Why it works: Rhubarb and sugar are a kitchen classic. They rank in the top 18% of all ingredient pairs, and cooks put them together in 1,852 recipes. Both carry 1-penten-3-one, which smells fish, pungent. The science ↓
Rhubarb Marmalade
Ingredients
Directions
Prepare the rhubarb
Peel the rhubarb stalks and remove all strings.
Cut the rhubarb finely and weigh it.
Combine the rhubarb and sugar in a large pan and let it stand overnight.
Cook the marmalade
In the morning, transfer the mixture to a preserving kettle and boil gently until it is rich and smooth.
Stir continuously towards the end to prevent burning.
Cool slightly; if it sets, it is done.
While warm, pour into pots or tumblers.
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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Rhubarb + sugartop 18% of all pairsSmell alikemoderateCooked together1,852 recipes
Shared aroma: 1-penten-3-one (fish, pungent).
Ranks compare each pair with 20,000 random ingredient pairs on CompKitchen. How we score pairs
What each ingredient does
- Rhubarb
- Provides the tart flavour and the fruit that breaks down into the marmalade's body.
- Sugar
- Sweetens the marmalade and draws moisture out of the rhubarb, helping it thicken and set.
The step that matters
Stirring towards the end of the boil. Sugar-rich mixtures darken and scorch quickly on the bottom of a pan as the water evaporates and the sugar concentrates. Constant stirring near the end spreads the heat and prevents burning.
“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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