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First Watch is a beloved daytime cafe now with 500 locations across the country. In 2023, Yelp named First Watch “America’s Most Loved Restaurant.” With a seasonally rotating menu and staples like Million Dollar Bacon always available, it’s easy to see why this restaurant has a cult following.
Many of the dishes on First Watch’s menu are the brainchildren of Chef Shane Schaibly, and he was kind enough to share this recipe for Million Dollar Harvest Hash with us, along with some tips for making the dish.
Why is it Called Million Dollar Harvest Hash?
What makes this “million dollar” hash? It’s the addition of Million Dollar Bacon, a sweet and lightly spicy candied bacon that First Watch offers on its core menu all year round. Chef Schaibly said that the bacon is so beloved that it’s tempting to add it to everything on the menu, but that doesn’t always pan out. But in the case of this hash, the bacon’s perfect balance of sweetness and spice really work with the other ingredients in the hash.
The Perfect Finish
But there’s another ingredient the chef credits with taking this dish over the top: Mike’s Hot Honey. After using the famous honey on a really popular breakfast sandwich, Chef Schaibly said he wanted to replicate that flavor magic again. As he developed the recipe for this hash, he found that a drizzle of the honey was “the perfect finishing step for all the other ingredients.”
Tips for Making This Hash
- Roast the mushrooms and sweet potatoes together—At the restaurant, Chef Schaibly’s team roasts the mushrooms and sweet potatoes separately, but at home you can just roast them on the same pan. When the sweet potatoes start to brown, the veggies are ready to go.
- Use a rack for the bacon–The bacon is cooked on a rack set on top of a baking sheet. This helps the bacon cook more evenly and become perfectly crisp.
- Saute the mushrooms instead—In a pinch you can saute the mushrooms instead of roasting them.
- Use frozen breakfast potatoes—First Watch uses fresh seasoned breakfast potatoes, but we’ve modified the recipe to use frozen breakfast potatoes instead as a time-saving step.
- Runny yolks recommended—You can serve this with eggs cooked any which way, but for the best results, Chef Schaibly recommends going for runny yolks. See our guides to cooking perfect poached eggs or fried eggs.
