Some restaurants in NYC grind their own burger meat mixtures. However, many restaurants in NYC use the Pat LaFrieda company, considered the crème de la crème, to supply their burger meat. In fact, there are chefs for whom La Frieda makes special burger blends. For example, Michael White worked with LaFrieda to design a particular blend for the “White Label” burger served at White’s upscale Vaucluse and Ai Fiori.
So, imagine my surprise and delight when a few weeks ago I opened my Marlboro ShopRite flyer and discovered that they were selling Pat LaFrieda burgers! And on sale! $7.99 for a pound-and-a-half of LaFrieda’s Original Blend – chuck, brisket, and short rib. So, off I immediately went to get me some. Unfortunately, they were out of them. Since we were heading into the city for a few days and wouldn’t be back until the next week, I got a rain check. The following week, when I got the burgers, I discovered that the rain check saved me $1. Even at the regular price of $8.99, that’s still far cheaper than purchasing directly from LaFrieda via their website (which I’ve thought about doing but never have).
We love burgers on a brioche bun. Whole Foods carries them.
I reformed the four 6-ounce burgers into six 4-ounce burgers – the weight we prefer — and made them thicker. Used two and froze the rest. Sprinkled the burgers with kosher salt and freshly-ground pepper. Cooked them on the outdoor grill and toasted the buns. Michael likes his burger plain with a slice of raw onion. I always have some sweet onions in the frig. Now, it’s Vidalia season. My burger of choice is a cheeseburger, so I topped mine with Gruyère, which I always have on hand. Preferring my onion cooked, I oiled a slice, wrapped it in tin foil, and put it on the grill. The assembled burgers had the onions on the bottom and were topped with ketchup. And, yes, there were homemade crinkle-cut fries and a pickle.
Michael’s Burger
My Cheeseburger
Perfectly Medium Rare!
These burgers were seriously delicious! Juicy with superb flavor. Exactly what’s expected from a Pat LaFrieda burger.
