Why it works: Bread and cheese are a kitchen classic. They rank in the top 7% of all ingredient pairs, and cooks put them together in 2,130 recipes. Both carry delta-decalactone, which smells sweet, creamy. The science ↓
Red Devils
2-4 peopleIngredients
Directions
Prepare
Place bacon in a sheet pan.
Set the broiler to 'low'.
Pre-cook the bacon under the broiler until it is about halfway done.
While the bacon cooks, place white bread on a sheet, one slice per diner.
Assemble and broil
Place a slice of American cheese on each slice of bread.
Place the tomato slices on each sandwich.
Sprinkle a small amount of onion onto each sandwich.
Place a strip of half-cooked bacon on each sandwich.
Place the cookie sheet under the broiler, set to maximum temperature, and broil for approximately 3-4 minutes.
Check on them often to prevent burning.
Remove once the bread is toasted, the cheese is golden at the edges, and the bacon is fully cooked.
Nutrition, whole recipe (rough)
What these numbers assume: 5 portions
| Ingredient | Portion assumed | kcal |
|---|---|---|
| Flour | 1 cup (125g) all-purpose | 455 |
| Cheese | 1 oz (28g) cheddar | 113 |
| Onion | 1 medium (110g) | 44 |
| Bacon | 1 slice cooked (8g) | 43 |
| Tomato | 1 medium (123g) | 22 |
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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Bread + cheesetop 7% of all pairsSmell alikemoderateCooked together2,130 recipes
Shared aroma: delta-decalactone (sweet, creamy).
-
Tomato + oniontop 8% of all pairsSmell alikemoderateCooked together20,633 recipes
Shared aroma: 2-isopropyl-3-methoxypyrazine (earthy, pea).
-
Bread + tomatotop 10% of all pairsSmell alikemoderateCooked together1,013 recipes
Shared aroma: 2-nonenal (fatty, green).
-
Cheese + tomatotop 13% of all pairsSmell alikemoderateCooked together2,896 recipes
Shared aroma: 2-isopropyl-3-methoxypyrazine (earthy, pea).
-
Bread + oniontop 15% of all pairsSmell alikemoderateCooked together8,676 recipes
Shared aroma: 2,4-decadienal (seaweed).
Ranks compare each pair with 20,000 random ingredient pairs on CompKitchen. How we score pairs
What each ingredient does
- Bread
- Forms the structure and crisps into a toasted base under the broiler.
- American cheese
- Melts into a creamy layer that binds the sandwich and browns at the edges.
- Tomato
- Adds moisture and acidity that cut through the rich cheese and bacon.
- Bacon
- Adds fat and salty, savory flavor, and browns and crisps as it cooks.
- Onion
- Adds a sharp, aromatic bite that balances the richness of the cheese and bacon.
The step that matters
Pre-cook the bacon before assembling. Bacon placed raw under the broiler with the bread will often stay chewy or burn before it renders. Partly cooking it first lets it finish crisp in the same short broil as the cheese and bread.
Swap the onion
How well each one fits the dish's main ingredients (bread, cheese, tomato):
- Capsicumfits better
- Potatofits better
- Asparagusfits about as well
- Onionthe original
Fit is the average pairing score against bread, cheese, tomato. 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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