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A bone-in steak cooks in a skillet filled with butter. Credit: Reviewed / Betsey Goldwasser

The Best Meat Delivery Services of 2023

Recommendations are independently chosen by Reviewed's editors. Purchases made through the links below may earn us and our publishing partners a commission. Prices were accurate at the time this article was published but may change over time.

A bone-in steak cooks in a skillet filled with butter. Credit: Reviewed / Betsey Goldwasser

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1
Editor's Choice Product image of Good Chop
Best Overall

Good Chop

Good Chop offers lots of choices for meats and seafood at exceptional value and excellent quality. Read More

Pros

  • Extensive variety beyond beef and pork
  • High quality meat and seafood
  • Easy ordering process
  • Portions are conveniently packaged

Cons

  • Bundles and premium cuts must be add-ons
  • Recipes aren't included
2
Editor's Choice Product image of Crowd Cow
Best Variety

Crowd Cow

This meat delivery service offers the best variety with a wide range of seafood, poultry and Wagyu beef, plus fast shipping and sustainable packaging. Read More

Pros

  • Wide range of cuts
  • À la carte or subscription
  • Fast shipping
  • Sustainable packaging

Cons

  • None that we could find
3
Editor's Choice Product image of Snake River Farms
Best Upgrade

Snake River Farms

We chose this as our best upgrade pick because this meat delivery service features prime cuts of American wagyu, fast shipping, and subscriptions. Read More

Pros

  • Wide range of cuts
  • Proprietary breed of American wagyu
  • À la carte or subscription
  • Fast shipping

Cons

  • None that we could find
4
Product image of Porter Road
Best for Beef and Pork

Porter Road

Porter Road offers a medley of affordable dry-aged beef options and it ships quickly, but it doesn't have many deluxe upgrade cuts of meat. Read More

Pros

  • Wide range of cuts, including organ meats
  • Budget-friendly
  • Fast shipping
  • À la carte or subscription

Cons

  • No upgrade options for more deluxe cuts
5
Product image of Campo Grande
Best Imported

Campo Grande

This Spanish food delivery service offers specialty cuts of Ibérico pork, Vaca Vieja beef, and specialty seafood. But don't expect everyday proteins. Read More

Pros

  • Delicious international meat and seafood
  • Sustainably sourced

Cons

  • Confusing recipes
  • Variety is lacking

Subscription services, online grocery shopping, and meal kits are extra popular these days. Even those who may have previously felt a little skeptical about purchasing meat sight unseen have been warming up to the roster of new (and existing) services that offer individually packed-and-sealed cuts of meat, quickly shipped frozen straight to their front door.

To help you narrow down which services you may want to try, we ordered, cooked, and tasted our way through a plethora of beef from online meat vendors, and Good Chop (available at Good Chop) is the best meat delivery service we tested. We found that Crowd Cow (available at Crowd Cow) offers the largest variety of products, and for special occasions and prime cuts, we recommend Snake River Farms (available at Snake River Farms) as the best upgrade meat delivery service.

Left: Individually packaged meat and fish in Good Chop packages on a counter. Right: A Good Chop box on a counter overflowing and surrounded by cuts of meat and seafood.
Credit: Reviewed / Danielle DeSiato / Good Chop

Quality, variety, and value make Good Chop our winning meat delivery service.

Best Overall
Good Chop

Good Chop is a meat and seafood delivery service with a fully customizable monthly subscription. It particularly impressed us during testing with its high quality products, affordable prices, and the extensive variety on the weekly menu.

In addition to basics like steaks, chicken breasts, and burger packs, Good Chop offers a variety of seafood, prepared meats such as pulled pork and hot dogs, and more out-of-the-box cuts like porterhouse and tri-tip. You won’t find extensive cuts of Wagyu or specialty charcuterie like other services on this list, but you will find a large selection of proteins that go far beyond beef and pork.

The company guarantees that everything is sustainably sourced from American family farms and fisheries, and raised without antibiotics or hormones. Plus, everything is frozen immediately at peak freshness, which not only makes for easy storage but also excellent quality.

Good Chop offers two subscription box sizes: A medium box for $149 or a large box for $269—and there are often new-subscriber discounts. The number of portions and the price per serving both depend on the cuts you select, but the price per serving can be as low as $3.74.

Overall, Good Chop is on the less expensive end of all the meat delivery services we’ve tested, yet the quality is even better than most. You get high-quality, American-raised proteins at a price per serving that's on par with what you’d pay for top-quality meat at the grocery store.

