Cracker Barrel Skillet Hash with Sausage and Apples

Cracker Barrel Skillet Hash with Sausage and Apples is a hearty American-style breakfast featuring crispy golden potatoes and savoury pork. This skillet meal combines sweet JUICI apple wedges with sharp whole grain mustard for a balanced morning feast.

The first time I made this, I tried cooking the potatoes entirely in the pan, but they stayed hard while the onions burnt. Now I always roast the potatoes first to get that crisp outer skin and fluffy middle before they ever hit the skillet. Roasting gives you a reliable texture that frying alone just cannot match in a busy pan.

The whole grain mustard is doing more work than you’d think in this dish. Without it, the fat from the sausage and the sweetness of the apples can feel a bit heavy and one-dimensional. I keep a jar of the grainy stuff in the fridge specifically for this recipe because it cuts through the richness and ties the fruit and meat together.

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Cracker Barrel Skillet Hash with Sausage and Apples Ingredients

• 500g (1lb 2oz) golden potatoes, cut into 2cm (¾ inch) cubes
• 4 pork breakfast sausage links, sliced into rounds
• 2 large apples, cored and cut into 12 wedges each
• 1 medium yellow onion, thinly sliced
• 30ml (2 tbsp) olive oil
• 25g (1½ tbsp) whole grain mustard
• Salt and pepper, to taste
• Handful of fresh rocket (optional)

How To Make Cracker Barrel Skillet Hash with Sausage and Apples

1. Roast the potatoes: Heat your oven to 220°C (425°F/Gas Mark 7) and toss the potato cubes with 15ml (1 tbsp) of olive oil, salt, and pepper on a large baking tray. Spread them out so they aren’t touching and bake for 30 minutes, turning them over halfway through, until the edges are deep brown and the centres are soft.
2. Brown the sausage: Put a large cast-iron skillet or heavy frying pan over a medium-high heat and add the remaining oil. Fry the sliced sausage rounds until they are dark gold on both sides and no longer pink in the middle. Use a slotted spoon to move the meat to a plate, but keep the leftover fat in the pan for the vegetables.
3. Soften the onions: Throw the sliced onions into the hot sausage fat and turn the heat down to medium. Cook them for about 8 to 10 minutes, stirring often, until they look see-through and start to turn a golden brown colour.
4. Cook the apples: Push the onions to the side of the pan and add the apple wedges in a single layer. Let them fry for 3 to 5 minutes until the skin starts to blister and the flesh softens slightly, but make sure they still feel firm when poked with a fork.
5. Combine the hash: Tip the roasted potatoes and browned sausages back into the skillet with the apples and onions. Stir in the whole grain mustard and toss everything gently for 2 minutes until the mustard coats every piece and the whole pan is steaming.
6. Finish and serve: Take the pan off the heat immediately so the apples don’t turn into mush. Scatter over the rocket if you want a bit of peppery crunch and serve it straight from the skillet while it is hot.

Recipe Tips

• Choose the right apple. Use a firm variety like Braeburn or Cox’s if you cannot find JUICI apples, as softer types like Gala will fall apart and become grainy when heated.
• Don’t crowd the roasting tray. If the potatoes are too close together, they will steam instead of crisping up, leaving you with soggy bits instead of crunchy cubes.
• Save the sausage fat. The liquid gold left in the pan after browning the meat is full of salt and spices that season the onions better than plain oil ever could.
• Prep the potatoes small. Keeping the cubes to 2cm (¾ inch) ensures they cook through in exactly 30 minutes and provides more surface area for browning.
• Make ahead for mornings. You can roast the potatoes the night before and keep them in the fridge, then just toss them into the pan at the final step to heat through.
• Check the sausage temperature. Pork should reach an internal temperature of 70°C (158°F) to be safe, which usually happens once both sides of the slices are well-browned.

What To Serve With Skillet Hash with Sausage and Apples

This dish is quite filling on its own, but a couple of poached eggs on top make it a complete brunch. The runny yolks create a natural sauce thataks into the crispy potatoes and softens the sharp mustard.

If you want something lighter, serve it alongside a bowl of Greek yoghurt or some extra grilled tomatoes. A thick slice of toasted sourdough with plenty of butter is also great for mopping up the leftover juices in the pan.

How To Store Skillet Hash with Sausage and Apples

Fridge

Keep leftovers in a sealed container for up to three days. The apples will soften further as they sit, so the texture won’t be quite as crisp on day two.

Reheat

The best way to reheat this is in a dry frying pan over medium heat for 5 to 7 minutes. This helps the potatoes regain some of their crunch, whereas the microwave tends to make the whole dish quite soft and damp.

Freeze

You can freeze the cooked hash for up to two months, though the apples may become slightly watery once thawed. Defrost it completely in the fridge overnight before reheating in a hot skillet with a splash of oil.

Cracker Barrel Skillet Hash with Sausage and Apples Nutrition Facts

Per serving (1 of 4): Calories: 385 kcal Protein: 12g Fat: 22g Carbohydrates: 35g Sugar: 14g Sodium: 680mg Estimated. May vary based on ingredients and cooking methods.

FAQs

Try More Recipes:

• Cracker Barrel Pumpkin Pecan Pancakes Recipe
• Cracker Barrel Breakfast Biscuit Bombs Recipe
• Cracker Barrel Sausage Potato and Kale Bake Recipe