Guajillo Steak And Sweet Potato Hash Recipe

While many may claim there's no better breakfast than bacon and eggs, a good hash is a close second. With crispy potatoes, chopped meat, and plenty of onion, a hash is an excellent all-around breakfast that is both satisfying and delicious. The most common hash is made with russet potatoes and corned beef, usually a product of St. Patrick's Day leftovers and an abundance of potato. But hash is a versatile dish that can be any combination of kitchen essentials, and a great way to use up a variety of leftovers. It can also be comfortingly simple, but is even better elevated with extra layers of flavor. 

This hash developed with Michelle McGlinn starts with a spicy, almost-smoky guajillo chile marinade rubbed into steak, which is then seared until deeply browned. The Mexican-inspired steak is then joined by soft cubes of sweet potato, fresh sweet corn, and plenty of cilantro. The resulting hash is pleasantly spicy, with a taste similar to birria tacos dipped in consomme. And unlike an involved recipe like beef birria, this hash is easy enough to be breakfast any day of the week — or like any hash, a perfect Sunday cure to that endless Saturday night.

First, pick up a thin, quick-searing steak like sirloin, flank, or strip steak. To marinate the steak, you'll need a couple guajillo chiles, which are sold dry, as well as garlic, lime, cilantro, and salt. For the rest of the hash, grab sweet potatoes, onion, and corn.

Place chiles in a saucepan and cover with water.

Simmer for 10 minutes, or until chiles are softened. Remove from heat and save the water.

Add chiles, garlic, lime juice, ¼ cup cilantro, 1 teaspoon salt, and ½ cup chile cooking water to a blender.

Blend until smooth.

Add steak to a bowl and cover with guajillo sauce. Marinate for 30 minutes at room temperature (or up to 8 hours in the fridge).

Add oil to a cast iron skillet and place over medium heat.

Using a slotted spoon, add the steak to the skillet and sear until browned, about 5 minutes.

Remove steak from the skillet, keeping any juices in the pan.

Add potatoes and cook until golden and soft, about 15 minutes.

Add onion and corn and cook until soft, another 4-5 minutes.

Return the steak to the skillet and stir in the remaining 1 teaspoon salt and ¼ cup cilantro.

Serve right away.

The best steak to use for hash is a quick-cooking cut that is lean and relatively inexpensive. Steak is never exactly a budget-friendly food — but for this recipe you'll want to avoid premium cuts like filet mignon entirely. After all, the steak is being chopped, marinated, and thrown into a skillet with potatoes, so there's no reason to spend big on a piece of meat whose flavor should take center stage. Flank, sirloin, and strip are all cuts that respond well to marinades and sear into tender bites of steak.

While you shouldn't use expensive ribeyes or mignons, you also shouldn't use especially fatty cuts like chuck or round, which require long cooking times to achieve tenderness. The only exception? If you have leftovers that need freshening up. Leftover pot roast, beef stew meat, or yes, even filet mignon work as easy substitutions for fresh steak. If you're using leftover meat, use the blended guajillo chiles as a sauce, coating the hash in the spicy mixture as it cooks.

Guajillo chiles are traditionally used in Latin American dishes like beef birria, barbacoa, and pozole. They are large, dark red chiles, and are the dried form of a marisol pepper, which is mild with an almost smoky flavor. They are commonly rehydrated and blended for use in marinades, moles, or other sauces. They work well for marinating steak because of the mellow but fruity flavor, which complements the beef without overwhelming it with spice. 

You can, however, use any number of dried chiles like ancho, árbol, and morita — or a mixture of the three. If you don't have access to dried chiles at all (check your produce aisles, they are often hidden near other dehydrated foods) you can also use fresh peppers or a little bit of tomato. For another delicious marinade, try tomato sauce, charred jalapeño, and garlic. For a dry rub, try chili powder, paprika, garlic powder, and cumin. Have access to chipotle chile powder or ancho chile powder? Give that a try for a uniquely spicy taste.