ **Post date:** [July 2, 2015, 2:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-would-you-rather-have-a-side-of-for-breakfast-hashbrowns-or-corned-beef-hash/724015/2 "2015-07-02T02:48:39Z")
Corned beef hash, but it has to have diced bell pepper and diced onion cooked with it. And crisp! And ketchup squinted on top. ---
**Author:** ![Idle\_Thoughts](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/838e76/32.png) [@Idle\_Thoughts](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Idle_Thoughts)\ **Post date:** [July 2, 2015, 2:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-would-you-rather-have-a-side-of-for-breakfast-hashbrowns-or-corned-beef-hash/724015/3 "2015-07-02T02:51:21Z")
Sure, you can have it made any way you wish, as well. ---
**Author:** ![Roland\_Orzabal](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/c2a13f/32.png) [@Roland\_Orzabal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Roland_Orzabal)\ **Post date:** [July 2, 2015, 3:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-would-you-rather-have-a-side-of-for-breakfast-hashbrowns-or-corned-beef-hash/724015/4 "2015-07-02T03:21:43Z")
Hmm. Had to open the poll to see the options, since both are delicious. Not much ambiguity there, so I went with my first instinct. Corned beef hash, pass the ketchup if ya got it; if not salt n’ pepper will do an’ thank you much. ---
**Author:** ![JKilez](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/e5b9ba/32.png) [@JKilez](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JKilez)\ **Post date:** [July 2, 2015, 3:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-would-you-rather-have-a-side-of-for-breakfast-hashbrowns-or-corned-beef-hash/724015/5 "2015-07-02T03:43:28Z")
So is corned beef hash a regional thing? ---
**Author:** ![TriPolar](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tripolar/32/3008_2.png) [@TriPolar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TriPolar)\ **Post date:** [July 2, 2015, 4:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-would-you-rather-have-a-side-of-for-breakfast-hashbrowns-or-corned-beef-hash/724015/6 "2015-07-02T04:15:11Z")
I voted for Corned Beef Hash. That would be my preference. However, I realize that I’ve been served bad hash and bad potatoes often enough and I’d be more disappointed if the hash was bad, so if I didn’t have a good reason to believe that hash was going to be good I’d order the hashbrowns to avoid a potential let down. ---
**Author:** ![TriPolar](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tripolar/32/3008_2.png) [@TriPolar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TriPolar)\ **Post date:** [July 2, 2015, 4:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-would-you-rather-have-a-side-of-for-breakfast-hashbrowns-or-corned-beef-hash/724015/7 "2015-07-02T04:21:07Z")
> [@JKilez](#): > > So is corned beef hash a regional thing? Less common in some regions than others, but to my knowledge it can show up as part of breakfast all over the US. It’s not typical of southern breakfasts but some place in town will probably have it. Same thing in the southwest I think. I don’t recall being anywhere that you couldn’t buy the canned stuff at the grocery store. ---
**Author:** ![zombywoof](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/9e8a1a/32.png) [@zombywoof](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/zombywoof)\ **Post date:** [July 2, 2015, 4:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-would-you-rather-have-a-side-of-for-breakfast-hashbrowns-or-corned-beef-hash/724015/8 "2015-07-02T04:34:57Z")
I love well made corned beef hash, but can’t think of it as a side dish - to me it’s a breakfast main course - to accompany IT, I might go with a fried egg and toast. ---
**Author:** ![silenus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/silenus/32/166_2.png) [@silenus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/silenus)\ **Post date:** [July 2, 2015, 4:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-would-you-rather-have-a-side-of-for-breakfast-hashbrowns-or-corned-beef-hash/724015/9 "2015-07-02T04:42:09Z")
Hash browns, easy. Corned beef hash is a main dish, not a side. And even then, rarely. Whereas I could eat hash browns at damn near every breakfast. ---
