Why it works: Butter and mushroom are a kitchen classic. They rank in the top 7% of all ingredient pairs, and cooks put them together in 12,525 recipes. Both carry trans-2-decenal, which smells waxy, orange. The science ↓
Sauerkraut Soup
Ingredients
Directions
Prepare the soup
Heat butter in a small frying pan.
Fry the spare ribs briskly to seal in their juices.
Simmer
Gently boil the ribs and all the other ingredients in the water for about 10 minutes, stirring occasionally until the sauerkraut softens.
Remove the spare ribs and bay leaf.
Season to taste and serve.
Nutrition, whole recipe (rough)
Counts 4 of 6 ingredients. The other 2 aren't in our nutrition table and add nothing above, so the real totals are higher.
What these numbers assume: 4 portions
| Ingredient | Portion assumed | kcal |
|---|---|---|
| Butter | 1 tbsp (14g) | 102 |
| Onion | 1 medium (110g) | 44 |
| Mushrooms | 1/2 cup sliced (35g) | 15 |
| Bay Leaf | 1 leaf (0.6g) | 2 |
| Sauerkraut | not in our table | 0 |
| Water | 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.
-
Butter + mushroomtop 7% of all pairsSmell alikemoderateCooked together12,525 recipes
Shared aroma: trans-2-decenal (waxy, orange).
-
Mushroom + oniontop 10% of all pairsSmell alikemoderateCooked together10,626 recipes
Shared aroma: 2,4-decadienal (seaweed).
-
Butter + oniontop 15% of all pairsSmell alikemoderateCooked together42,912 recipes
Shared aroma: decanal (soap, orange peel).
Ranks compare each pair with 20,000 random ingredient pairs on CompKitchen. How we score pairs
What each ingredient does
- Spare ribs
- Release savoury meat juices into the broth, adding richness and depth of flavour.
- Sauerkraut
- Provides sourness and acidity that balances the richness of the broth.
- Dried mushrooms
- Add earthy, savoury flavour to the broth.
- Butter
- Adds fat and carries flavour during the initial frying.
The step that matters
Fry the spare ribs briskly. Searing over high heat browns the surface of the meat, creating savoury flavour compounds through the Maillard reaction. Crowding the pan or frying gently would steam the meat instead, leaving the broth flatter in taste.
Swap the onion
How well each one fits the dish's main ingredients (butter, mushroom):
- Shallotfits better
- Potatofits about as well
- Asparagusfits about as well
- Onionthe original
Fit is the average pairing score against butter, mushroom. 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.
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