To Make a Rabbit Taste Much Like Hare

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.

1. Pepper + allspicetop 5% of all pairs
   Smell alikestrong
   Cooked together6,395 recipes

   Shared aroma: estragole (anise, licorice).

2. Port wine + vinegartop 11% of all pairs
   Smell alikemoderate
   Cooked together598 recipes

   Shared aroma: 4-ethyl-2-methoxyphenol (smoky, clove).

3. Port wine + buttertop 13% of all pairs
   Smell alikemoderate
   Cooked together1,499 recipes

   Shared aroma: ethyl octanoate (fruity, wine).

4. Allspice + vinegartop 13% of all pairs
   Smell alikemoderate
   Cooked together4,548 recipes

   Shared aroma: 2-methylbutyl acetate (fruit).

5. Pepper + vinegartop 14% of all pairs
   Smell alikemoderate
   Cooked together27,814 recipes

   Shared aroma: 4'-methylacetophenone (bitter almond).

Ranks compare each pair with 20,000 random ingredient pairs on CompKitchen. How we score pairs

What each ingredient does

Rabbit

Main protein; hanging and long basting tenderise and flavour its dense meat.

Port wine

Adds sweetness and depth to the seasoning liquid that soaks into the meat.

Vinegar

Adds acidity that helps break down meat fibres during the long marinating.

Black pepper

Adds sharp, aromatic heat that carries through the seasoning liquid.

Allspice

Contributes warm, aromatic flavour that suits the game-like character of the dish.

The step that matters

Swap the allspice

How well each one fits the dish's main ingredients (rabbit, pepper, port wine, vinegar, butter):

1. Tarragonfits better
2. Thymefits better
3. Parsleyfits better
4. Allspicethe original

Fit is the average pairing score against rabbit, pepper, port wine, vinegar, butter. Candidates are from the same food group and used in at least 100 recipes.