Why it works: Cumin and oregano match in chemistry and in kitchens. They rank in the top 1% of all ingredient pairs, and cooks put them together in 983 recipes. Both carry estragole, which smells anise, licorice. The science ↓
Texas-style Chili
Ingredients
Directions
Make the chili
Brown ground beef in a large skillet with oil, then drain excess fat.
Add onion, green pepper, and garlic to the skillet; cook, stirring occasionally, 5 minutes until tender.
Add remaining ingredients except chips and cheese; mix well and cover.
Bring to a boil, reduce heat, and simmer 1½ hours, stirring occasionally or until meat is tender.
Serve
Serve hot with corn chips and shredded cheese.
Nutrition, whole recipe (rough)
Counts 12 of 13 ingredients. The other 1 aren't in our nutrition table and add nothing above, so the real totals are higher.
What these numbers assume: 12 portions
| Ingredient | Portion assumed | kcal |
|---|---|---|
| Beef | 100g cooked | 250 |
| Cheese | 1 oz (28g) cheddar | 113 |
| Parmesan Cheese | 1 oz (28g) | 110 |
| Corn Chip | 1/2 cup kernels (82g) | 77 |
| Sugar | 1 tbsp (12.5g) granulated | 49 |
| Onion | 1 medium (110g) | 44 |
| Bell Pepper | 1 medium (119g) | 31 |
| Tomato | 1 medium (123g) | 22 |
| Chili | 1 tsp (2.7g) | 8 |
| Cumin | 1 tsp ground (2.1g) | 8 |
| Oregano | 1 tsp dried (1.8g) | 5 |
| Garlic | 1 clove (3g) | 4 |
| 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.
-
Cumin + oreganotop 1% of all pairsSmell alikestrongCooked together983 recipes
Shared aroma: estragole (anise, licorice).
-
Onion + garlictop 1% of all pairsSmell alikestrongCooked together29,058 recipes
Shared aroma: furaneol (caramel, strawberry).
-
Garlic + cumintop 1% of all pairsSmell alikestrongCooked together5,082 recipes
Shared aroma: beta-phellandrene (minty, terpene).
-
Tomato + oreganotop 2% of all pairsSmell alikemoderateCooked together2,767 recipes
Shared aroma: 2-hexenal (green, leafy).
-
Garlic + oreganotop 2% of all pairsSmell alikemoderateCooked together3,756 recipes
Shared aroma: beta-phellandrene (minty, terpene).
Ranks compare each pair with 20,000 random ingredient pairs on CompKitchen. How we score pairs
What each ingredient does
- Lean ground beef
- Provides the main meaty body and substance of the chili.
- Onions
- Soften during cooking and add sweetness and savory depth to the base.
- Tomato paste
- Concentrates tomato flavor and thickens the sauce as it simmers.
- Tomatoes
- Supply acidity, liquid and body that form the chili's sauce.
- Beef bouillon cubes
- Add concentrated savory, meaty flavor to the simmering liquid.
- Chili powder
- Adds the main chili flavor and warm spice aroma.
The step that matters
Draining the browned beef. Excess fat left in the pan can make the chili greasy and dilute the sauce, so pouring off the fat after browning keeps the texture balanced.
Swap the clove
How well each one fits the dish's main ingredients (beef, onion, pepper, garlic, tomato, cumin, oregano):
- Corianderfits better
- Thymefits better
- Basilfits better
- Clovethe original
Fit is the average pairing score against beef, onion, pepper, garlic, tomato, cumin, oregano. 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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