**Author:** ![Little\_Nemo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/little_nemo/32/3120_2.png) [@Little\_Nemo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Little_Nemo)\ **Post date:** [July 2, 2015, 5:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-would-you-rather-have-a-side-of-for-breakfast-hashbrowns-or-corned-beef-hash/724015/10 "2015-07-02T05:01:00Z")
> [@GaryM](#): > > Corned beef hash, but it has to have diced bell pepper and diced onion cooked with it. And crisp! > And ketchup squinted on top. All good. And I like to scramble an egg or two into my corned beef hash before I fry it. ---
**Author:** ![Happy\_Lendervedder](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/happy_lendervedder/32/8488_2.png) [@Happy\_Lendervedder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Happy_Lendervedder)\ **Post date:** [July 2, 2015, 5:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-would-you-rather-have-a-side-of-for-breakfast-hashbrowns-or-corned-beef-hash/724015/11 "2015-07-02T05:03:43Z")
I’m with the good folks who say CBH is a main dish. It’d be like ordering a side of cheeseburger at dinner. So for breakfast, I’ll order some corned beef hash, and I’ll take \*that \*with a side of hashbrowns. ---
**Author:** ![TriPolar](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tripolar/32/3008_2.png) [@TriPolar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TriPolar)\ **Post date:** [July 2, 2015, 5:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-would-you-rather-have-a-side-of-for-breakfast-hashbrowns-or-corned-beef-hash/724015/12 "2015-07-02T05:10:26Z")
> [@Happy\_Lendervedder](#): > > It’d be like ordering a side of cheeseburger at dinner. And there’s something wrong with that? ---
**Author:** ![Balthisar](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/balthisar/32/2825_2.png) [@Balthisar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Balthisar)\ **Post date:** [July 2, 2015, 5:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-would-you-rather-have-a-side-of-for-breakfast-hashbrowns-or-corned-beef-hash/724015/13 "2015-07-02T05:30:10Z")
> [@TriPolar](#): > > Less common in some regions than others, but to my knowledge it can show up as part of breakfast all over the US. It’s not typical of southern breakfasts but some place in town will probably have it. Michigander here. I see it on some menus in (Michigan) Coney Island type places, but I’ve always assumed it was primarily a “southern thing” (like grits, or biscuits and gravy). I’ve never actually _seen_ corned beef hash aside from the Hormel cans in the grocery store (and their photos are never particularly appetizing). ---
**Author:** ![Idle\_Thoughts](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/838e76/32.png) [@Idle\_Thoughts](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Idle_Thoughts)\ **Post date:** [July 2, 2015, 5:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-would-you-rather-have-a-side-of-for-breakfast-hashbrowns-or-corned-beef-hash/724015/14 "2015-07-02T05:35:16Z")
Weird, in all the restaurants I go to, corned beef hash is usually found on the “sides” menu. I live in Arizona. ---
**Author:** ![actualliberalnotoneofthose](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/e79b87/32.png) [@actualliberalnotoneofthose](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/actualliberalnotoneofthose)\ **Post date:** [July 2, 2015, 7:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-would-you-rather-have-a-side-of-for-breakfast-hashbrowns-or-corned-beef-hash/724015/15 "2015-07-02T07:57:41Z")
I would take the corned beef hash, because it like sorta has hash browns in it. Plus, I find hash browns quality to be much more inconsistent and too many variables from potatoes used to type of oil/butter, seasoning, etc. FWIW, in many years cooking breakfast, corned beef hash was always a side item. If anything the most common order with it included was something like: 2 eggs OL, corned beef hash, and toast. I ate it a lot as a side item, but only when I worked. I am a huge breakfast person, though… and it wouldn’t be that crazy to see me with a plate full of eggs, bagels, cream chipped beef, home fries, bacon, sausage, scrapple, etc. But I rarely eat anything other than omelets at home. ---
