Mason-Dixon Recipes

Funeral Potatoes

Even the hash brown section of the Waffle House menu reads like a serial killer-to-do list: "Smothered, covered, diced, and scattered."

         — Jim Gaffigan

The above quote seems especially appropriate considering the name of this dish. But no, it's not something to die for, its just a regional (read southern) name for a very common dish: Hash Brown Casserole.

My southern wife introduced me to the name if not the dish. It seems that this dish is a standard at funeral pot lucks served by church ladies following someone's funeral. It's supposed to be comfort food and you can find at least one if not several of them at every funeral.

Actually, I'd prefer to call them Funeral Potatoes since the origin of that name is sure. There origins of the term "Hash Brown" seems to be under considerable debate, even though the origin of the actual dish is not. So, I can avoid a lengthy discussion on the name by simply referring to them as Funeral Potatoes.

The actual "hashing" of potatoes has been going on as long as, I suppose, people have been cooking more potatoes than they needed. Of course, the taste is so good that folks no longer wait for leftovers to make hash brown potatoes, but now hash them on purpose. The first known mention of them is by American food author, Maria Parloa in her 1887 Kitchen Companion, which makes it a uniquely American dish.

It was hard for me to decide how to classify this dish. Most people, I think, eat it for breakfast. Others, like my wife, will fry up some bacon and eat it as a dish for supper. Still others, since it is a potato dish, consider it a side dish. I decided to put it in the "Other" category. I'm glad you found it.

INGREDIENTS

1 pkg frozen hash brown potatoes, thawed
1 pint sour cream
1 can cream of chicken soup
1 stick margarine, melted
1 pkg grated cheddar cheese

DIRECTIONS

Mix all ingredients and pour in greased casserole dish. Top with grated cheddar cheese and bake at 350ºF for 25 minutes.

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