I use tator tots weekly. Mix them with sweet peppers,onions.
Bacon grease or butter.
Once they are almost done, I mash them into a "pancake" at turn up the heat until the bottom is real good and crispy.
Cast iron pan.

yes, after its been filtered, for taters, no on onions

I cheat and use the dried boxed stuff. Bring hash brown and water 1:1 to boil then sit aside till rehydrated. Mix in your butter, oil, bacon grease etc mix into rehydrated hash browns. Make a big pancake out of it in a non stick pan and sit till brown, do not turn or mix. put a dinner plate over the pan and hash browns to flip in one piece. Brown the other side and dig in.