Why it works: Parsley and lemon match in chemistry and in kitchens. They rank in the top 1% of all ingredient pairs, and cooks put them together in 14,037 recipes. Both carry beta-phellandrene, which smells minty, terpene. The science ↓
To Broil a Beefsteak
Ingredients
Directions
Prepare the grill
Ensure the fire is clear and clean.
Heat the gridiron until very hot and grease it.
Cook the steak
Lay the steak on the gridiron and turn it after 1 minute.
Turn the steak frequently, ensuring each side cooks evenly.
Cook for 8 to 10 minutes for a steak ½ inch thick, until red and juicy.
Check doneness by pressing with a knife; it should be slightly elastic.
Once cooked, place the steak on a hot platter.
Finish and serve
Mix butter, parsley, and lemon juice, then spread it over the steak.
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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Parsley + lemontop 1% of all pairsSmell alikestrongCooked together14,037 recipes
Shared aroma: beta-phellandrene (minty, terpene).
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Butter + parsleytop 15% of all pairsSmell alikemoderateCooked together28,563 recipes
Shared aroma: trans-2-hexenal (green, leafy).
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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
- Porter-house steak
- Provides the meat that is seared on the hot grid, browning the outside while the inside stays juicy.
- Butter
- Melts over the hot steak, adding richness and a silky mouthfeel to the meat.
- Parsley
- Adds fresh, herbal aroma that brightens the rich beef and butter.
- Lemon juice
- Adds acidity that cuts the richness of the butter and sharpens the beef flavour.
The step that matters
Checking doneness by pressing with a knife. Pressing the steak gauges its firmness; if it is slightly elastic it is done, while overcooking squeezes out juices and toughens the muscle fibres, leaving the meat dry.
“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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