Grilled Flank Steak

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. Tomato + garlictop 3% of all pairs
   Smell alikemoderate
   Cooked together14,076 recipes

   Shared aroma: furaneol (caramel, strawberry).

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

   Shared aroma: ethyl octanoate (fruity, wine).

4. Tomato + peppertop 7% of all pairs
   Smell alikemoderate
   Cooked together17,923 recipes

   Shared aroma: 2-isopropyl-3-methoxypyrazine (earthy, pea).

5. Pepper + garlictop 8% of all pairs
   Smell alikemoderate
   Cooked together27,090 recipes

   Shared aroma: beta-phellandrene (minty, terpene).

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

What each ingredient does

Beef flank steak

Lean meat that browns on high heat and slices into tender strips when cut across the grain.

Tomato sauce

Adds moisture and body to the glaze, helping it coat the meat evenly.

Honey

Adds sweetness and helps the glaze brown on the surface of the meat.

Vinegar

Adds acidity that brightens the sauce and balances the sweetness.

Margarine

Adds fat that carries the flavor of the onion and garlic when cooked.

Chili powder

Adds warmth and smoky aroma to the sauce.

The step that matters

Swap the clove

How well each one fits the dish's main ingredients (onion, tomato, sauce, honey, pepper, garlic, vinegar):

1. Thymefits better
2. Cuminfits better
3. Corianderfits better
4. Clovethe original

Fit is the average pairing score against onion, tomato, sauce, honey, pepper, garlic, vinegar. Candidates are from the same food group and used in at least 100 recipes.