For anyone looking to stock their freezer with a variety of high-quality meat and seafood, Good Chop is a superb choice. Variety, efficiency, and local sourcing make Good Chop an excellent value. The site is particularly easy to navigate, making it simple to change, pause, or skip the monthly subscription, and you can regularly experiment with a variety of protein offerings.

We found it enjoyable to browse the options for each month’s delivery, get inspired by the variety, and plan out delicious meals ahead of time. Just be sure you’re prepared with your own recipes and cooking know-how because recipes aren't included or provided by Good Chop.

Read the full Good Chop review here.

Pros

  • Extensive variety beyond beef and pork

  • High quality meat and seafood

  • Easy ordering process

  • Portions are conveniently packaged

Cons

  • Bundles and premium cuts must be add-ons

  • Recipes aren't included

Steak cooks in a copper pan.
Credit: Reviewed / Betsey Goldwasser

Crowd Cow had the best variety of any meat delivery service we tested.

Best Variety
Crowd Cow

Crowd Cow offers a wide range of quality beef to choose from, from pasture-raised and grass-fed to American wagyu and exclusive Japanese wagyu. Its pricing is similarly extensive; you can buy a New York strip for under $20, or opt for $160 A5 ribeye.

There’s a medley of different cuts, so if you aren’t feeling steak you can also purchase short ribs, ground beef, skirt, and other versatile options. We focused on beef for this review, but Crowd Cow does also offer other meats like chicken, lamb, bison, pork, and seafood.

The meat from Crowd Cow was consistently delightful, with nuanced aromas and multi-layered flavors. While its American wagyu options were not as strong as our best upgrade pick, the Japanese wagyu beat our high expectations when it came to texture and mouthfeel—this meat was smooth and delicate, yet also richly satisfying beyond just the fat content. It’s our pick for all things beef, flexible enough for a regular meal while also luxe enough for a special occasion.

Crowd Cow offers both à la carte one-time purchases as well as subscriptions, with some worthwhile discounts for members on all its products (plus free shipping). If you need to pause or cancel, we can confirm that this process is simple and hassle-free.

Read the full Crowd Cow review here.

Pros

  • Wide range of cuts

  • À la carte or subscription

  • Fast shipping

  • Sustainable packaging

Cons

  • None that we could find

Three raw steaks arranged on butcher paper ready to be wrapped.
Credit: Snake River Farms

Snake River Farms is our pick for best upgrade meat delivery service.

Best Upgrade
Snake River Farms

Snake River Farms sells its own breed of American wagyu cattle, which truly stands up to its claim of “deep flavor and sublime marbling.” For anyone doubting the ability of American wagyu to match its Japanese counterpart, Snake River will certainly change your mind.

While the meat may not look as fatty at first glance, the unbelievable tenderness, supple mouthfeel, and subtleties in flavor profile—remember much of meat’s flavor comes from compounds embedded in its fat—make it worthy of seeking out in its own right. While we focused on beef for this test, Snake River does also offer a heritage breed of pork, called Kurobuta pork.

Snake River’s offerings are worth every penny, but they are pricey, which makes them our pick for best upgrade meat delivery service. A Black Grade wagyu is $75, while a Gold Grade tomahawk is $150. (Note: “Black Grade” and “Gold Grade” are Snake Rivers’ own system of grading above USDA Prime, based on Japanese Beef Marbling Score or BMS. Black Grade sits at 6-8 out of the BMS total of 12. Gold Grade is at 9+.)

We also tested more economical options like bavette and flank. These cuts were equally delicious.

Read the full Snake River Farms review here.

Pros

  • Wide range of cuts

  • Proprietary breed of American wagyu

  • À la carte or subscription

  • Fast shipping

Cons

  • None that we could find

Several raw cuts of meat and a Porter Road box laid out on a countertop
Credit: Porter Road

Porter Road offers a wide variety of unique cuts of meat you likely won't find elsewhere.

Best for Beef and Pork
Porter Road

Porter Road offers a medley of affordable dry-aged beef options, from a whole brisket and osso buco, to beef bones and kalbi. The flavors of its cuts are straightforward and meaty—simply put, this beef tastes like good beef. And it offers plenty of variety, especially for beef and pork lovers. Think everything from short ribs and brisket to marrow bones and beef tongue.

Porter Road also offers a money-saving subscription option, which allows consumers to choose from five different popular boxes that can get delivered every two, four, or eight weeks. Customizations can be made via add-ons, and shipping is always free.

The packaging used is biodegradable and sustainable, plus it ships quickly. While we focused on beef for our testing, Porter Road also offers other meats like chicken and lamb, but not with as much variety—and don't expect to score any seafood from this site. It’s also worth noting the beef from Porter Road is delivered cold, but not frozen, unlike the other services we tested.