**Author:** ![Mijin](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mijin/32/9369_2.png) [@Mijin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mijin)\ **Post date:** [July 2, 2015, 9:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-would-you-rather-have-a-side-of-for-breakfast-hashbrowns-or-corned-beef-hash/724015/16 "2015-07-02T09:28:28Z")
Brit here, love me some corned beef hash, with or without egg, whereas every hash brown I’ve ever had was 90% grease…so easy vote for me. Oh and CBH has always been a main dish IME, never a side. ---
**Author:** ![Gyrate](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gyrate/32/3588_2.png) [@Gyrate](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gyrate)\ **Post date:** [July 2, 2015, 10:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-would-you-rather-have-a-side-of-for-breakfast-hashbrowns-or-corned-beef-hash/724015/17 "2015-07-02T10:09:12Z")
Hashbrowns are basically a way to get away with eating french fries for breakfast without looking like a hungover college student. Which is why I voted for them. ---
**Author:** ![samclem](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a9a28c/32.png) [@samclem](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/samclem)\ **Post date:** [July 2, 2015, 10:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-would-you-rather-have-a-side-of-for-breakfast-hashbrowns-or-corned-beef-hash/724015/18 "2015-07-02T10:43:46Z")
Northern Ohio here. Corned beef hash is a main dish for breakfast. _Ketchup_ on your hash? :eek: ---
**Author:** ![don\_t\_ask](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e68b1a/32.png) [@don\_t\_ask](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/don_t_ask)\ **Post date:** [July 2, 2015, 11:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-would-you-rather-have-a-side-of-for-breakfast-hashbrowns-or-corned-beef-hash/724015/19 "2015-07-02T11:10:43Z")
Corned beef hash, which by coincidence I just packed for lunch tomorrow. I don’t even consider hash browns as food, they are just wasted potatoes in an intermediate state between potato and refuse. Mind you I should add I’ve never had corned beef hash as a side at any meal. I’ve only ever made it as the whole meal. ---
**Author:** ![Tibby](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tibby/32/17030_2.png) [@Tibby](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tibby)\ **Post date:** [July 2, 2015, 11:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-would-you-rather-have-a-side-of-for-breakfast-hashbrowns-or-corned-beef-hash/724015/20 "2015-07-02T11:52:29Z")
This was an extremely difficult decision for me to make, and I’m still struggling with it. You see I like hash browns and I love corned beef hash, but my heart belongs to a different type of potato side and a different type of meat side. So, do I choose hash browns and mate it with scrapple (my favorite breakfast meat), or do I choose corned beef hash and mate it with home fries (my favorite breakfast potato)? Or, I could go all crazy and choose home fries, scrapple and corned beef hash (and just eat a little bit of the CBH…kind of like having a side dish to a side dish, sort of a breakfast cuckold). I mean, would anyone choose [hash browns](http://vignette4.wikia.nocookie.net/ronaldmcdonald/images/2/21/Hash_Browns.jpg/revision/latest?cb=20120629004803) over [home fries](http://plantbasedonabudget.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/09/ketchupccoated-potatoes.jpg)? Maybe someone with brain damage, I suppose. And you people are all kinds of confused about the rank of corned beef hash: is it a side or is it a main? The answer is quite simple: it swings both ways. If there is an egg involved, it’s a side dish, no exceptions. If there is no egg involved, it may be a main dish…unless there’s a Belgian Waffle involved. Interestingly, corned beef hash can start off as the main dish while it’s plated first, but then it’s instantly demoted as soon the egg is plated. The egg is always placed in the center of the plate, with the corned beef hash pushed to the side (hence the name, _side_ dish), or it is placed on top of the corned beef hash, thus exerting its hierarchical dominance. You would _never_ see the egg in a subservient position beneath the corned beef hash—that would be total anarchy. Egg is always the main event, it’s the top banana. Corned beef hash may be the top banana, but it’s usually second banana—the sidekick on your breakfast plate. I hope that clears things up. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-would-you-rather-have-a-side-of-for-breakfast-hashbrowns-or-corned-beef-hash/724015.md?page=2)