Why it works: Onion and mustard match in chemistry and in kitchens. They rank in the top 6% of all ingredient pairs, and cooks put them together in 9,259 recipes. Both carry 2-isopropyl-3-methoxypyrazine, which smells earthy, pea. The science ↓
Barbecued Lima Beans I
Ingredients
Directions
Soak the beans
Place the beans in a soup pot and cover them with water.
Boil for 2 minutes.
Remove the beans from the heat, cover them, and let stand for 1 hour.
Prepare and bake
Preheat the oven to 300°F.
Prepare a 1½ quart casserole with non-stick pan spray.
Drain the beans, reserving 1 cup of liquid.
Combine the beans and the reserved liquid with the remaining ingredients.
Put the mixture in the casserole and cover it.
Bake for 1¾ hours.
Uncover the casserole and bake for 30 minutes longer.
Add liquid if the beans seem dry.
Nutrition, whole recipe (rough)
Counts 7 of 8 ingredients. The other 1 aren't in our nutrition table and add nothing above, so the real totals are higher.
What these numbers assume: 7 portions
| Ingredient | Portion assumed | kcal |
|---|---|---|
| Lima Beans | 1/2 cup (85g) cooked | 108 |
| Molasses | 1 tbsp (20g) | 58 |
| Onion | 1 medium (110g) | 44 |
| Chili | 1 tsp (2.7g) | 8 |
| Mustard | 1 tsp (5g) yellow | 3 |
| Vinegar | 1 tbsp (15ml) distilled | 3 |
| Salt | 1 tsp (6g) | 0 |
| Sauce | 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.
-
Onion + mustardtop 6% of all pairsSmell alikestrongCooked together9,259 recipes
Shared aroma: 2-isopropyl-3-methoxypyrazine (earthy, pea).
-
Mustard + vinegartop 7% of all pairsSmell alikemoderateCooked together14,067 recipes
Shared aroma: isobutyraldehyde (malty, green).
-
Lima beans + mustardtop 12% of all pairsSmell alikemoderateCooked together56 recipes
Shared aroma: 2-isopropyl-3-methoxypyrazine (earthy, pea).
-
Mustard + saucetop 13% of all pairsSmell alikemoderateCooked together2,120 recipes
Shared aroma: ethanol (alcoholic, ethereal).
-
Lima beans + oniontop 13% of all pairsSmell alikemoderateCooked together331 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
- Dried lima beans
- Provide the starchy, hearty body of the dish, which softens during soaking and slow baking.
- Molasses
- Adds sweetness and a dark, caramel-like depth while helping the beans brown on the surface.
- Chili sauce
- Adds tomato-based acidity, sweetness and savory seasoning to the sauce.
- Onion
- Adds aroma and savory flavor as it softens and mellows during baking.
The step that matters
Soaking and boiling the dried beans. Dried lima beans must be fully hydrated and softened before the long, gentle bake; if they are undercooked, they stay firm and will not become tender in the oven. Reserving the soaking liquid also keeps starch and flavor for the sauce.
Swap the lima beans
How well each one fits the dish's main ingredients (onion, mustard, vinegar, molasses, sauce):
- Sesamefits better
- Beansfits better
- Lentilsfits better
- Lima beansthe original
Fit is the average pairing score against onion, mustard, vinegar, molasses, sauce. 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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