Name: Molasses Sauce
Ingredients: 1 cup molasses; 2 tablespoons lemon juice; 1 table- spoon vinegar; lemon juice; vinegar

Why it works: Lemon and vinegar are a kitchen classic. They rank in the top 20% of all ingredient pairs, and cooks put them together in 7,334 recipes. Both carry acetic acid, which smells sour, vinegar. The science ↓

Molasses Sauce

Ingredients

Directions

Boil 1 cup molasses with 1 tablespoon butter for 5 minutes.
Take from the fire and add 2 tablespoons lemon juice or 1 tablespoon vinegar.

Nutrition, whole recipe (rough)

73Calories

0 gProtein

0 gFat

19 gCarbs

What these numbers assume: 3 portions

Ingredient	Portion assumed	kcal
Molasses	1 tbsp (20g)	58
Lemon	juice of 1 lemon (48ml)	12
Vinegar	1 tbsp (15ml) distilled	3

One typical portion per ingredient; the recipe's quantities are not counted. A rough guide only, not for medical or dietary planning.

By Martin, Maria Ewing, Mrs., [from old catalog] comp. Recipe from a historical cookbook (Internet Archive).

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.

Photo for illustrative purposes only · Contact us to use it

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.

Lemon + vinegartop 20% of all pairs

Smell alikemoderate

Cooked together7,334 recipes

Shared aroma: acetic acid (sour, vinegar).
Molasses + vinegartop 26% of all pairs

Smell alikelow

Cooked together1,253 recipes

Shared aroma: ethanol (alcoholic, ethereal).
Molasses + lemontop 36% of all pairs

Smell alikelow

Cooked together1,377 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

Molasses: Provides the sweetness, dark color and thick body of the sauce.
Lemon juice: Adds acidity that brightens and balances the sweetness of the molasses.
Vinegar: Adds sharp acidity that cuts through the sweetness of the molasses.
Butter (in the method): Adds richness and a smooth, rounded mouthfeel to the sauce.