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 ↓
Kidneys and Ham
Ingredients
Directions
Prepare
Split each kidney lengthwise and remove fat and strings.
Cut slices of cold boiled ham to match the size of the kidney pieces.
Skewer and broil
String half kidneys and pieces of ham alternately on slender skewers, with a piece of ham at each end.
Broil the skewers over a clear fire for eight minutes, turning often.
Serve
Place the skewers on a hot dish, season with salt and pepper, and baste with butter before serving.
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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Ham + buttertop 16% of all pairsSmell alikemoderateCooked together5,475 recipes
Shared aroma: trans-2-decenal (waxy, orange).
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Pepper + buttertop 21% of all pairsSmell alikemoderateCooked together85,593 recipes
Shared aroma: trans-2-nonenal (cardboard, fatty).
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Ham + peppertop 23% of all pairsSmell alikelowCooked together6,058 recipes
Shared aroma: 2,4-decadienal (seaweed).
Ranks compare each pair with 20,000 random ingredient pairs on CompKitchen. How we score pairs
What each ingredient does
- Kidneys
- Main protein; cooks quickly under high heat and stays tender when not overcooked.
- Cold boiled ham
- Adds savory, salty flavor and contrasts with the kidney texture.
- Butter
- Adds richness and moisture when basted over the hot skewers.
The step that matters
Broil the skewers for eight minutes, turning often. Kidney is lean and cooks fast; too little turning can scorch the outside while the centre stays underdone, and overcooking makes it tough and dry. Frequent turning under even heat cooks the pieces evenly.
“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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