The Ultimate Hash Brown Casserole

By á-48262

Yield: approximately 6 servings

Ingredients

• 4 cups diced smoked sausage, such as Conecuh
• 1 cup diced red bell pepper
• 1 cup diced yellow onion
• 2 tablespoons chopped canned green chiles
• 4 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 4 tablespoons all purpose-flour
• 2 cups whole milk
• 2 cups chicken broth
• 4 cups shredded sharp Cheddar cheese, divided
• 1 cup sour cream
• 1 teaspoon ground black pepper
• 1 (30-ounce)package frozen hash browns, thawed (about 20 cups)

Preparation

Step 1

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray a 3-quart baking dish with nonstick spray. Set aside.
2. In a large non-stick skillet, cook sausage over medium-high heat until browned, approximately 5 minutes. Remove from pan with a slotted spoon, and set aside. Reserve rendered fat in pan.
3. Add bell pepper, onion, and Chiles to pan. Cook, stirring occasionally, until tender, approximately 5 minutes. Remove from pan, set aside.
4. Melt butter in pan. Add flour; cook 1 minute, stirring constantly. Slowly add milk and broth, stirring constantly. Bring mixture to a boil; reduce heat to medium-low. Simmer, stirring occasionally, until thickened, approximately 10 minutes. Add 3 cups of cheese, stirring until melted. Stir in sour cream, salt, and pepper. Remove from heat.
5. In a large bowl, stir together cheese mixture, pepper mixture, sausage, and hash browns until well combined. Spoon into prepared dish. Sprinkle with remaining 1 cup cheese.
6. Bake until browned and bubbly, 45 to 50 minutes. Store, covered, in refrigerator up to 3 days.