Boxty Potato Pancakes
Traditional Irish potato pancakes made from a blend of mashed and grated raw potato — crispy outside, tender inside, and endlessly versatile.
- 1 lbrusset potatoes(half mashed, half grated raw)
- 0.5 cupall-purpose flour
- 0.25 cupbuttermilk
- 1 wholeegg
- 0.75 tspkosher salt
- 0.25 tspblack pepper
- 2 tbspunsalted butter(for pan-frying)
- 0.5 cupsour cream(for serving)
Batter can be prepared up to 2 hours ahead and refrigerated. Cook to order for best crispness. Finished boxty can be kept warm in a 200°F oven for up to 30 minutes.
- 1Boil half the potatoes until tender, drain, and mash. Peel and finely grate the remaining raw potatoes, then squeeze in a clean kitchen towel to remove excess moisture.
- 2Combine mashed potatoes, grated raw potatoes, flour, buttermilk, egg, salt, and pepper in a large bowl. Mix until a soft batter forms.
- 3Heat a large skillet over medium heat and melt 1 tablespoon of butter. Drop heaping tablespoons of batter into the pan and gently flatten to about half-inch thick.
- 4Cook for 3 to 4 minutes per side until golden brown and cooked through. Work in batches, adding more butter as needed.
- 5Serve warm topped with sour cream, chives, or smoked salmon.
Squeezing out moisture from the grated raw potatoes is the single most important step for crispy results. Use a thin spatula and wait until the underside is deeply golden before flipping — resist the urge to move them early.
Boxty is a traditional Irish potato pancake with deep roots in the northern and western counties of Ireland, where it served as a staple of rural cooking for centuries. The name is thought to derive from the Irish arán bocht tí, meaning "poor-house bread." The dish traditionally combines both mashed and raw grated potato, a technique that creates a uniquely tender and hearty texture. A traditional Irish rhyme states "Boxty on the griddle, boxty in the pan; if you can't make boxty, you'll never get a man."