Why it works: Vinegar and allspice are a kitchen classic. They rank in the top 13% of all ingredient pairs, and cooks put them together in 4,548 recipes. Both carry 2-methylbutyl acetate, which smells fruit. The science ↓
Tomato Catsup
Ingredients
Directions
Combine and strain
Add 1 gallon cooked tomato juice and 2 teaspoons bay leaves.
Strain tomato juice and small red pepper.
Add 1 tablespoon whole mus- y2 pint hot vinegar.
Add 2 heaping tablespoons and 1 tablespoon whole allspice.
Add 1 teaspoon cloves.
Add salt to taste.
Cook and spice
Cook the juice until thick.
Add sugar, vinegar, and salt.
About 15 minutes before done, put spices tied up in small muslin bag.
Nutrition, whole recipe (rough)
What these numbers assume: 4 portions
| Ingredient | Portion assumed | kcal |
|---|---|---|
| Allspice | 1 tsp ground (1.9g) | 5 |
| Vinegar | 1 tbsp (15ml) distilled | 3 |
| Bay Leaf | 1 leaf (0.6g) | 2 |
| 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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Vinegar + allspicetop 13% of all pairsSmell alikemoderateCooked together4,548 recipes
Shared aroma: 2-methylbutyl acetate (fruit).
Ranks compare each pair with 20,000 random ingredient pairs on CompKitchen. How we score pairs
What each ingredient does
- Tomato juice (in the method)
- Forms the main body and flavor base of the ketchup, and thickens as it cooks down.
- Vinegar
- Adds acidity that sharpens the flavor and helps preserve the ketchup.
- Sugar (in the method)
- Adds sweetness that balances the acidity and savory tomato flavor.
- Bay leaves
- Contribute a subtle aromatic, herbal background note during simmering.
- Allspice
- Adds warm, aromatic spice notes to the sauce.
- Cloves (in the method)
- Add a strong, warm aroma that deepens the spiced flavor.
The step that matters
Cook the juice until thick. Simmering evaporates water and concentrates the tomato solids and sugars, which thickens the sauce and deepens its flavor. Stirring helps prevent scorching on the bottom of the pan.
“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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