Q & A with Pat LaFrieda

Q. Tell us about your new show Meat Men?

A.. Meat Men is a behind the scenes look into LaFrieda Meats – which is the company my family has owned and operated for over 90 years. The show follows me, my father, and my cousin, as we run one of the country’s most respected meat businesses, providing the highest quality meats to our clientele, making deals with the most famous chefs and taking meetings in renowned restaurants.

Q. What was the hardest part of doing the show?

A.. The hardest part I'd have to say was finding the balance between filming the show and running LaFrieda Meats on a daily basis. Having cameramen/producers following me and my staff around during a long business day was difficult, but we made it through.

Advice & Tips

Buying Meat

I make sure I always check the color of the meat when purchasing at a grocery store, but the odor of the meat is what you really should focus your attention on when browsing the meat section. Meat should never have a negative smell.

Best & Worst

The worst thing one can do to meat is to over-cook it. Over-cooked meat is never a good thing. 

The best thing you can do to meat... eat it and enjoy it!

Making A Great Burger At Home

1) Pre-heat your grill to 450 degrees F.

2) A one-inch thick 8 ounce burger should be flipped after 3 minutes, 4 times total and left to rest for 2 minutes.

3) Select a bun that is on the thin side and make sure that the meat comes at least to the edge. Anything larger is too big.

4) Instead of lettuce, I use arugula and sliced grape tomatoes.

5) Salt, pepper, a dab of mayo – and you're done.

[See recipe.]

Recommendations

Find | Condiments

Hellmann's Mayonnaise

Nine times out of ten I leave condiments off my burger, I prefer to enjoy the taste of the meat itself. When you have great high quality meat, and that burger is cooked correctly, you shouldn’t need to add anything else to it. The meat will speak for itself. But if I’m using a condiment, it’s Hellmann’s Mayo.

[See details.]

New York city

Find | Butcher Shops

Eataly

The cleanest butcher shop in the country and they will custom cut anything there for you. It's one of my favorite places to go in NYC.

[See details.]

Eat | Restaurants

Minetta Tavern

This is where I would always take a visiting butcher or chef to show off how they respect meat.

Flip in Bloomingdales

I love the burger here. Pretty much any restaurant that doesn't require to overcook their meat. That cements the understanding that the quality cannot be trusted.

[See details.]

Recipes

- Burger

Recommendations

Details of Pat LaFrieda’s recommendations for where to eat and shop in New York City.

City Guides

- New York City | Manhattan: Download

- New York City | Brooklyn: Download