Why it works: Butter and pepper are a kitchen classic. They rank in the top 21% of all ingredient pairs, and cooks put them together in 85,593 recipes. Both carry trans-2-nonenal, which smells cardboard, fatty. The science ↓
To Broil Beefsteak
Ingredients
Directions
Prepare
Choose a beefsteak cut from the rump for the best flavor and juiciness.
Cut the steak into slices ¾ to 1 inch thick, then into manageable pieces.
Dust the steaks with pepper if desired before cooking.
Cook and serve
Place the steaks on a grill and turn them frequently while cooking.
Cook to your preferred doneness, as cooking time varies by thickness and fire strength.
Once cooked, place the steaks on a hot dish with a little butter and salt.
Serve immediately to enjoy the best flavor and juiciness.
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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Butter + peppertop 21% of all pairsSmell alikemoderateCooked together85,593 recipes
Shared aroma: trans-2-nonenal (cardboard, fatty).
Ranks compare each pair with 20,000 random ingredient pairs on CompKitchen. How we score pairs
What each ingredient does
- Beefsteak
- Provides the main protein; rump cut is recommended for flavor and juiciness.
- Butter
- Adds richness and a little moisture when placed on the hot steaks.
The step that matters
Turning the steaks frequently while cooking. Frequent turning cooks the steak more evenly and helps prevent the outside from charring before the inside is done, keeping the meat juicier.
“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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