Why it works: Cider and vinegar are a kitchen classic. They rank in the top 6% of all ingredient pairs, and cooks put them together in 3,431 recipes. Both carry 4-ethyl-2-methoxyphenol, which smells smoky, clove. The science ↓
Plum Catsup
Ingredients
Directions
Press the plum pulp through a colander.
Weigh the pulp, and for every 5 lbs of pulp add 3 lbs of brown sugar, half a pint of cider vinegar, 1 level teaspoon each of ground cloves and cinnamon, and 1 teaspoon of salt.
Boil and stir until it becomes thick and rich.
Seal while still boiling hot.
Nutrition, whole recipe (rough)
Counts 3 of 4 ingredients. The other 1 aren't in our nutrition table and add nothing above, so the real totals are higher.
What these numbers assume: 3 portions
| Ingredient | Portion assumed | kcal |
|---|---|---|
| Cloves | 1 tsp ground (2g) | 7 |
| Vinegar | 1 tbsp (15ml) distilled | 3 |
| Salt | 1 tsp (6g) | 0 |
| Cider | 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.
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.
-
Cider + vinegartop 6% of all pairsSmell alikemoderateCooked together3,431 recipes
Shared aroma: 4-ethyl-2-methoxyphenol (smoky, clove).
-
Cider + clovetop 14% of all pairsSmell alikelowCooked together1,683 recipes
Shared aroma: ethyl octanoate (fruity, wine).
-
Vinegar + clovetop 15% of all pairsSmell alikemoderateCooked together10,386 recipes
Shared aroma: isobutyraldehyde (malty, green).
Ranks compare each pair with 20,000 random ingredient pairs on CompKitchen. How we score pairs
What each ingredient does
- Plum pulp
- Forms the fruit base that cooks down into the thick body of the ketchup.
- Brown sugar (in the method)
- Adds sweetness and deepens the color and flavor as the mixture reduces.
- Cider vinegar
- Adds acidity that balances the sweetness and brightens the flavor.
- Ground cloves
- Adds warm, spiced aroma.
- Cinnamon (in the method)
- Adds warm, sweet spice aroma.
The step that matters
Boil and stir until thick. Sugar-rich fruit mixtures can scorch on the bottom of the pan, so frequent stirring is needed. Cooking long enough lets the water evaporate and the sugar and fruit solids concentrate into a thick, rich texture.
Swap the clove
How well each one fits the dish's main ingredients (cider, vinegar):
- Allspicefits better
- Tarragonfits about as well
- Peppermintfits about as well
- Clovethe original
Fit is the average pairing score against cider, vinegar. 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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