Why it works: Carrot and dill match in chemistry and in kitchens. They rank in the top 1% of all ingredient pairs, and cooks put them together in 321 recipes. Both carry 2-isopropyl-3-methoxypyrazine, which smells earthy, pea. The science ↓
Roast Pork with Cabbage and Carrots
Ingredients
Directions
Roast the pork
Place pork tenderloin on a rack in a shallow roasting pan and insert a meat thermometer.
Roast in a 325°F oven for ¾ to 1 hour or till thermometer registers 170°F.
Cook the vegetables
Meanwhile, in a large saucepan combine cabbage, onion, carrots, water, vinegar, dill seed, salt, and pepper.
Bring to boiling; reduce heat.
Cover and simmer for 8 to 10 minutes or till vegetables are just tender.
Serve
Slice pork and serve with vegetables.
Nutrition, whole recipe (rough)
Counts 8 of 9 ingredients. The other 1 aren't in our nutrition table and add nothing above, so the real totals are higher.
What these numbers assume: 8 portions
| Ingredient | Portion assumed | kcal |
|---|---|---|
| Pork | 100g cooked | 242 |
| Broccoli | 1 cup chopped (156g) | 55 |
| Onion | 1 medium (110g) | 44 |
| Carrot | 1 medium (61g) | 25 |
| Black Pepper | 1 tsp ground (2.3g) | 6 |
| Dill Seed | 5 sprigs fresh (1g) / 1 tsp dried | 4 |
| Vinegar | 1 tbsp (15ml) distilled | 3 |
| Salt | 1 tsp (6g) | 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.
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Carrot + dilltop 1% of all pairsSmell alikestrongCooked together321 recipes
Shared aroma: 2-isopropyl-3-methoxypyrazine (earthy, pea).
-
Dill + peppertop 4% of all pairsSmell alikestrongCooked together1,630 recipes
Shared aroma: 2-isopropyl-3-methoxypyrazine (earthy, pea).
-
Cabbage + dilltop 5% of all pairsSmell alikemoderateCooked together47 recipes
Shared aroma: 2-isopropyl-3-methoxypyrazine (earthy, pea).
-
Cabbage + peppertop 5% of all pairsSmell alikemoderateCooked together4,081 recipes
Shared aroma: 2-isopropyl-3-methoxypyrazine (earthy, pea).
-
Carrot + peppertop 6% of all pairsSmell alikestrongCooked together14,555 recipes
Shared aroma: 2-isopropyl-3-methoxypyrazine (earthy, pea).
Ranks compare each pair with 20,000 random ingredient pairs on CompKitchen. How we score pairs
What each ingredient does
- Pork tenderloin
- Provides the lean meat that is roasted and sliced for serving.
- Cabbage
- Forms the bulk of the vegetable side, becoming tender as it simmers.
- Onion
- Adds sweetness and savory depth as it softens in the simmering liquid.
- Carrots
- Contribute sweetness and color while softening in the simmering liquid.
- Vinegar
- Adds acidity that brightens the cooked vegetables.
The step that matters
Roast to 170°F on the thermometer. Pork tenderloin is lean and dries out quickly, so checking the internal temperature with a thermometer, rather than relying only on time, helps avoid overcooking it.
Swap the onion
How well each one fits the dish's main ingredients (pork, cabbage, carrot, vinegar, dill, pepper):
- Capsicumfits better
- Mustardfits better
- Potatofits better
- Onionthe original
Fit is the average pairing score against pork, cabbage, carrot, vinegar, dill, pepper. 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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