Why it works: Ham and butter are a kitchen classic. They rank in the top 16% of all ingredient pairs, and cooks put them together in 5,475 recipes. Both carry trans-2-decenal, which smells waxy, orange. The science ↓
Broiled Ham
Ingredients
Directions
Prepare
Cut large slices of ham and remove most of the fat.
Cook and serve
Broil the ham over a hot fire, turning often until both sides are well done.
Lay the ham on a platter, spread with butter, and serve immediately.
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.
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.
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Ham + buttertop 16% of all pairsSmell alikemoderateCooked together5,475 recipes
Shared aroma: trans-2-decenal (waxy, orange).
Ranks compare each pair with 20,000 random ingredient pairs on CompKitchen. How we score pairs
What each ingredient does
- Ham
- Provides the main protein and savory flavor, and browns on the hot grill surface.
- Butter
- Adds richness and moisture to the finished ham as it is spread over the hot slices.
The step that matters
Turning the ham often under the broiler. Frequent turning exposes both sides to direct heat evenly, so the slices brown without scorching on one side while the other stays underdone. Removing most of the fat first reduces flare-ups and dripping.
“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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