MEAT: Everything You Need to Know

Product Description

Pat LaFrieda, the third generation butcher and owner of America’s premier meatpacking business, presents the ultimate book of everything meat, with more than seventy-five mouthwatering recipes for beef, pork, lamb, veal, and poultry.

For true meat lovers, a beautifully prepared cut of beef, pork, lamb, veal, or poultry is not just the center of the meal, it is the reason for eating. No one understands meat’s seductive hold on our palates better than America’s premier butcher, Pat LaFrieda. In Meat: Everything You Need to Know, he passionately explains the best and most flavorful cuts to purchase (some of them surprisingly inexpensive or unknown) and shares delicious recipes and meticulous techniques, all with the knowledge that comes from a fourth generation butcher. If you have ever wondered what makes the meat in America’s finest restaurants so delectable, LaFrieda—the butcher to the country’s greatest chefs—has the answers, and the philosophy behind it.

In seventy-five recipes—some of them decades-old LaFrieda family favorites, some from New York City’s best restaurateurs, including Lidia Bastianich, Josh Capon, Mike Toscano, and Jimmy Bradley—the special characteristics of each type of meat comes into exquisite focus. Pat’s signature meat selections have inspired famous chefs, and now Meat brings home cooks the opportunity to make similar mouthwatering recipes including multiple LaFrieda Custom Burger Blends, Whole Shank Osso Bucco, Tuscan Fried Chicken with Lemon, Crown Pork Roast with Pineapple Bread Stuffing, Frenched Chop with Red Onion Soubise, Beef Wellington with Mushroom Cream Sauce, and Chipotle-Braised Tomahawk Short Ribs, along with many more.

Step-by-step photographs make tricky operations like butterflying a veal chop or tying a crown roast easy even for beginners; beautiful double-page photographic diagrams show more clearly than any previous book where different cuts come from on the animal; and advice on necessary equipment, butcher’s notes, and glorious full-color photographs of the dishes complete this magnificent and comprehensive feast for the senses.

Throughout the pages of Meat, Pat LaFrieda’s interwoven tales of life in the meatpacking business and heartwarming personal reminiscences celebrate his family’s century of devotion to their calling and are a tribute to a veritable New York City institution. Pat’s reverence and passion for his subject both teach and inspire.

Top Reviews

From one butcher to another .
by discdoglover (5 out of 5 stars)
November 26, 2017

I loved your book. I could not put it down. I am a 62 year old butcher who has been in the business all my life. I have 2 sons who are also working in the family business with me. Thank you for taking the time to do it right.
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Here's the beef
by Hande Z (5 out of 5 stars)
March 24, 2019

This is a book by a fourth-generation butcher, Pat LaFrieda, whose great grandfather opened a retail butchery in Brooklyn in 1922. The author's father thought that three generations of butchers were enough, and tried to persuade him to become a doctor; he was not successful, and Pat LaFrieda became like his father, grand-father, and great- grand-father, a butcher.
And so, from there, we have this book, a massive and heavy book, full of all the things we need to know about meat, beginning with the history of the LaFrieda family, the tools of the trade, and meat quality and safety. After that, the author discusses the different types of meat, beginning with veal - the 'meat from unweaned dairy calves'. There are very clear photographs of the different parts of a calf, including the lesser known cuts such as, '6-rib rack, rib chops, boneless loin, veal end chops, and so on. Then he describes how to prepare the meat and cook them. There are several mouth-watering recipes including 'Grandma LaFrieda's braised stuffed veal breast'.
From veal the author goes on to discuss lamb, and then poultry, pork, and finally, beef. The 'Fresh Holiday Ham with Tangerine and Cloves' recipe for pork suggests that a lot of work is needed to cook this dish, but looking at the full-page picture of it, most would agree that it is probably worth the effort. His cover story, 'Cornering the Lamb Market' is a story of business savvy and ethics. As with the English rival book, 'Lidgate's', LaFrieda discusses the difference between grass-fed and grain fed beef. He dismisses the misconceptions associated with the two types. He tells us that 'All beef cattle are raised on grass for the first 85% of their lives. But where grass-fed cattle eat the same diet until slaughter, at 120 or 160 days before slaughter, grain-fed cattle are moved from grass to a diet of silage, which is a mixture of primarily corn, alfafa, wheat, and barley. The change in diet is to fatten the animal.' He goes on to say that very few chefs ask for grass-fed beef.
For lovers of meat, 'Lidgate's: The Meat Cookbook' is a worthy companion although much of the information are the same, the recipes are different. One is English and continental, the other, LaFrieda's, is very American even though there are touches of Italian (the family is from Italy). LaFrieda has a very French recipe for 'Braised Beef Shank Bourguinon' that looks absolutely delicious. The recipe was from a French restauranteur customer of LaFrieda's father.
The book is co-authored by Carolynn Carreno, an award-winning food writer.
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Lots of great information. I work in the meat industry and ...
by Sumo Ninja (5 out of 5 stars)
May 14, 2018

Item is very well put together. It is informative and bright, colorful pictures abound. Lots of great information. I work in the meat industry and it is great to see this information getting to the public.
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Great book for the Meat Lover.
by Barbara Mitchell (5 out of 5 stars)
December 25, 2015

This book is better than I thought when I ordered it. It has complete displays of the animal and where the different cuts are from. It should be in everyones bookcase if they want to cook any type of meat from beef steaks to venison roasts. I grew up eating venison that was over salted, over cooked and very unpalatable. I swore that when I grew up, i would NEVER eat it again. Wrong, I am going to try cooking it myself now.
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... my son for Christmas and the husband and I love it. It explains how to properly cook any ...
by Kandy Johnson (5 out of 5 stars)
April 26, 2017

Got this book from my son for Christmas and the husband and I love it. It explains how to properly cook any type of meat you are preparing, especially when grilling steak on the BBQ. I thought I knew it all when it came to seasoning meats but boy was I wrong...so many different options. This book has made me a better cook.
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Awesome Material - Get it!
by Lonzo F. (5 out of 5 stars)
August 17, 2016

This book is phenomenal! The layout makes for easy reading, and the illustrations are beautiful and right on point. Mr. Ladies knows his stuff and I was more knowledgeable after page one. It's a reference, a novel, and a cookbook. Can't wait to try all the recipes. Get it!
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From a member of the 1st family of meat
by Steven G. (5 out of 5 stars)
April 20, 2015

I bought this book after hearing an interview of Pat on the Ron & Fez show. The title of the book "Meat" is perfect. It's everything you could have ever wanted to know about meat. It also includes a few recipes. I've only tried 2 of them so far, but I'll definitely be making them again. The illustrations and photos are beautiful. I absolutely love this book.
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Fantastic resource
by Joel Goodson (5 out of 5 stars)
January 24, 2018

What a beautiful book, it's truly a piece of work. I've read it cover to cover. It is an excellent resource that will turn you into a knowledgeable buyer, cook, and consumer.
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Great for food geeks
by Darin in KC (5 out of 5 stars)
June 21, 2018

This will take you into understanding what that piece of meat you are preparing is, and how it got there. And just as Interesting are the stories of the LaFreida family contained inside.
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Not just for Meat Heads. Five Stars.
by Fsuholley (5 out of 5 stars)
January 3, 2015

I loved the TV show Meat Men. This book is laid out very well and oozes Mr. LaFrieda's passion and joy. It is obvious that he lives and breathes his profession. I love the beautiful photographs and thick paper. High quality book. His information is quite useful and thorough. I highly recommend this book because Pat knows meat better than anyone. (Except maybe his dad:)

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