Pros

  • Wide range of cuts, including organ meats

  • Budget-friendly

  • Fast shipping

  • À la carte or subscription

Cons

  • No upgrade options for more deluxe cuts

A large variety of Campo Grande's meat selection.
Credit: Campo Grande

For specialty imported goods, you can feel confident ordering from Campo Grande.

Best Imported
Campo Grande

Campo Grande is a Spanish meat delivery service that specializes in high quality Ibérico pork (which comes from a special breed of heirloom pigs from Spain). But the service also offers humanely raised grass-fed beef and sustainably imported seafood from Spain. Shoppers can choose to buy one of the curated boxes on the site, or build their own box with a mix of pork, beef, and seafood.

We loved the quality of every product we tried from Campo Grande, especially the Ibérico pork ribs, loin, and charcuterie. But since this site doesn't offer much variety outside of its very niche Spanish cuisine, it's likely not a go-to for all your meat and seafood needs. (There's no chicken or salmon, for example.)

We see this service as ideal for special-occasion dinners that'll have you indulge in international flavors from the comfort of home.

Read the full Campo Grande review here.

Pros

  • Delicious international meat and seafood

  • Sustainably sourced

Cons

  • Confusing recipes

  • Variety is lacking


Other Meat Delivery Services We Tested

Product image of Thrive Market
Thrive Market

Thrive Market is a membership-based online retailer similar to Costco or Sam’s Club. You pay a monthly fee to access the entire portfolio of products, spanning everything from toiletries and baby products to meat and vitamins. When it comes to beef, Thrive offers a few sets of beef boxes with predetermined options, like the Wagyu Beef Box or the Keto Meat & Seafood Box.

For $170, you receive a lot of meat—four beef patties, one pound of ground beef, two sirloin steaks, two NY steaks, two filet steaks, and two ribeyes—making it a budget-friendly choice for families or those stocking up. While the wagyu beef offered was quite fatty, the accompanying flavor was bland and made the richness fall a little flat. It’s unlikely you will leave dissatisfied eating this, but you won’t be blown away, either.

Pros

  • Offers wagyu

  • Fast shipping

Cons

  • Subscription only, membership fee required

  • Limited choices

Product image of Grass Roots Farmers' Cooperative
Grass Roots Farmers' Cooperative

Grass Roots is a farmer’s cooperative offering 100% grass-fed, grass-finished beef sourced from a range of small farms in the U.S. Its offerings are priced roughly on par with Porter Road, which makes sense given both of their small-business-forward approaches to meat delivery.

Although grass-fed and grass-finished beef are generally assumed to be a little leaner than their grain-finished counterparts, this beef was still juicy and tender. While we focused on beef for our testing, Grass Roots also offers other meats like chicken and lamb.

We did have an issue with one cut of beef arriving in poor condition that was discarded after cooking. When contacted, Grass Roots refunded the charge and offered to replace it, no questions asked.

Pros

  • Wide range of cuts

  • Fast shipping

  • À la carte or subscription

  • Sustainable packaging

Cons

  • No upgrade options for more deluxe cuts

Product image of Butcher Box
Butcher Box

ButcherBox manages to offer even more beef than Thrive Market per box, and at a lower price point in some instances. Its beef is also grass-fed and grass-finished like Grass Roots, but the flavor in comparison lags far behind. The bavette and filet mignon we cooked were both unidimensional, plus a little dry and rough textured.

The beef we sampled offered standard beefiness in flavor, but much tougher and drier texture. Presumably to make the pricing work, ButcherBox only offers a small number of cuts—even in the “Custom” box—making it less versatile for an all-around meat retailer.

Pros

  • Fast shipping

  • Well packaged

Cons

  • Subscription only

  • Annoying to cancel subscription

  • Limited choices

Product image of Omaha Steaks
Omaha Steaks

Omaha Steaks has been delivering meat across America since 1917. Unfortunately, that’s likely also why newcomers to the market have made it look so dated in comparison. Upon first glance, the meat bundle options seem plentiful, but with further scrutiny you’ll find random, non-meat fillers tossed in—seasoning packs, apple tarts, chicken even stuffed baked potatoes.

When the meat arrives, the first thing that will stand out is the giant Styrofoam box the meat comes in—a dramatic contrast to the sustainable packaging from other delivery services. Inside, you’ll leaf past flyers for wine subscriptions and other cross-promotions to arrive at multiple boxes of meat that arguably could’ve been packed sans the additional cardboard boxes (though that likely makes warehousing inventory easier).

The tasting process mirrored the unboxing: The meat looked grey in comparison to the others we tried, the flavor of the beef was barely present, and texturally, this was the driest filet mignon (cooked medium-rare) I ate.

