Mutton to Eat Like Venison

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 + carrottop 6% of all pairs
   Smell alikestrong
   Cooked together14,555 recipes

   Shared aroma: 2-isopropyl-3-methoxypyrazine (earthy, pea).

2. Onion + carrottop 6% of all pairs
   Smell alikemoderate
   Cooked together21,601 recipes

   Shared aroma: 2-isopropyl-3-methoxypyrazine (earthy, pea).

3. Carrot + cucumbertop 8% of all pairs
   Smell alikestrong
   Cooked together1,215 recipes

   Shared aroma: 2-isopropyl-3-methoxypyrazine (earthy, pea).

4. Onion + cucumbertop 8% of all pairs
   Smell alikestrong
   Cooked together6,050 recipes

   Shared aroma: 2-isopropyl-3-methoxypyrazine (earthy, pea).

5. Onion + peppertop 11% of all pairs
   Smell alikemoderate
   Cooked together68,474 recipes

   Shared aroma: 2-isopropyl-3-methoxypyrazine (earthy, pea).

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

What each ingredient does

Mutton loin

Provides the main meat, which becomes tender as it stews slowly in the gravy.

Port wine

Adds sweetness and depth of flavour to the gravy as it reduces during stewing.

Onions

Build the savoury base of the gravy, adding sweetness and body as they break down.

Anchovies

Dissolve into the gravy, adding savoury depth without a distinctly fishy taste.

Carrot

Adds subtle sweetness and body to the gravy as it cooks down.

Crust of bread

Thickens the gravy slightly and gives it body as it stews.

The step that matters

Swap the mace

How well each one fits the dish's main ingredients (mutton, onion, pepper, carrot, bread, port wine, cucumber):

1. Parsleyfits better
2. Celeryfits better
3. Marjoramfits better
4. Macethe original

Fit is the average pairing score against mutton, onion, pepper, carrot, bread, port wine, cucumber. Candidates are from the same food group and used in at least 100 recipes.