Why it works: Coriander and lemon match in chemistry and in kitchens. They rank in the top 1% of all ingredient pairs, and cooks put them together in 2,498 recipes. Both carry beta-phellandrene, which smells minty, terpene. The science ↓
Mesquite Beef Tenderloin
Ingredients
Directions
Prepare
Place beef in a large zip-top plastic bag and add cognac to cover, then refrigerate for at least 30 minutes.
Place mesquite chips in the hot coal area of a charcoal grill.
Combine paprika, coriander, salt, pepper, rosemary, and lemon peel.
Rub this mixture all over beef and bring to room temperature.
Grill and serve
Place beef in center of grill, cover, and cook, turning often until internal temperature reaches 135°F for medium rare, 150°F for medium, or 160°F for toast.
Remove, let rest for 10 minutes, and serve.
Nutrition, whole recipe (rough)
Counts 5 of 9 ingredients. The other 4 aren't in our nutrition table and add nothing above, so the real totals are higher.
What these numbers assume: 5 portions
| Ingredient | Portion assumed | kcal |
|---|---|---|
| Beef | 100g cooked | 250 |
| Lemon | juice of 1 lemon (48ml) | 12 |
| Black Pepper | 1 tsp ground (2.3g) | 6 |
| Rosemary | 1 tsp dried (1.2g) | 4 |
| Salt | 1 tsp (6g) | 0 |
| Cognac | not in our table | 0 |
| Wood | not in our table | 0 |
| Coriander | not in our table | 0 |
| Seed | 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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Coriander + lemontop 1% of all pairsSmell alikestrongCooked together2,498 recipes
Shared aroma: beta-phellandrene (minty, terpene).
-
Rosemary + lemontop 1% of all pairsSmell alikestrongCooked together845 recipes
Shared aroma: beta-phellandrene (minty, terpene).
-
Pepper + lemontop 3% of all pairsSmell alikestrongCooked together27,047 recipes
Shared aroma: trans-2-nonenal (cardboard, fatty).
-
Pepper + rosemarytop 4% of all pairsSmell alikestrongCooked together2,324 recipes
Shared aroma: estragole (anise, licorice).
-
Coriander + rosemarytop 5% of all pairsSmell alikestrongCooked together144 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
- Beef tenderloin
- Forms the main meat, cooked gently to a tender, juicy texture.
- Paprika
- Adds color and a mild, sweet smoky flavor to the crust.
- Mesquite wood chips
- Provide the smoky aroma that the grill imparts to the meat.
- Coriander seeds
- Add a citrusy, warm aroma that complements the beef.
- Dried rosemary
- Contributes a resinous, herbal aroma to the rub.
The step that matters
Turning and checking internal temperature on the grill. Meat keeps cooking after it leaves the heat, and the internal temperature decides doneness. Checking with a thermometer and turning often helps the outside brown evenly without overcooking the center.
Swap the coriander
How well each one fits the dish's main ingredients (beef, pepper, rosemary, lemon):
- Marjoramfits better
- Thymefits better
- Sagefits better
- Corianderthe original
Fit is the average pairing score against beef, pepper, rosemary, lemon. 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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