Why it works: Pepper and dill match in chemistry and in kitchens. They rank in the top 4% of all ingredient pairs, and cooks put them together in 1,630 recipes. Both carry 2-isopropyl-3-methoxypyrazine, which smells earthy, pea. The science ↓
Slow-cooked Dilled Pot Roast
Ingredients
Directions
Season and slow cook
Sprinkle both sides of meat with salt, pepper, and 1 tsp dried dill weed.
Place in slow cooking pot.
Add water and vinegar.
Cover and cook on low 7 to 9 hours or until tender.
Make the sauce
Remove meat from pot.
Turn control to high.
Dissolve flour in small amount of cold water.
Stir the mixture into the meat drippings.
Stir in additional 1 tsp dill weed.
Cook on high about 10 minutes or until slightly thick.
Stir in sour cream.
Turn off heat.
Serve
Slice meat.
Serve with sauce.
Nutrition, whole recipe (rough)
Counts 7 of 9 ingredients. The other 2 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 |
|---|---|---|
| Flour | 1 cup (125g) all-purpose | 455 |
| Beef | 100g cooked | 250 |
| Yogurt | 170g plain Greek | 100 |
| Black Pepper | 1 tsp ground (2.3g) | 6 |
| Dill | 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 |
| Dairy | 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.
-
Pepper + dilltop 4% of all pairsSmell alikestrongCooked together1,630 recipes
Shared aroma: 2-isopropyl-3-methoxypyrazine (earthy, pea).
-
Beef + peppertop 10% of all pairsSmell alikemoderateCooked together18,971 recipes
Shared aroma: 2-isopropyl-3-methoxypyrazine (earthy, pea).
-
Dill + vinegartop 11% of all pairsSmell alikemoderateCooked together659 recipes
Shared aroma: isobutyraldehyde (malty, green).
-
Pepper + vinegartop 14% of all pairsSmell alikemoderateCooked together27,814 recipes
Shared aroma: 4'-methylacetophenone (bitter almond).
-
Dill + flourtop 15% of all pairsSmell alikemoderateCooked together639 recipes
Shared aroma: isobutyraldehyde (malty, green).
Ranks compare each pair with 20,000 random ingredient pairs on CompKitchen. How we score pairs
What each ingredient does
- Beef pot roast
- Slow cooking over several hours breaks down connective tissue, making the meat tender and moist.
- Flour
- Thickens the meat drippings into a smooth, slightly thick sauce when heated.
- Dairy sour cream
- Adds creaminess and tang to the sauce, rounding out the rich drippings.
- Vinegar
- Adds acidity that brightens the flavor of the braising liquid and the sauce.
The step that matters
Stir in sour cream. Sour cream can curdle or separate when it gets too hot. Turning off the heat before stirring it in keeps the sauce smooth and creamy.
Swap the dill
How well each one fits the dish's main ingredients (beef, pepper, vinegar, flour, cream):
- Tarragonfits better
- Turmericfits better
- Nutmegfits better
- Dillthe original
Fit is the average pairing score against beef, pepper, vinegar, flour, cream. 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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