Why it works: Potato and onion are a kitchen classic. They rank in the top 3% of all ingredient pairs, and cooks put them together in 9,023 recipes. Both carry 2-isopropyl-3-methoxypyrazine, which smells earthy, pea. The science ↓
Corned Beef Hash
Ingredients
Directions
Prepare
Heat the Wesson table oil in a skillet over medium heat.
Add the lean and dry corned beef, breaking it into small pieces.
If desired, add diced potatoes and onions.
Cook and serve
Cook until heated through and slightly crispy, stirring occasionally.
Season to taste and serve hot.
Transcribed from a scanned cookbook and modernised for today's kitchens. Where the book gave no heat or time, or said "a moderate oven", the temperatures and times here may be modern equivalents rather than the book's own figures.
Explore the science
The flavor team
The pairs that carry this dish. Each one is judged two ways: how much their aromas overlap, and how often cooks already put them together.
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Potato + oniontop 3% of all pairsSmell alikemoderateCooked together9,023 recipes
Shared aroma: 2-isopropyl-3-methoxypyrazine (earthy, pea).
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Beef + oniontop 7% of all pairsSmell alikemoderateCooked together17,092 recipes
Shared aroma: 2-isopropyl-3-methoxypyrazine (earthy, pea).
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Beef + potatotop 8% of all pairsSmell alikemoderateCooked together2,052 recipes
Shared aroma: sotolon (curry, maple).
Ranks compare each pair with 20,000 random ingredient pairs on CompKitchen. How we score pairs
What each ingredient does
- Corned beef
- Provides the main protein and savory flavor of the hash.
- Potatoes
- Add starch and body, becoming tender inside and crisping at the edges when fried.
- Onions
- Add sweetness and aroma as they soften and brown in the hot oil.
The step that matters
Cook until slightly crispy. Leaving the hash undisturbed for stretches lets moisture evaporate and the surfaces brown, giving texture. Stirring too often keeps it steamed and soft.
“What each ingredient does” and “The step that matters” were written by Claude from this recipe’s own method and reviewed in samples by CompKitchen.
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