Why it works: Rhubarb and orange work together. They rank in the top 5% of all ingredient pairs, and cooks put them together in 299 recipes. Both carry 2-methoxy-4-vinylphenol, which smells clove, smoky. The science ↓
Raspberry Rhubarb Jam
Ingredients
Directions
Prepare
Skin and cut rhubarb into 1/2 inch pieces.
Cook
Add water and sugar, the orange juice and grated peel.
Cook all together, stirring frequently to prevent scorching, for 30 minutes, or until clear.
Jar
Put in sterile jelly glasses and seal.
Nutrition, whole recipe (rough)
Counts 3 of 5 ingredients. The other 2 aren't in our nutrition table and add nothing above, so the real totals are higher.
What these numbers assume: 3 portions
| Ingredient | Portion assumed | kcal |
|---|---|---|
| Raspberry | 1 cup (123g) | 64 |
| Orange | 1 medium (131g) | 62 |
| Sugar | 1 tbsp (12.5g) granulated | 49 |
| Rhubarb | 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.
-
Rhubarb + orangetop 5% of all pairsSmell alikemoderateCooked together299 recipes
Shared aroma: 2-methoxy-4-vinylphenol (clove, smoky).
-
Rhubarb + sugartop 18% of all pairsSmell alikemoderateCooked together1,852 recipes
Shared aroma: 1-penten-3-one (fish, pungent).
-
Sugar + orangetop 20% of all pairsSmell alikelowCooked together19,212 recipes
Shared aroma: beta-damascenone (apple, rose).
Sugar and orange barely smell alike, yet cooks put them together in 19,212 recipes: they work on texture and structure more than aroma.
Ranks compare each pair with 20,000 random ingredient pairs on CompKitchen. How we score pairs
What each ingredient does
- Rhubarb
- Provides the bulk of the jam and its tart flavour, and breaks down to thicken the mixture.
- Sugar
- Sweetens the jam and helps it set as it cooks, while balancing rhubarb's tartness.
- Raspberries
- Add fruity aroma and flavour to the jam.
- Oranges
- Add acidity and citrus aroma from the juice and peel.
The step that matters
Stirring while the jam cooks. Sugar-rich fruit mixtures scorch easily on the bottom of the pan, and burnt sugar gives a bitter taste. Frequent stirring spreads the heat evenly and keeps the jam from sticking.
Swap the orange
How well each one fits the dish's main ingredients (rhubarb, sugar):
- Vanillafits better
- Figfits about as well
- Quincefits about as well
- Orangethe original
Fit is the average pairing score against rhubarb, sugar. 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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