Help! Need good "Meat by Mail" source

[Jen288]

Help! I need to get a last minute gift for MIL and FIL...husband suggests "Omaha Steaks"...co worker informs me they aren't that great. Can anyone suggest a decent source?

[StefTodd]

I've ordered all kinds of meat from Niman Ranch many times and have never been disappointed.

[Seldomsated]

I just got a gift of some steaks from Heartland, and they have been excellent. No complaints here - much better than supermarket, but perhaps not quite as good as a steak at a good steakhouse. Then again, there was a difference in the preparation.

[Stack8]

Lobel's.

[mpalmer6c]

I recently began ordering meat from Allen Brothers, and I think their ribeye is the best steak I've ever eaten. Omaha steaks are okay, but not as tasty.

I haven't tried Lobel's, but Consumer Reports liked their steaks.

[shopgirl]

Kansas City steaks - online -- buy them every year! Excellent.

[kobetobiko]

I like D'Artagnan. They have a wide selection of beef and other meat, games, and fancy foie gras or so forth. Shipping is next day flat rate $25 - it is a bargain shipping price if you are buying a lot.

Plus D Artagnan has very good reputation so the quality is always good! (at least I was never disappointed!)

https://www.dartagnan.com/index.asp

[surfer dude]

Just do Lobels or Peter Luger and be done with it...

[Rocknrope]

I've had Omaha steaks, which aren't bad, their burgers are pretty good.

But I've heard the quality of Allen Brothers is much better as far as online meat purveyors is concerned, although I haven't ordered from them before.

[ChinoWayne]

A big thumbs down on Omaha steaks, a company I do business with has their headquarters in Omaha, so I have received plenty of shipments of Omaha steaks, these are no better than the USDA Select steaks you can get in any supermarket. If you really want to give a meat gift, a good, high end source is http://www.lobels.com, execpt they are now out of stock for shipment for Christmas.

[RShea78]

Ship to you or drop ship?

Locally I have my butcher vac pack me up cuts as I need. He supplies a nice box. I avoid mail order completely this way.

Away gifts I let them brag about their steaks or meat source and get a gift certificate from them over the phone. Shipping restrictions become costly if at all possible for overnight delivery. Shipping can be just as expensive per pound as the steaks are.

BTW- Some credit card companies flag/deny orders not sent to the holders address.

[LaLa]

Omaha is good for the price...if you want more expensive you will get better quality.For my in laws I would buy Omaha because they would love it...but they are not foodies.I mean I make homemade mac and cheese for them and they think that is just unbelievable!LOL!

[Jen288]

Beef. I found an old thread on here and it seemed "Lobels" in NYC had good remarks. Thoughts?

[ipsedixit]

Never had Lobels.

But depending on how much beef you want to buy, I would recommend Big Bluff Ranch (http://www.bigbluffranch.com/index.html ), which usu. requires a 15 lbs. minimum.

If you want a smaller quantity or individual cuts that you can pick-and-choose from, try Genessee Valley (http://www.geneseevalleyorganicbeef.com/

)

Good luck with the in-laws ... I don't envy you.

[ipsedixit]

What types of meats are you looking for?

Beef?

Game?

Exotics?