WHEAT

The browned crust of wheat bread shares

numerous highly aromatic flavor
compounds with roasted beef (thanks
to the Maillard reaction, see pp16–17).
BLACK TEA Among the dozens of chemicals,
methylpropanal conveys malty notes
Smoky compounds in black and pyrroline molecules imbue the
tea generated from drying, shared earthy, roast-like, and
heating, and the aging popcorn-like notes.
of tea leaves after picking
closely match and intensify
those of roasted
beef.

FENUGREEK
Fenugreek owes its curry-like aroma to
BEEF a chemical called sotolon, which at low
levels has the flavor of maple syrup.
ONION The same molecule exists in roasted
ROASTED BEEF PRODUCES A beef. Add fenugreek leaves to a sauce
RANGE OF MEATY, BROTHY, Cooked and browned onions or toast the spices alongside beef
to enhance these subtle notes
GRASSY, EARTHY, AND SPICY (often incorrectly termed
while adding new spicy
FLAVORS, AND ANALYSIS “caramelized”) have a variety
of sulfur-containing “oniony” and flowery aromas.
REVEALS THAT IT IS THE flavor molecules,
INGREDIENT THAT SHARES THE similar to those in
MOST FLAVOR COMPOUNDS WITH cooked beef.
OTHER FOODS.

PEANUT BUTTER
The heating and grinding of
peanuts in butter making
creates nutty-flavored
pyrazines and fried, smoky
aromas, that pair extremely
well with beef.
EGG
EDAMAME
When cooked, the fats in egg yolks
Edamame beans are legumes break down into a variety of new
with refreshing green flavors, such as “green” and
flavors, but when cooked “grassy” hexanal, and the fatty,
they also have parallels “fried” aroma molecule
with the nutty decadienal, both of which
aromas of beef. are found in cooked beef.

CAVIAR
Fish eggs are a surprising pairing
with beef, but protein- and fat-rich
caviar is an intense source of
savory umami (from glutamic
acid) and also carries meat-like
amine aroma compounds.
GARLIC
Savory garlic flavors are
carried by powerful
sulfur-containing aroma
compounds, some of which
have meaty, beefy, and “raw MUSHROOMS
meat” characteristics.
Rich in brothy, savory-tasting
glutamic acid (glutamate),
mushrooms generate
sulfur-containing meaty
flavor compounds
when cooked.