Why it works: Butter and lemon are a kitchen classic. They rank in the top 16% of all ingredient pairs, and cooks put them together in 41,227 recipes. Both carry 3-hexenal, which smells apple, fruity. The science ↓
Roasting Meat
Ingredients
Directions
Prepare
Wipe the outside of the pig and rub it all over with salad oil or fresh butter.
Roast
Cover the loins with greased parchment paper and hang it over a good fire.
Direct most heat to the rump and shoulders, as they require more cooking than the loin.
Baste frequently with sweet dripping to prevent blistering.
About 20 minutes before it's done, remove the paper and baste with a little butter.
Serve
Serve the pig with the two sides laid back to back, half the head on each side, and one ear at each end, crackling side up.
Garnish with lemon slices.
Serve with rich gravy and either brain sauce or bread sauce.
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 + lemontop 16% of all pairsSmell alikemoderateCooked together41,227 recipes
Shared aroma: 3-hexenal (apple, fruity).
Ranks compare each pair with 20,000 random ingredient pairs on CompKitchen. How we score pairs
What each ingredient does
- Pig
- Is the main meat; its thicker rump and shoulders need more cooking than the loin.
- Salad oil or butter
- Coats the skin to help it brown and crisp during roasting.
- Sweet dripping
- Adds moisture and sweetness to the surface while basting, helping prevent blistering.
- Butter
- Added near the end for browning and a rich, aromatic finish.
The step that matters
Directing heat to the rump and shoulders. These thicker cuts need more cooking than the loin. If heat is spread evenly, the loin can overcook and dry out before the rump and shoulders are done.
“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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