Why it works: Pork and sage are a kitchen classic. They rank in the top 12% of all ingredient pairs, and cooks put them together in 2,527 recipes. Both carry 2-hexenal, which smells green, leafy. The science ↓
Longe De Porc Rotie
Ingredients
Directions
The book says “a very moderate oven”. The 350°F (175°C) in the steps is the modern equivalent, not the book's own figure.
Prepare
If the pork loin is skinned, cover the top with buttered paper.
If the skin is on, score it with a sharp knife in close lines.
Rub the loin all over with powdered sage.
Roast
Place the loin in a 350°F (175°C) oven with a small amount of boiling water in the pan.
Cook slowly for 20 minutes per pound, basting frequently.
Serve
When done, serve with apple 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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Pork + sagetop 12% of all pairsSmell alikemoderateCooked together2,527 recipes
Shared aroma: 2-hexenal (green, leafy).
-
Pork + buttertop 13% of all pairsSmell alikemoderateCooked together13,933 recipes
Shared aroma: 2-furfurylthiol (coffee, roasted).
-
Butter + sagetop 17% of all pairsSmell alikemoderateCooked together3,312 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
- Pork loin
- Lean main cut that sets the structure and bulk of the dish.
- Butter
- Covers the top to add fat, keeping the surface moist and promoting gentle browning.
- Powdered sage
- Adds a savoury, herbal aroma to the meat.
The step that matters
Cook slowly and baste frequently. Pork loin is lean, so it dries out and toughens if it overcooks. A slow roast at moderate heat cooks it more evenly, and basting keeps the surface moist. The time per pound is only a guide.
Swap the sage
How well each one fits the dish's main ingredients (pork, butter):
- Sagethe original
- Thymefits about as well
- Garlicfits less well
- Parsleyfits less well
Fit is the average pairing score against pork, butter. Candidates are from the same food group and used in at least 100 recipes.
“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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