Wash and scrub potatoes. Using a box grater or a food processor, shred the potatoes. (If you prefer, you can peel the potatoes before shredding them.)
Place shredded potatoes into a cold water bath. Stir the potatoes until the water becomes cloudy, and then drain the water from the bowl. Soak, stir, and drain the potatoes once more.
Spread the potatoes out into a single layer on a kitchen towel or layered paper towels on a baking sheet. Pat the potatoes dry. Then wrap the towel around the potatoes and squeeze to remove any excess moisture. (Be careful if using paper towels, you don't want them to break open and have the potatoes spill out.) Set aside.
Place a large skillet over medium heat and add half of the butter. Once the butter is melted and the skillet is hot, add half of the potatoes, spreading them into a single layer. Season with half of the salt, pepper, and cayenne pepper.
Cook the potatoes for 5 minutes until a brown crust forms on the bottom. Flip the potatoes and cook for another 5 minutes. (I flip the potatoes in sections instead of trying to lift the whole thing at once.)
Once the potatoes are browned and crispy (see note), divide the hash browns onto two plates. Place the plates into a warm oven while you cook the rest of the potatoes.
Carefully remove the plates from the oven and serve warm with your favorite breakfast items.
Notes
If you want a little extra flavor boost, swap out all the seasonings for someseasoned saltinstead. You’ll want to use about 1/2 teaspoon on each side of the hash browns.
If you like your potatoes extra crispy, you can cook the hash browns for another 3 minutes per side, or until they’re cooked to your desired crispiness level.