Pros

  • À la carte or subscription

  • Fast shipping

Cons

  • Poor quality

  • Limited choices

  • Unsustainable packaging

How We Tested Meat Delivery Services

The Testers

The Reviewed Kitchen & Cooking team has collaborated over the years to test meat delivery services. From professional chefs to avid home cooks, this team is well-versed in cooking everything from chateaubriand to hot dogs. We also represent a range of tastes and preferences, but all with a discerning eye for quality and value.

The Tests

We chose a mix of cuts from each service so we could try out some that are meant to be cooked quickly (e.g., filet mignon) versus slow braised (e.g., short ribs), as well as a few economical cuts (e.g., skirt steak). If there was an option for a fancier or specialty cut, like a Japanese wagyu, we ordered that as well.

For quick-cooking cuts, we seared the meat on a stovetop and roasted in the oven if necessary until medium rare. For slow-cooking cuts, we pressure-cooked the beef until it reached a shreddable consistency—anywhere from 30 minutes to one hour, depending on how large each cut was.

For beef, we did not use any additional flavorings beyond salt and black pepper, so we could fully taste the meat. We evaluated the meat for tenderness, juiciness, depth of flavor, and consistency of quality across cuts.

We evaluated cuts like chicken breasts, cod, salmon, and prepared meats in weeknight recipes we cook often to get a feel for what it's like to use the service on a regular basis.

What You Should Know About Meat Delivery Services

Why Should I Buy Meat Online?

An illustration of a computer mouse clicking on a steak, symbolizing purchasing meat online.
Credit: Reviewed / Tara Jacoby

With so many options for ordering meat online, it's important to know what exactly you're paying for.

Buying meat online can be a convenient and reliable way of stocking your fridge and freezer with a wide range of meat options. When it comes to meat delivery services, meat is generally frozen very quickly after it’s cut, so the meat retains its flavor and texture. Plus, delivery means you don’t have to frequent a grocery shop or butcher. Many services are also focused on working with smaller farms, so you’re also able to support small businesses in the process.

Since your meat will arrive frozen, you’ll have to factor in some thaw time before you can cook the meat you’ve ordered—make sure to have your delivery arrive one or two days before you plan on cooking it. If you typically cook for a large group or family, meat subscription services can also learn your favorite cuts and auto-ship them to you every month.

How Much Do Meat Delivery Services Cost?

The price range for meat delivery services is quite large. You can buy anything from a $20 steak to a $150+ box of various prime cuts. It really depends on what you’re looking for and how many folks you’re feeding.

If you’re looking for affordable options for a regular weeknight meal, perhaps opt for a mixed box with options like beef, pork, chicken, and seafood. If you’re purchasing a centerpiece for a holiday, perhaps it’s worth splurging for a premium cut that can feed many people.

Many of these services offer both à la carte and subscription options, with discounts available for the latter.

How long does meat last in the freezer?

An illustration of frozen meat in a freezer.
Credit: Reviewed / Tara Jacoby

Many meat delivery services ship their products frozen, so it's important to know how to properly defrost.

Freezing is very useful for keeping meat safe to eat for a longer period of time by significantly slowing down yeast and bacteria growth. This is why you’ll often see the text “use or freeze by” on meat you purchase at the grocery store.

Meat delivery services take care of that step for you. When freezing food, the key to keeping it fresh is minimizing the air space around it, which is why meat delivery services vacuum-seal their products.

Dave Ellerby, Reviewed's chief scientist explains, "Most foods, including meat and seafood, have a high water content, which turns into ice when frozen. One of water's most interesting properties is that it can sublimate and turn directly from solid ice to water vapor without becoming a liquid. This can happen at any temperature but speeds up if your freezer is too warm."

Water vapor can escape the meat and turn back into ice, which is why you see ice crystals around loosely packed items in your freezer. This slowly dries out the meat, and exposure to air in loose packaging can also discolor the meat.

The advantage of vacuum packing is that it eliminates space around the meat for water vapor to collect. This prevents drying, or what we move commonly call freezer burn, and the lack of air limits discoloration.

Once products arrives at your house, however, you’ll need to keep an eye on your freezer temperature so it doesn’t fluctuate too much. Also make sure the freezer fan has enough space to properly circulate cold air. If you’re buying frozen meat, it’s generally still best to consume the meat within six months, though some companies state that products can be stored for up to one year.

How Do I Thaw My Frozen Meat?

You should always thaw frozen meat in a refrigerator, slowly, under controlled conditions so it evenly thaws from outside-in. Depending on how large the cut is, this could take anywhere from one to three days—make sure to plan ahead.

