Why it works: Clove and ginger match in chemistry and in kitchens. They rank in the top 1% of all ingredient pairs, and cooks put them together in 6,038 recipes. Both carry estragole, which smells anise, licorice. The science ↓
BBQ Sauce II
Ingredients
Directions
In a medium-sized saucepan, combine all ingredients except the liquid smoke.
Bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer gently, uncovered, for 20 minutes, stirring occasionally.
Remove from heat. Add liquid smoke and stir.
Nutrition, whole recipe (rough)
Counts 15 of 17 ingredients. The other 2 aren't in our nutrition table and add nothing above, so the real totals are higher.
What these numbers assume: 15 portions
| Ingredient | Portion assumed | kcal |
|---|---|---|
| Orange | 1 medium (131g) | 62 |
| Molasses | 1 tbsp (20g) | 58 |
| Tomato | 1 medium (123g) | 22 |
| Chili | 1 tsp (2.7g) | 8 |
| Clove | 1 tsp ground (2g) | 7 |
| Black Pepper | 1 tsp ground (2.3g) | 6 |
| Celery Seed | 1 stalk (40g) | 6 |
| Allspice | 1 tsp ground (1.9g) | 5 |
| Garlic | 1 clove (3g) | 4 |
| Thyme | 1 tsp dried (1.4g) | 4 |
| Vinegar | 1 tbsp (15ml) distilled | 3 |
| Mustard | 1 tsp (5g) yellow | 3 |
| Ginger | 1 tsp grated fresh (2g) | 2 |
| Bay Leaf | 1 leaf (0.6g) | 2 |
| Salt | 1 tsp (6g) | 0 |
| Water | not in our table | 0 |
| Smoke | 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.
-
Clove + gingertop 1% of all pairsSmell alikestrongCooked together6,038 recipes
Shared aroma: estragole (anise, licorice).
-
Garlic + tomatotop 3% of all pairsSmell alikemoderateCooked together14,076 recipes
Shared aroma: furaneol (caramel, strawberry).
-
Orange + gingertop 4% of all pairsSmell alikestrongCooked together1,833 recipes
Shared aroma: 1-octen-3-one (mushroom, metallic).
-
Clove + peppertop 5% of all pairsSmell alikestrongCooked together17,451 recipes
Shared aroma: ethyl octanoate (fruity, wine).
-
Clove + orangetop 6% of all pairsSmell alikemoderateCooked together1,987 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
- Tomato paste
- Provides the thick body and concentrated tomato base of the sauce.
- Dark molasses
- Adds deep sweetness and a rich color to the sauce.
- Light molasses
- Adds sweetness and helps give the sauce a smooth, glossy body.
- White vinegar
- Adds acidity that brightens the flavor and balances the sweetness.
- Orange marmalade
- Adds sweetness and fruity bitterness that rounds out the sauce.
- Garlic
- Adds pungent savory aroma and depth of flavor.
The step that matters
Simmer gently, uncovered, for 20 minutes. Boiling hard or covering the pan changes the thickness and concentration. A gentle, uncovered simmer lets moisture evaporate slowly while the sugars in the molasses and marmalade concentrate without scorching on the bottom of the pan.
Swap the orange
How well each one fits the dish's main ingredients (garlic, clove, vinegar, tomato, molasses, pepper, ginger):
- Limefits better
- Cherryfits better
- Mangofits about as well
- Orangethe original
Fit is the average pairing score against garlic, clove, vinegar, tomato, molasses, pepper, ginger. 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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