Omaha Steaks; a good deal??
We recently gave someone Omaha steaks as b'day gift. I just got an e-mail giving us 50% off on everything, including shipping, Should we?
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My mom has gifted us some. Steaks, burgers, fish, chicken, hotdogs... over all, its been pretty good. I'm not any kind of meat aficionado, so I don't have much to compare it too. But we've been pretty happy with them. I'm really cheap when it comes to price, which is my only real complaint.
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The meat was mediocre at best. However, the real deal breaker is once they get your name they will hound you. You will be inundated with mailers, e-mail and phone calls. I had to very firmly tell them to please never call me again. After about 2+ years they've pretty much gone away.
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Chowhounds, Purveyors of USDA prime beef have been in a slump due to the recession. (Many high end steakhouses are significantly down in business.) Costco Wholesale has been purchasing the prime beef for some of their stores. (Certainly not all.) Check with your local Costco about availability--you won't believe the price.
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re: Leper
mucho gordo
Jan 14, 2011 08:45 AM
Costco meat quality is excellent. We've never had a bad piece from them.
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re: Leper
mucho gordo
Jan 14, 2011 10:17 AM
Agreed. As a matter of fact, we had a Costco prime rib dinner 2 weeks ago for the holiday.
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re: Leper
rockandroller1
Jan 14, 2011 12:23 PM
My Costco doesn't have prime. discussed in a Costco thread somewhere, but still true, I am still a member and look for it occasionally. whatever it is, it's still factory-farmed so I wouldn't buy it on a regular basis for sure, but if it was prime I might consider it in a pinch. But we don't have it (Ohio)
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I just ordered porterhouses (4) fro Peter Lugers for my parents for Christmas and while it was extremely expensive (about $400 w/ shipping) it was completely worth it. Best steaks I've had in my life. Easy to cook as I followed the directions included (basically to heat under the broiler- I don't cook steak ever, so I would have been at a loss without that info), plus it came with 4 bottles of their sauce (which was good but totally unnecessary for that cut of meat).
Like I said, totally worth it, and looking back, I could have easily just ordered 2 porterhouses and it would have been enough. We were feeding 6 people, two of whom are BIG eaters, and we had enough meat left over for at least two more meals (steak salad, sandwhiches). They were delivered overnight, as promised, and packaged really well- vacuum-packed in styrofoam coolers. Great experience all around.
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re: c oliver
Actually, the steaks came in packs of 2- IIRC the price was about $140 per 2-pack. Shipping was about $100, and again, they were packed impeccably (we still re-use the coolers) and arrived overnight. We definitely could have managed to feed 6 people with 2 steaks, but I didn't know that at the time and I HATE running out of food for guests/recipients.
After JMF's awesome tip about using the sauce on the salad, I checked out the bottle and it's actually called "steakHOUSE sauce", not "steak" sauce, so I suspect they don't intend it for use on the steaks (we certainly didn't, one taste of the steaks made it clear it was unnecessary and just didn't "match").
And their instructions I think actually did help re-create restaurant cooking- they advised pre-heating the broiler for 30 minutes prior. We cooked 2 under the broiler and 2 on the grill. I preferred the broiled steaks myself, and the cooking time they recommended was exactly correct for medium rare.
Undoubtedly expensive, but it was totally worth it and to be honest, there was no way I could have found a better gift for my family.
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re: mjhals
srsone
Jan 19, 2011 05:06 PM
wow....i hope they were good for 400....
for that at stockyards i could get
Four 16 oz. Porterhouse Steaks - Four 10 oz. Center Cut New York Strips - Four 6 oz. Complete Trim Filet Mignon - Four Rib Eyes Four 8 oz. - Twelve 5.3 oz. Steakburgers -
at least that much.....
or six each of choice new york strip and filet mignon
and for any steaks that good i would just hit with a little salt and pepper and grill it or broil it also..
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Personally, (assuming the cost to be about the same) I would try http://www.lacensebeef.com/ instead. Even though I'm not a big fan of previously frozen meat period, I've been gifted both Omaha and La Cense and we found La Cense to be much better.
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steakman55
Jan 13, 2011 04:56 PM
Omaha Steaks are, at best, USDA Choice, and the lowest level of choice. Not as good as what you can get in a decent supermarket. But they are packaged attractively. If you want to send really good steaks, try Allen Bros. or my favorite, Lobel.
www.allenbrothers.com
www.lobels.com
More expensive, but best you can buy. -
srsone
Jan 13, 2011 12:09 PM
as a gift i usually send new york strips and filet mignon...
everyone i have sent stockyards has raved about them...are u looking to order some for yourselves this time?
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DiningDiva
Jan 13, 2011 09:10 AM
No stay away from them like the plague. My mother got a great "deal" offered to her for $50 and took it. The steaks were awful, the hamburgers decent and the hot dogs we've yet to try since we don't typically eat hot dogs.
Omaha Steaks called to follow up with my mother on how she liked the products and she was brutally honest and told them they were not very good. They professed great surprise and said she was the first person that had ever said the products weren't good. Two years later they're still trying to sell her more product and she's still refusing it.
Don't do it. Your tastebuds will thank you.
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