Why it works: Onion and pepper are a kitchen classic. They rank in the top 11% of all ingredient pairs, and cooks put them together in 68,474 recipes. Both carry 2-isopropyl-3-methoxypyrazine, which smells earthy, pea. The science ↓
Hamburg Steaks
Ingredients
Directions
Prepare
Chop one pound of round steak very finely.
Mix the chopped steak with one tablespoonful of minced onion, pepper, and salt to taste, thoroughly.
Shape the mixture into cakes about three-fourths of an inch thick.
Grease the griddle or spider well.
Cook and serve
Brown the cakes nicely on both sides.
Cook for about five minutes, then serve.
Nutrition, whole recipe (rough)
What these numbers assume: 4 portions
| Ingredient | Portion assumed | kcal |
|---|---|---|
| Beef | 100g cooked | 250 |
| Onion | 1 medium (110g) | 44 |
| Black Pepper | 1 tsp ground (2.3g) | 6 |
| Salt | 1 tsp (6g) | 0 |
One typical portion per ingredient; the recipe's quantities are not counted. A rough guide only, not for medical or dietary planning.
Transcribed from a scanned cookbook and modernised for today's kitchens. Where the book gave no heat or time, or said "a moderate oven", the temperatures and times here may be modern equivalents rather than the book's own figures. See the original page.
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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Onion + peppertop 11% of all pairsSmell alikemoderateCooked together68,474 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
- Round steak
- Forms the main body of the cakes and provides the meaty texture and savory flavor.
- Minced onion
- Adds aroma and a little moisture and sweetness to the meat mixture.
The step that matters
Browning the cakes on both sides. Browning comes from the Maillard reaction on a hot, well-greased surface, which builds flavor and color. Cooking too gently or with the surface not hot enough leaves the cakes pale and steamed rather than browned.
“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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