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 ↓
Tex-Mex Smoky Beef Chili Hash
Ingredients
Directions
Prepare
In a large nonstick skillet, cook the potatoes in hot oil for 8 to 10 minutes or until light brown, stirring often.
Meanwhile, cut roast into 1-inch pieces.
Combine salsa, chipotle pepper, and adobo sauce.
Cook and serve
Add beef and sauce mixture to potatoes in skillet, stirring just until combined.
Cover and cook over medium heat for 10 minutes.
Uncover, sprinkle with cheese.
Cook, covered, for 1 to 2 minutes more or until cheese is melted.
Nutrition, whole recipe (rough)
Counts 7 of 8 ingredients. The other 1 aren't in our nutrition table and add nothing above, so the real totals are higher.
What these numbers assume: 7 portions
| Ingredient | Portion assumed | kcal |
|---|---|---|
| Beef | 100g cooked | 250 |
| Potato | 1 medium (173g) baked | 161 |
| Olive Oil | 1 tbsp (14g) | 119 |
| Cheese | 1 oz (28g) cheddar | 113 |
| Onion | 1 medium (110g) | 44 |
| Tomato | 1 medium (123g) | 22 |
| Chili | 1 tsp (2.7g) | 8 |
| Sauce | not in our table | 0 |
One typical portion per ingredient; the recipe's quantities are not counted. A rough guide only, not for medical or dietary planning.
Steps grouped into stages for easier reading; the method is the source's own.
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.
-
Potato + oniontop 3% of all pairsSmell alikemoderateCooked together9,023 recipes
Shared aroma: 2-isopropyl-3-methoxypyrazine (earthy, pea).
-
Onion + beeftop 7% of all pairsSmell alikemoderateCooked together17,092 recipes
Shared aroma: 2-isopropyl-3-methoxypyrazine (earthy, pea).
-
Potato + beeftop 8% of all pairsSmell alikemoderateCooked together2,052 recipes
Shared aroma: sotolon (curry, maple).
-
Beef + cheesetop 15% of all pairsSmell alikemoderateCooked together1,193 recipes
Shared aroma: 12-methyltridecanal (tallowy, beefy).
-
Potato + cheesetop 15% of all pairsSmell alikemoderateCooked together959 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
- Refrigerated diced potatoes
- Browning in hot oil gives the potatoes a crisp, golden surface and savory flavor.
- Refrigerated cooked beef roast
- Provides the main protein and meaty body of the hash, already cooked so it only needs warming.
- Salsa
- Adds moisture and acidity that coat the potatoes and beef as the hash cooks.
- Chipotle chiles
- Contribute smoky heat and aroma that define the chili flavor of the dish.
- Mexican blend cheese
- Melts into a creamy, binding layer that adds richness and fat over the hash.
The step that matters
Stirring the beef into the potatoes just until combined. The beef is already cooked, so overmixing breaks it into shreds and can mash the browned potatoes, losing the crisp texture and chunky bite of the hash.
Swap the potato
How well each one fits the dish's main ingredients (onion, beef, sauce, cheese):
- Tomatofits about as well
- Potatothe original
- Mustardfits about as well
- Chivefits about as well
Fit is the average pairing score against onion, beef, sauce, cheese. Candidates are from the same food group and used in at least 100 recipes.
“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.
You might also like
Potato Croquettes255 recipes
Roast Beef211 recipes
Beef Loaf175 recipes
Macaroni and Cheese102 recipesThe free Flavor Lab newsletter: one surprising pairing a week and the molecular reason it works, in 60 seconds. No spam, unsubscribe anytime.
Prefer an account? Create a free account to save pairings and unlock the full chemistry.