Ahhh, the hash brown – a breakfast favorite since the 1890s.
So, who dare mess with this American staple? Even McDonald’s didn’t dare to. Ronald cut hash browns into its recognizable rounded-corner rectangle shape but left the shredded spud relatively true to its roots. But, oh ho ho, in comes Jimmy Dean! While Jimmy Dean does have some breakfast cred, the hash browns heritage deserves so much better than Jimmy Dean Stuffed Hash Browns.
They had so much potential. They remind me of Hot Pockets but with a better carb casing: hash brown > some enriched flour pocket. Like Hot Pockets, Jimmy Dean’s Stuffed Hash Browns are efficient; instead of having all your breakfast components separate, it’s all packaged into one neat potatoey vehicle. Alas, efficiency doesn’t always equate to best tasting.
Of the three flavors – Sausage & Cheese, Meat Lover’s, and Bacon & Veggies – I go for Meat Lover’s for more bang for my buck. From the frozen outside, there is no indication of what the insides are like. It just looks like a really thick McDonald’s hash brown. There are also random pieces of shredded potato pieces as if Jimmy Dean strategically placed them to create the illusion of real potato in the potato mush. Nice try.
The prep process is really easy and Hot Pocket-like – place it into its shiny sleeve and microwave for two minutes. I wanted it extra crispy so, per the instructions, I impatiently waited an extra five minutes. It looks the same frozen and heated – maybe a smidge more golden.
Unfortunately, the warm Stuffed Hash Browns also starts to ooze oil from its deep-fried visage. This leads to a greasy mouthfeel and greasy residue on my fingers. The grease on grease on grease is kind of like what you’d expect from fried chicken. Except you expect that amount of oil from fried chicken, not from a hash brown brick.
To Jimmy Dean’s credit, the insides are stuffed. But, it all tastes the same – salty and porky. I expect some textural difference between bacon, sausage and ham, but nope, it’s just mush. I can also see the gooey cheese but I somehow can’t taste the mozzarella or cheddar until about half-way through. Moar cheez, plz.
The crispy potato outside definitely helps with texture. The outside is by no means fresh-outta-the-deep-fryer crispy but at least it isn’t just baby food mush. I also appreciate that the insides aren’t scalding hot like the insides of Hot Pockets. Thank you for not burning my taste buds off, Jimmy Dean!
On that disappointing note, I also learned that the “breakfast is the most important meal of the day” saying was coined by a marketer trying to sell more cereal. Our breakfast-centric lives are a lie and so are Jimmy Dean Stuffed Hash Browns.
(Nutrition Facts – 1 Piece – 260 calories, 120 calories from fat, 13 grams of fat, 6 grams of saturated fat, 0 grams of trans fat, 25 milligrams of cholesterol, 820 milligrams of sodium, 24 grams of carbohydrates, 2 grams of dietary fiber, 2 grams of sugar, and 9 grams of protein.)
Purchased Price: $5.49
Size: 4 stuffed hash browns
Purchased at: Kroger
Rating: 2 out of 10
Pros: Like a Hot Pocket with a better casing. One neat hash brown vehicle for breakfast. Crispy-ish hash brown.
Cons: Efficiency ? Better Tasting. Oozing oil. Grease on grease on grease. Salty and porky – all the same mush. Moar cheez, plz.
I bought the sausage and cheese ones for my husband. He liked them but then he had them as a side with scrabbled eggs.
I hated them. Threw the whole box out after sampling one. Nope.
I start my day eating one every day
We all love them and buy them every time we go to the grocery.
I disagree I like Jimmy Dean Stuffed Hash Browns. Quick to heat up in the microwave and they do get crispy. All 3 flavors are good but the best 2 for flavors is Bacon and Vegfiea and Sausage and a Cheese. Since both hav 2 main ingredients you can taste the flavors. The Meat Lovers has too many meats and the flavors are all mingled but still decent. The main reason I like them is cause I like hash browns a lot and these are a hash brown p,us meal in one. I dip them in ketchup which makes them taste better. One of my staple breakfast foods. I eat 2 in the morning along with either a small bowl of cereal or cup of yogurt and I am full.
Charlene Daus We tried the Stuffed Hash Browns (Sausage & Cheese. Found them to be tastless. They are not at all filling, would have to eat all 4, but after just one that’s enough to turn us off . We do like the breakfast sandwich
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I am not pleased at all with the stuffed bacon, sausage and cheese. I purchased the family size at Sams and just knew we would love them. The cheese inside taste like the smell of vomit and when you look at how bad it is grounded up you feel it it’s like vomit. I saw no bacon and assumed that all the mush was the sausage and cheese blended. What a waste 11dollars!!!
Really wish I could get my money back for this. That was horrible. I should have googled them before I bought literal trash. I had to drench it in ketchup to get rid of the awful overpowering sausage flavor.
I would have to totally numb my mouth with Jalapeno peppers before I could force myself to put one of these in my mouth again. I’ve had some bad tasting stuff in my life but I think this tops it all.
I bought them before reading the cooking instructions, but gave them a shot anyway. Like most of the others that have posted here, I also thought these were a mistake in purchasing. I followed the instructions, but did not get a hasg brown that I would consider crispy. I might try to prepare them differently, but I have my doubts that this product will be around too much longer.
I would expect better of Jimmy Dean. I tried these because I got a digital coupon for $1.00 off. Way overpriced but being widowed I’m always looking for something new so I bought them. They are nothing but mush and grease. I agree with the author here. Will not buy again. The breakfast bowls burnt me out, too. Gristle heaven!
If I had my bill I would return them to the store. I tried cooking them exactly as the directions stated. The next time I tried defrosting in microwave and then pan frying to crisp up. They are totally tasteless and not worth the calories.
These hash browns are horrible. They do not microwave well at all, they smell terrible, and they do not taste very good.
My husband picked up the Jimmy Dean stuffed hash brown meat lovers 4 count package today. We like the Jimmy Dean biscuit, cheese, egg and cheese sandwiches as well as the croissant and English muffin. He buys them every time he goes to the grocery store. I’m so sorry to tell you, however, that this hash brown product is the nastiest thing I have ever put in my mouth. One bite, and I had to spit it out and yet it left a horrible aftertaste. He felt the same way. I find it very hard to believe that this product passed the taste test in your kitchen. I would be ashamed to serve this to anyone. Wish I could get money back but don’t think our grocery store would give a refund since the package was opened.
I was getting them every week because my mother went to the hospital so I had some thing before I went to the hospital thay are perfict fore me. now she is living with my sister and I cant get any more of them.lat me know how to get smoemore please.
People are certainly not middle-of-the-road on their opinions regarding this product. They either really like them or hate them with a passion. I actually enjoy them, and have tried all of the flavors. Crunchy outsides, soft and gooey inside, nice potato and meat flavor, easy to cook. Not five star culinary dining, but not bad.
I can’t find them and love them