Why it works: Sugar and molasses are a kitchen classic. They rank in the top 11% of all ingredient pairs, and cooks put them together in 9,225 recipes. Both carry ethanol, which smells alcoholic, ethereal. The science ↓
English Pickle for Tongue
Ingredients
Directions
Make the brine
Make a brine of two ounces saltpetre, half pound brown sugar, one pint barrel salt, one teacup molasses, and water enough to cover two tongues.
Cure
Let the tongues stand in a crock, well kept under the brine, for ten days.
Cook and serve
When ready to use, boil two or three hours; skin and eat cold.
Nutrition, whole recipe (rough)
What these numbers assume: 3 portions
| Ingredient | Portion assumed | kcal |
|---|---|---|
| Molasses | 1 tbsp (20g) | 58 |
| Sugar | 1 tbsp (12.5g) granulated | 49 |
| 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.
-
Sugar + molassestop 11% of all pairsSmell alikemoderateCooked together9,225 recipes
Shared aroma: ethanol (alcoholic, ethereal).
Ranks compare each pair with 20,000 random ingredient pairs on CompKitchen. How we score pairs
What each ingredient does
- Tongues
- The main meat, which becomes tender and sliceable after curing and long boiling.
- Saltpetre
- Helps cure the meat, giving it a preserved, rosy colour and a cured flavour.
- Barrel salt
- Draws moisture out of the meat and seasons it while helping preserve it.
- Brown sugar
- Adds sweetness that balances the salt and contributes moisture to the brine.
- Molasses
- Adds depth of flavour and dark colour, with extra sweetness.
The step that matters
Keep the tongues fully under the brine for ten days. Any meat left above the liquid is exposed to air and can spoil or grow mould. Keeping it submerged lets the cure penetrate evenly and preserves the meat throughout the ten days.
“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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