Meatloaf I

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. Sauce + ketchuptop 1% of all pairs
   Smell alikestrong
   Cooked together1,099 recipes

   Shared aroma: ethanol (alcoholic, ethereal).

2. Sauce + evaporated milktop 4% of all pairs
   Smell alikestrong
   Cooked together53 recipes

   Shared aroma: ethanol (alcoholic, ethereal).

3. Celery + peppertop 5% of all pairs
   Smell alikestrong
   Cooked together16,012 recipes

   Shared aroma: 4'-methylacetophenone (bitter almond).

4. Onion + celerytop 7% of all pairs
   Smell alikemoderate
   Cooked together18,518 recipes

   Shared aroma: guaiacol (smoky, sweet).

5. Onion + peppertop 11% of all pairs
   Smell alikemoderate
   Cooked together68,474 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

Hamburger

Forms the main body of the loaf and provides the meaty texture.

Pork sausage

Adds fat and flavor, keeping the loaf moist as it cooks.

Eggs

Bind the meat and bread crumbs so the loaf holds its shape when sliced.

Bread crumbs

Absorb liquid and fat, helping the loaf stay tender and moist.

Ketchup

Adds sweetness and acidity, and helps moisture and browning on the surface.

Evaporated milk

Adds moisture and softness to the meat mixture.

The step that matters

Swap the celery

How well each one fits the dish's main ingredients (butter, onion, pepper, meat, sauce, evaporated milk, ketchup):

1. Garlicfits about as well
2. Celerythe original
3. Parsleyfits about as well
4. Thymefits about as well

Fit is the average pairing score against butter, onion, pepper, meat, sauce, evaporated milk, ketchup. Candidates are from the same food group and used in at least 100 recipes.