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Pictured recipe: "Fajita" Burger
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Top tips from meat expert and cookbook author Bruce Aidells.

By Carolyn Malcoun EatingWell May/June 2008

30 years of sausage making has left Bruce Aidells, author of 11 cookbooks, including The Complete Meat Cookbook, and a contributing editor here, with a solid understanding of how flavors work together. Bruce gave Associate Editor Carolyn Malcoun the lowdown on how to make the best possible burger. And we’re sharing his secrets with you.

CM: What do you think the secrets are to a tasty burger?
BA: Number one is using good-quality meat—you can’t make a good burger using inferior ingredients. Then you need an understanding of how to flavor meat. My burgers are not only flavored with spices, but with other ingredients like cheese, onions and olives. You also need to mix the seasonings into the meat itself rather than just sprinkling them on the outside.

CM: Where do you get the ideas for such unique flavor combinations?
BA: I think I have a really good knowledge of spices because I’ve cooked food from all over the world. Living in large metropolitan areas, like London and San Francisco, has exposed me to a lot of authentic ethnic food. My Spanish Pork Burger benefited the most because I had just been to Spain so those flavors were really fresh in my head. I seasoned the burger itself with Manzanilla olives and Pimentón de la Vera, then topped it with Manchego cheese. A little saffron stirred into the mayo adds color and another element of flavor.

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