Beef Shanks Continental

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.

1. Onion + garlictop 1% of all pairs
   Smell alikestrong
   Cooked together29,058 recipes

   Shared aroma: furaneol (caramel, strawberry).

2. Basil + garlictop 4% of all pairs
   Smell alikemoderate
   Cooked together4,805 recipes

   Shared aroma: linalool (floral, citrus).

3. Basil + peppertop 4% of all pairs
   Smell alikestrong
   Cooked together5,294 recipes

   Shared aroma: methyl cinnamate (strawberry).

4. Basil + clovetop 4% of all pairs
   Smell alikestrong
   Cooked together1,437 recipes

   Shared aroma: estragole (anise, licorice).

5. Pepper + clovetop 5% of all pairs
   Smell alikestrong
   Cooked together17,451 recipes

   Shared aroma: ethyl octanoate (fruity, wine).

Ranks compare each pair with 20,000 random ingredient pairs on CompKitchen. How we score pairs

What each ingredient does

Beef shanks

Slow simmering breaks down connective tissue, making the meat tender and rich in body.

Flour

Coating the shanks helps them brown and thickens the cooking liquid into a sauce.

Sherry

Adds acidity and aromatic depth to the braising liquid.

Tomato paste

Adds concentrated savory flavor and color to the sauce.

Onion

Softens and sweetens as it cooks, forming the flavor base of the sauce.

Carrots

Contribute natural sweetness and a tender texture to the sauce.

The step that matters

Swap the clove

How well each one fits the dish's main ingredients (beef, flour, butter, basil, pepper, onion, garlic):

1. Thymefits better
2. Parsleyfits better
3. Oreganofits better
4. Clovethe original

Fit is the average pairing score against beef, flour, butter, basil, pepper, onion, garlic. Candidates are from the same food group and used in at least 100 recipes.