Finding high-quality meat can be a challenge, especially if you're looking for grass-fed beef, pasture-raised pork, or free-range chicken. While local butcher shops and farmers are ideal, online meat subscription boxes offer a convenient alternative. These services deliver a variety of cuts right to your door, catering to various carnivore preferences. Whether you're after filet mignon, organic chicken breast, or wild-caught salmon, there's a subscription box to suit your needs.
Understanding Grass-Fed Meat
The USDA defines grass-fed as meaning the animal's primary food source for its entire life is grass or forage, excluding milk before weaning. Animals should not be fed grain or grain byproducts and must have continuous pasture access during the growing season. However, even within grass-fed beef, there are variations. The best options come from cattle that graze on organic pastures without pesticides, while some supermarket grass-fed beef may come from cattle fed grass pellets in feedlots. Knowing your local ranchers is the best way to ensure the quality of grass-fed beef.
Should You Buy Grass-Fed Beef?
Grass-fed beef generally has a more complex flavor and less fat than grain-fed beef. Some find the taste "gamy" or "barnyard-y," but preferences vary. Having eaten a lot of grass-fed beef, grain-fed beef may seem bland. Grass-fed beef also tends to cook faster, and overcooking can make it seem tough. Using a meat thermometer is recommended.
Contrary to the belief that grain-fed beef is more marbled, marbling depends on the cattle breed. Wagyu beef, for example, is known for its high marbling. Trying grass-fed beef from different sources is the best way to determine if you like it.
Top Carnivore Diet Subscription Boxes
Here's a review of some of the best meat subscription boxes available:
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The Best Selection: ButcherBox
ButcherBox is a top choice due to its sturdy packaging and sourcing transparency. While they don't disclose specific farm names, they offer third-party oversight like Certified Humane and USDA Organic certification.
They offer Custom and Curated subscription plans. Custom allows you to choose specific cuts and proteins, with Classic (9-14 pounds) and Big (up to 22 pounds) sizes. You can select delivery every two weeks, monthly, every six weeks, or bimonthly. A curated Classic box included seven different cuts (around 10 pounds of meat).
While some found the grass-fed beef a bit gamy and the steak tips gristly, the overall quality was high. The bacon wasn't too fatty, and the pork sausage was well-received. ButcherBox is a convenient way to stock up on responsibly sourced meat.
Best for Pasture-Raised Meat: Porter Road Butcher's Choice Box
Porter Road offers a wide selection of beef, pork, and chicken cuts. The Butcher's Choice Box includes two sirloin filets, two thick pork chops, 1 pound of dry-aged ground beef, and 1 pound of pork bacon. It also includes two dry-aged premium steaks, typically ribeyes or New York strips.
All meat is pasture-raised on farms in Kentucky and Tennessee, with dry aging at Porter Road's facilities. Delivery frequency options are every two, four, or eight weeks. While geared towards couples, the Butcher's Choice Box offers a good selection of meat.
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Best for Barbecue: The Salt Lick BBQ Barbecue
The Salt Lick BBQ ships cooked meat, including brisket. The Family Style Dinner arrived on time, cold, and ready to reheat. The brisket is considered one of the best, even when reheated on the grill. A smoked beef brisket (3.5 to 4.5 pounds) is also available.
Best for Gifting: Harry & David Fine Meats Steakhouse Club
The Harry & David Fine Meats Steakhouse Club offers premium, aged, hand-trimmed choice cuts like ribeye, filet mignon, and lobster tails. Subscription plans are available for three, six, or 12 months. While more expensive than other options, it makes a memorable gift for grilling enthusiasts.
The Freshest Meat You Can Get: Pat LaFrieda Meats
Pat LaFrieda Meats ships refrigerated, never frozen, beef to New York area customers. Hanger steaks, skirt steak, and 30-day dry-aged prime ribeye were sampled and considered excellent. The meats are delivered fresh via overnight UPS with ice packs, ready to cook immediately.
Market-Fresh, Sushi Grade Seafood: Sitka Seafood Salmon Subscription Box
Sitka Seafood Market, based in Sitka, Alaska, offers transparent sourcing and donates 1 percent of its revenue to fishery conservation. The fish is flash-frozen within three to five days of being caught.
Options include a Salmon Box (4.5 pounds of salmon), a Premium Seafood Box, and a Build Your Own Box. Delivery is available monthly or every other month. The salmon box includes two varieties each month, such as sockeye and coho.
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Best Grass-Fed Beef: Crowd Cow
Crowd Cow offers a selection of grass-fed, grass-finished beef, along with Wagyu, free-range organic chicken, Kurobuta pork, and wild-caught seafood. Subscriptions or one-time boxes are available, with delivery every four, six, or eight weeks.
The Best of Crowd Cow curated box includes chicken, beef, and salmon. Crowd Cow also offers recipes to accompany orders and wild game meat.
Fresh Alaskan Seafood: Wild Alaskan Seafood Wild Combo Box
Wild Alaskan Company offers wild-caught seafood from Alaska and Pacific Northwest waters. The Wild Combo Box includes Pacific rockfish, coho salmon, sockeye salmon, Pacific halibut, and Pacific cod. The fillets were delicious and shipped with biodegradable packaging and dry ice.
Best Chicken Box: Pasturebird Chicken Subscription Box
Pasturebird offers chicken subscription boxes. It's important to check other reviewers' opinions to get a comprehensive view of the product.
Other Options to Consider
Carnivore Club
Carnivore Club delivers a selection of cured meats each month, including prosciutto, pepperoni, salami, sopressata, and sausage.
Key Info:
- Price: \$19.99 Monthly
- Founded In: 2012
- Ships To: US and Canada
User Reviews:
Some users have reported positive experiences, praising the variety of meats and helpful information cards. However, others have complained about expired products, poor customer service, and receiving items easily found at local grocery stores for a lower price.
Pros:
- Convenient, as cured meat requires no cooking.
- Flexible delivery options.
- Opportunity to discover new artisans.
Cons:
- Limited variety beyond cured meats.
- Inconsistent product quality and customer service.
- Potential for receiving expired products.
Carnivore Snack Box
The Carnivore Snack Box delivers 6 to 7 unique meat snacks each month, including jerky, sticks, and other protein-packed treats. The snacks are designed to be varied and flavorful, with no repeats or fillers.
Beck & Bulow's Carnivore Diet Essentials Box
Beck & Bulow's Carnivore Diet Essentials Box includes:
- Ground Bison and Ground Beef
- Bison Primal Blend and Beef Primal Blend
- Wild Boar Bacon
- Bison Ribeye and Grass-fed Beef Ribeye
- Bison Short Ribs
- Bison Marrow Bone Packages
- Cooking Fats (Bison Tallow, Wagyu Beef Tallow, Duck Fat, Artisanal Grass Fed Ghee, Grass Fed Butter).
This box provides a comprehensive selection of meats and fats for those following a carnivore diet.
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