Best Meat Delivery Services of 2022
Best Overall: Omaha Steaks Best for Special Occasions: Kansas City Steak Company Best Steak Delivery: Holy Grail Steak Best for Chicken: Rastelli’s Best Variety: iGourmet Best for Gifts: Goldbelly Best for Pork: Porter Road Best for Pasture-Raised: Snake River Farms
Pros and Cons
Overview
What started as a small butcher shop in Omaha, Nebraska, has since expanded into a global company that offers so much more than just steaks. Customers have options for just about any standard protein you can think of, with the option to add starters, sides, desserts, and wine. Proteins are flash-frozen and shipped with dry ice to arrive frozen, so you can thaw them right away (instructions for this are provided) or store in your freezer for up to three months. While there is no subscription option, customers can sign up for the company’s Steaklover Rewards program, which grants you free shipping and allows you to earn points you can use toward gourmet food items. Looking to stock your freezer? Omaha Steaks has a “Bulk Proteins” section just for this purpose. Regardless of quantity, items are packed with dry ice and shipped in a reusable insulated cooler to ensure your items remain frozen in transit.
Pros and Cons
Overview
Kansas City Steak Company has a lot to offer customers looking for premium cuts of meat. The company is especially proud of its wet-aged steaks; this is a process by which meat is sealed in an anaerobic environment, allowing it to age in its natural juices. The enzymes create beef that is both tender and flavorful. All meats arrive vacuum-sealed and frozen and can be shipped overnight if you need a meal in a hurry. For those looking for other proteins, the company offers pork, chicken, turkey, and seafood. For the steak lovers in your life, there is even a Steak of the Month Club, giving customers the option to have some of the company’s finest cuts delivered to their door. Need accompaniments? Kansas City Steak also offers seasoning, sides, desserts, and a whole section devoted just to potatoes (we approve!).
Pros and Cons
Overview
Holy Grail Steak Co. started when its owners went to premium steakhouses, only to be disappointed in the offerings. When they started their own company, they decided that the only way to offer the best quality meat was by sourcing from the ground up, using only animals that were humanely raised, pasture grazed, and never given antibiotics or hormones. Customers can find a range of cuts to suit just about any taste, and the company offers specialty items like Japanese and American wagyu, dry-aged rib eyes, and “upper Prime” (top-tier USDA Prime) filet mignon. The site features both a recipe and an “Art of Steak” blog to help equip customers with the knowledge they need to cook these various cuts of beef properly, and there are even steak flights that would make a wonderful gift for the (very lucky) steak enthusiast in your life. All items are shipped frozen, and the company offers instructions on how best to thaw your steaks for optimal taste and texture for cooking.
Pros and Cons
Overview
If you’re unable to source your chicken from your local butcher’s counter, Rastelli’s may be the next best thing. Rastelli’s chicken selection runs the gamut from chicken breasts to chicken sausage and tenders, making it easy for both home cooks who want to roast a whole bird to those who just want to get something tasty on the table with a minimum of fuss. The site also lets customers sort by grade and source, making it easy to find pasture-raised or organic birds. Most of Rastelli’s proteins arrive frozen and packaged in dry ice, and the company is careful to ensure that most of its packaging is eligible for curbside recycling. While there is no overnight delivery option, the company does offer a subscription option, as well as “super packs” that are handy for stocking your freezer. Shipping is free if you meet the $200 order minimum.
Pros and Cons
Overview
For an impressive array of gourmet meats and more, look no further than iGourmet. Customers can find anything from ground beef to venison, and round it out with a selection of cheeses and sweets if they prefer. The offerings include proteins more in keeping with European butcher shops than American grocery stores, such as rabbit and wild boar. There is also an impressive selection of pantry items to save you a trip to the store. Fresh meats arrive frozen, though cured meats and other perishable items may be shipped chilled. Temperature is controlled by shipping the items with gel packs, which are reusable. While there is an array of subscription options, the only meats that qualify are bacon and charcuterie, so this service may be a better choice for those looking to find unique items than those who wish to stock their freezer.
Pros and Cons
Overview
Goldbelly’s sheer variety of meal kits and gifts can be, if anything, a bit overwhelming. The company offers gifts and care packages that ship nationwide, with iconic names like Liebman’s Kosher Deli and Pappy’s Smokehouse on the roster of options. Customers can filter by food, restaurant, region, and more, making it much easier to sort through Goldbelly’s enormous menu. How meats are shipped varies by the supplier, though most products are shipped frozen for guaranteed freshness upon delivery. While the company offers some subscription options, these are limited to bacon and BBQ (not the worst limitations, let’s be honest). For customers looking to give more than just meat, you could send your lucky recipient anything from soups to desserts.
Pros and Cons
Overview
Porter Road began when its founders were inevitably dissatisfied with the quality of meats they could procure for their catering business. With the goal of controlling its supply chain from pasture to shipment, the company ensures that its hogs are pasture raised with no added hormones or antibiotics. Once processed, all meat is hand-cut at the company’s Kentucky facility, with the goal of both furthering quality and reducing food waste. Porter Road offers numerous cuts of pork, with everything from ground pork and sausages to more uncommon cuts like pork jowl and shank. Each product on the website has a quick overview of where on the animal the meat comes from, along with suggestions on how best to prepare it. Meats are shipped in cardboard boxes with biodegradable insulation and arrive fresh for quick preparation.
Pros and Cons
Overview
Snake River Farms is a company that prides itself on being a true “ranch to table” operation, feeding its cattle on a strict rotational grazing schedule in the Cascade Mountains. Besides an array of filets and rib eyes, the company also offers American wagyu beef and kurobuta pork (both wagyu and kurobuta designations are based on the rich amount of marbling found in the meat, which makes it exceptionally tender and flavorful). If you have difficulty deciding what to get, the company also offers boxes that allow you to bundle and sample different types and cuts of meat. Meats are typically shipped frozen, though dry-aged beef is shipped fresh. Items are shipped in a recyclable cardboard box lined with a biodegradable foam. For those intimidated by cooking cuts like wagyu, Snake River Farms’ website has a comprehensive list of cooking guides to help ensure your steak is seared to perfection.
