Why it works: Mustard and vinegar are a kitchen classic. They rank in the top 7% of all ingredient pairs, and cooks put them together in 14,067 recipes. Both carry isobutyraldehyde, which smells malty, green. The science ↓
Brawn Sauce
Ingredients
Directions
Mix mustard, sugar, oil, and vinegar in a bowl until well combined.
Serve as a sauce for head cheese or similar dishes.
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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Mustard + vinegartop 7% of all pairsSmell alikemoderateCooked together14,067 recipes
Shared aroma: isobutyraldehyde (malty, green).
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Sugar + vinegartop 15% of all pairsSmell alikemoderateCooked together20,806 recipes
Shared aroma: beta-damascenone (apple, rose).
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Mustard + sugartop 19% of all pairsSmell alikemoderateCooked together8,424 recipes
Shared aroma: guaiacol (smoky, sweet).
Ranks compare each pair with 20,000 random ingredient pairs on CompKitchen. How we score pairs
What each ingredient does
- Mustard
- Adds sharp flavour and helps hold the oil and vinegar together as an emulsion.
- Moist sugar
- Adds sweetness that softens the sharpness of the vinegar.
- Oil
- Adds fat for a smooth, rich body and carries flavour.
- Vinegar
- Adds acidity that brightens the sauce and balances the richness of the oil.
The step that matters
Mix until well combined. Oil and vinegar naturally separate, so the sauce must be mixed thoroughly. Mustard contains compounds that help emulsify the oil into the vinegar, giving a smoother, more stable sauce that does not split quickly.
“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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