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Irish Boxty with Smoked Salmon (Irish Potato Pancakes)
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Boxty, Irish potato pancakes, date back to the 1700’s with the rise of the potato in Ireland. The dish is specific to certain counties in Ireland, specifically in the North and West of the country. I spent a weekend in Ireland with Williams Sonoma and Bake from Scratch magazine.
Boxty is used in place of blinis or latkes as a vehicle for smoked salmon with crème fraîche and chives. It’s denser than a latke, more like Swiss rösti but made with a combination of cooked mashed potatoes, grated raw potato and flour. The ingredients used to bind it can vary between counties, from the starchy liquid reserved from the potatoes or beaten eggs. The patties are cooked in butter (bonus points if it’s Irish butter like Kerrygold). It’s a great way to use up mashed potatoes, though I give instructions for how to cook them as well.
Irish Boxty with Smoked Salmon (Irish Potato Pancakes)
Table of contents
Key Ingredients in This Recipe
- Mashed potato – Mashed potato works to bind the pancakes together.
- Raw potato – Grated raw potato adds texture. Russet potatoes are the best potatoes for making potato pancakes because of their high starch content.
- Flour – Flour absorbs the remaining liquid from the potatoes and helps to bind the pancakes together.
- Egg – Egg acts as a binder but also helps to keep the potatoes from being too dense.
- Baking soda – A bit of baking soda helps to give the potatoes a bit of rise.
- Salt – Potatoes can absorb a lot of salt so don’t shy away from the seasoning.
- Pepper – I like to add some pepper for additional seasoning of the boxty.
How to Make Irish Boxty (Step-by-Step)
Step 1: Prep potatoes.
Divide the potatoes in half. Chop half the potatoes into 1” (2.5cm) pieces. Use a box grater to grate the remaining potatoes.
Step 2: Boil potatoes.
Add to a large pot and fill with enough cold water to cover the potatoes by ½” (1.3cm). Cook the potatoes until they are fork tender, stirring occasionally, about 20 minutes.
Step 3: Wring out grated potatoes.
While the potatoes cook, transfer the grated potatoes to a kitchen towel, gather the sides together, and squeeze out as much liquid as possible. Set aside.
Step 4: Mash boiled potatoes.
Drain the potatoes completely, then add them back to the pot to ensure any remaining liquid evaporates. Add the potatoes to a large bowl and mash them with a potato masher or fork.
Step 5: Prep batter.
Add the raw grated potato, flour, egg, baking powder, salt and black pepper to the bowl. Mix until evenly combined, then add the buttermilk, little by little until you have a pancake-batter consistency.
Step 6: Cook boxty in butter.
Heat a large nonstick skillet over medium heat, add 1 tablespoon (14g) butter and allow to melt. Use a ¼ cup measuring cup to scoop the portions into the pan. Cook until crispy and golden brown on the bottom, about 4 minutes. Flip and continue to cook until crispy, adding additional butter if needed, about an additional 4 minutes. Lower the heat if they start to brown too fast.
Step 7: Garnish and serve.
Remove to a baking sheet and repeat with the remaining batter. Top the boxty with a spoonful of crème fraîche and smoked salmon. Garnish with chives and serve.
Tips and Tricks for This Recipe
How to make boxty with Leftover Mashed Potatoes
Substitute making fresh mashed potatoes with 2 cups of prepared mashed potatoes. Because most mashed potatoes already are finished with cream, you will most likely need to add less buttermilk to achieve the pancake batter consistency.
How to Store and Reheat Boxty
These pancakes can easily be made ahead of time and stored refrigerated in a resealable container for up to 3 days. Reheat in a pan over medium-low heat with additional butter until crispy again.
What to Serve with Irish Boxty
While I like to serve boxty with smoked salmon and crème fraîche, it can also be served with:
- Full Irish breakfast (a plate of eggs, bacon, sausages, mushrooms, tomatoes, and potatoes).
- Poached eggs and bacon or ham (as a base for eggs Benedict).
- Braised cabbage (like this miso braised cabbage).
- Corned beef
Other Recipes to Try
If you enjoy this Irish boxty, give these recipes a try:
Irish Boxty with Smoked Salmon (Irish Potato Pancakes)
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Ingredients:
- 2 pounds russet potatoes, about 4 medium potatoes, divided
- ½ cup all purpose flour
- 1 large egg, lightly beaten
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 2 teaspoons kosher salt
- ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 1 cup buttermilk
- 6 tablespoons unsalted butter
- ½ cup crème fraîche
- 6 ounces smoked salmon
- 2 tablespoons diced chives
Instructions:
- Divide the potatoes in half. Chop half the potatoes into 1” (2.5cm) pieces. Use a box grater to grate the remaining potatoes.
- Add to a large pot and fill with enough cold water to cover the potatoes by ½” (1.3cm). Cook the potatoes until they are fork tender, stirring occasionally, about 20 minutes.
- While the potatoes cook, transfer the grated potatoes to a kitchen towel, gather the sides together, and squeeze out as much liquid as possible. Set aside.
- Drain the potatoes completely, then add them back to the pot to ensure any remaining liquid evaporates. Add the potatoes to a large bowl and mash them with a potato masher or fork.
- Add the raw grated potato, flour, egg, baking powder, salt and black pepper to the bowl. Mix until evenly combined, then add the buttermilk, little by little until you have a pancake-batter consistency.
- Heat a large nonstick skillet over medium heat, add 1 tablespoon (14g) butter and allow to melt. Use a ¼ cup measuring cup to scoop the portions into the pan. Cook until crispy and golden brown on the bottom, about 4 minutes. Flip and continue to cook until crispy, adding additional butter if needed, about an additional 4 minutes. Lower the heat if they start to brown too fast.
- Remove to a baking sheet and repeat with the remaining batter. Top the boxty with a spoonful of crème fraîche and smoked salmon. Garnish with chives and serve.
Nutrition:
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