Why it works: Mutton and vinegar work together. They rank in the top 25% of all ingredient pairs, and cooks put them together in 615 recipes. Both carry 3-methylbutanol, which smells malty, whiskey. The science ↓
Roasting
Ingredients
Directions
Prepare a clear and bright fire by pushing red hot coals to the front and adding fresh coal at the back.
Fill the front of the fire with small lumps of coal or coke.
If using a close range, pull out the center damper to create a draught.
Ensure the leg of mutton is clean; scrape and wipe it with a clean cloth if necessary.
If the meat is not fresh, wash it with a mixture of vinegar and water, then wipe it dry.
Cut off the knuckle bone from the leg of mutton and set it aside for stock or gravy.
Trim off the flank and remove the thick skin where the leg joins the loin.
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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Mutton + vinegartop 25% of all pairsSmell alikelowCooked together615 recipes
Shared aroma: 3-methylbutanol (malty, whiskey).
Ranks compare each pair with 20,000 random ingredient pairs on CompKitchen. How we score pairs
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