Description
Boxty are traditional Irish potato pancakes made with a combination of mashed and grated potatoes, flour, and buttermilk. These crispy, golden-brown pancakes are perfect as a hearty side dish or comforting snack, highlighting the starchy, mealy texture of russet potatoes for the best results.
Ingredients
Scale
Potatoes
- 2 cups cold mashed potatoes (starchy/mealy variety such as russets)
- 2 cups grated raw potatoes (starchy/mealy variety such as russets)
Dry Ingredients
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 1/2 teaspoons salt
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
Wet Ingredients
- 1 1/2 to 2 cups buttermilk, plus more as needed
For Frying
- Butter, bacon grease, lard, or oil (for vegan option) for frying
Optional Add-ins
- Chopped green onions/scallions
- Shredded white cheddar cheese
Instructions
- Boil and mash potatoes: Boil the potatoes until tender, drain well, and mash them thoroughly. Chill the mashed potatoes in the refrigerator until cold, preferably for 3 hours or overnight for best texture.
- Prepare dry mixture: In a small bowl, combine the all-purpose flour, baking soda, and salt. Set this mixture aside for later use.
- Grate and dry raw potatoes: Grate the raw potatoes and place them in a clean cotton kitchen towel. Wring out as much liquid as possible to remove excess moisture from the grated potatoes.
- Combine ingredients: In a large mixing bowl, mix together the cold mashed potatoes, wrung grated potatoes, and the flour mixture. Add 1 1/2 cups of buttermilk and stir to combine. If the batter seems too thick or dry, add a little more buttermilk until it reaches a spreadable consistency.
- Heat the cooking fat: Heat butter, bacon grease, lard, or oil in a heavy skillet over medium-high heat, adjusting the heat as needed to avoid burning.
- Fry the boxty: Scoop portions of the potato mixture into the pan and press them down gently to form flattened patties. Fry the patties until the bottom is nicely browned, then carefully flip and brown the other side. Cook slowly enough to allow the potatoes to cook through without excessive browning.
- Keep warm and serve: Transfer cooked boxty to a warm oven to keep hot while frying the remaining pancakes. Serve the boxty immediately while hot, optionally topped with chopped green onions or shredded cheddar cheese.
Notes
- The traditional method involves wringing the potato water from the grated potatoes into a bowl, letting the starch settle for about 30 minutes, then pouring off the liquid and adding the starch back into the boxty batter to improve binding and crispiness. This step is optional but recommended for authentic texture.
- If you skip the starch settling step, you may need to reduce the buttermilk slightly to maintain proper batter consistency.
- Use starchy/mealy potatoes like russets for best texture; waxy potatoes can make the boxty gummy.
- Adjust the cooking temperature carefully to avoid burning while ensuring the inside cooks properly.
- For a vegan option, use oil instead of animal fats for frying and substitute buttermilk with a plant-based buttermilk alternative.
