Why it works: Beef and pepper are a kitchen classic. They rank in the top 10% of all ingredient pairs, and cooks put them together in 18,971 recipes. Both carry 2-isopropyl-3-methoxypyrazine, which smells earthy, pea. The science ↓
Minced Collops Au Naturel
Ingredients
Directions
In a pan, combine the minced beef with pepper and salt.
Heat over a gentle fire, stirring with a fork until hot.
Simmer slowly in its own juices for 10 to 12 minutes.
If too dry, add a little boiling water, broth, or gravy.
Stew for an additional 2 minutes 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.
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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Beef + peppertop 10% of all pairsSmell alikemoderateCooked together18,971 recipes
Shared aroma: 2-isopropyl-3-methoxypyrazine (earthy, pea).
Ranks compare each pair with 20,000 random ingredient pairs on CompKitchen. How we score pairs
What each ingredient does
- Beef
- Provides the main protein and savoury flavour, and its own juices keep the mince moist as it simmers.
The step that matters
Simmer slowly in its own juices. Over high heat minced meat toughens and dries out quickly, so a gentle simmer lets it cook through while retaining moisture.
“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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