What are the Cuts of Meat on a Cow

An illustrated infographic of a cow labeled with all the different cuts of beef.
Credit: Reviewed / Tara Jacoby

Here's everything you need to know about which cut of beef comes from where.

Filet Mignon: One of the most popular premium beef cuts, this is a small medallion-shaped piece that is taken from the tenderloin. The tenderloin runs along the spine of the cow and is not used often, so it’s tender but also lean. It’s an expensive cut because there is very little tenderloin per animal. Often cooked with a high-heat method and served rare to medium rare.

Ribeye: A cut from the rib section of the cow, which is slightly worked but considered a well-marbled and tender part of the cow. Ribeyes can be bone-in or boneless. (A bone-in ribeye with at least five inches of bone intact is called a tomahawk.) It’s fattier than filet mignon, and still tender but less so. Often cooked with a high-heat method and served rare to medium rare.

NY Strip Steak: Also known as the strip loin steak or just strip steak, this cut was popularized by the New York-based steakhouse Delmonico’s. It’s cut from the short loin section of the cow, which also houses part of the tenderloin, and is a section that does little work on the animal. While not as tender as the filet mignon, it offers nice marbling and great flavor. When served with the bone, this is a T-bone steak (also called a porterhouse steak).

Short Ribs: A cut that comes from the chuck, rib, or plate section of the cow, from the parts at the end of the ribs near the breastbone that can’t be cut into steaks (hence the name, short ribs). While short ribs come in a variety of different styles, they all contain pieces of the rib bone.

The “flanken” style is cut across the bone and left relatively thin, making for easier grilling. (You’ll recognize this as galbi, for example.) The “English” cut slices parallel to the rib bone and yields thicker, square-like short ribs that are more often slow-cooked. The ribs from the back area of the cow, in the rib section, are referred to as “back ribs” or “dinosaur ribs.”

Boneless short ribs specifically refer to chuck short ribs, which are a little tougher than other short rib cuts but very meaty and flavorful. These are quite different from bone-in short ribs from the plate or rib section (as it comes from a whole other section of the cow), and not interchangeable.

Skirt Steak: A long cut of beef from the plate section, which is at the belly of the cow. This is an area that is exercised often, so this cut isn’t particularly tender but is very flavorful. You often find this marinated and cooked via high heat to medium-rare, then sliced against the grain, cut into pieces for a quick stir-fry, or braised until soft. It’s often confused for flank steak because it looks similar, but the two come from different parts of the cow.

Flank Steak: Somewhat similar to skirt steak, flank steak is a thicker and wider cut of beef that also comes from the belly area of the cow but farther back than skirt. It’s also known as the bavette, London broil, and jiffy steak. It’s a tougher cut of beef—and quite lean—so it’s often tenderized and either cooked at high heat and sliced against the grain, cut into thin pieces for a stir-fry, or gently stewed under fork-tender.

Stew Meat: Beef stew meat is generally cut from parts of the cow that have a lot of tough connective tissue. Given that this beef will be cooked for a long time, it’s best to find stew meat that also offers a lot of collagen, which will break down with heat and time to give your final product a nice glossy texture and rich mouthfeel. The chuck section is a good place for getting stew meat, though some stew meat may also come from the round section.

Meet the testers

Monica Petrucci

Monica Petrucci

Editor, Kitchen & Cooking

@monicatpetrucci

Monica is Reviewed's Kitchen & Cooking editor and an avid home cook; she's been testing a wide range of kitchen products at Reviewed for over a year. Previously the Digital Editor at Culture Cheese Magazine (and a former barista), she's also had her work published in The Boston Globe, Modern Luxury, Boston Magazine, and more.

See all of Monica Petrucci's reviews
Jenny Dorsey

Jenny Dorsey

Contributor

Jenny is a professional chef, author and speaker specializing in interdisciplinary storytelling fusing food with social good. She leads a nonprofit named Studio ATAO and runs her own culinary consulting business. Her food and work has been featured in outlets such as Food Network, Oxygen TV, Eater, Food & Wine, Bon Appetit, among others. Her full biography, food portfolio, and bylines can be found here.

See all of Jenny Dorsey's reviews
Danielle DeSiato

Danielle DeSiato

Managing Editor, Kitchen & Appliances

@kissthecake

Managing Editor, Kitchen & Appliances. Danielle has a B.S. from Syracuse University and a AAS in Culinary Arts from Newbury College. Previously, Danielle was a Test Cook and Associate Editor at America's Test Kitchen, as well as a freelance recipe developer and food writer. She’s the mom of two boys and loves making pizza on Friday nights.

See all of Danielle DeSiato's reviews

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