Why it works: Ham and butter are a kitchen classic. They rank in the top 16% of all ingredient pairs, and cooks put them together in 5,475 recipes. Both carry trans-2-decenal, which smells waxy, orange. The science ↓
Kidneys and Ham
Ingredients
Directions
Prepare
Split each kidney lengthwise and remove fat and strings.
Cut ham into pieces the same size as the kidney pieces.
Assemble and cook
String kidneys and ham alternately on skewers, with a piece of ham at each end.
Broil skewers over a clear fire for 8 minutes, turning often.
Serve
Place skewers on a hot dish, season with salt and pepper, and baste with butter before serving.
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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Ham + buttertop 16% of all pairsSmell alikemoderateCooked together5,475 recipes
Shared aroma: trans-2-decenal (waxy, orange).
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Pepper + buttertop 21% of all pairsSmell alikemoderateCooked together85,593 recipes
Shared aroma: trans-2-nonenal (cardboard, fatty).
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Ham + peppertop 23% of all pairsSmell alikelowCooked together6,058 recipes
Shared aroma: 2,4-decadienal (seaweed).
Ranks compare each pair with 20,000 random ingredient pairs on CompKitchen. How we score pairs
What each ingredient does
- Kidneys
- Provide the main meaty texture, which turns firm and tender when broiled quickly.
- Cold boiled ham
- Adds salty, savoury flavour and a firmer bite between the kidney pieces.
- Butter
- Adds richness and moisture when basted over the hot skewers.
The step that matters
Broiling the skewers. Kidney is easily overcooked and turns tough and rubbery if left too long. Turning often over a clear, hot fire cooks the pieces evenly and keeps them tender and juicy.
“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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