Pat LaFrieda Jr. gives cooks everywhere the gift of meat

Legendary butcher Pat LaFrieda Jr., the mastermind behind one of the nation’s most esteemed meat markets, has officially published a cookbook titled “Meat: Everything You Need To Know.” Pat LaFrieda Meat Purveyors, a company passed down for four generations, is the butcherie that supplies meat for burger greats like the Minetta Tavern and contemporary hubs such as Shake Shack. For those enrolled in online cooking schools, LaFrieda’s book is surely a fantastic text to add to your library of culinary literature. In many ways, the new cookbook is a long anticipated guide to all things meat, examining different cuts and animals with an acumen only a master such as LaFrieda could provide.

Pat LaFrieda Meat Purveyors
The legend of this butcherie dates back to the late 1800s, when Anthony LaFrieda, Pat Jr.’s great-grandfather, got into a fight outside of a butcher shop in Naples, Italy. Anthony lost the fight and the butcher came out and gave him a steak to put over his black eye. The butcher offered Anthony a job, and the young man learned the trade before emigrating to the United States in 1909. In 1922, Anthony opened a butcherie in Brooklyn, New York, passing the trade onto his five sons. Despite a few changes in location, the LaFrieda family has continued to operate their butcherie to the present day, and it has become one of the most respected sources of meat in the nation.

Pat Jr. took over the company in the 1990s, refocusing on providing quality meats directly to restaurants. Today, Pat LaFrieda Meat Purveyors is famous for its blended meat grinds that are at the center of some of the East Coast’s most well-known burgers. According to the butcherie’s website, the company now make over 75,000 burgers every day and provides meat for more than 300,000 people daily.

Meat
LaFrieda’s book not only boasts gorgeous pictures of various meats, but also provides detailed step-by-step instructions on how to prepare and season numerous filets. The cookbook is divided into chapters by meat type such as veal, beef, lamb, poultry and pork. LaFrieda also discusses how to use inexpensive and unusual cuts of meat. He even provides extensive advice on how to grind and season your own burgers. Considering the butcher has developed over 100 renowned burger blends, his expertise on the subject goes a long way. Needless to say, this is a perfect book for any chef looking to learn the tricks of the trade.