High-quality meat is getting harder and harder to find. Even specialty stores are selling less desirable cuts or dealing with constant supply issues.
Short of buying a farm and raising the animals ourselves, we wanted to find a sustainable way to consume responsibly sourced, tender, delicious meat.
So, we looked to the Internet, where we found plenty of meat delivery services. After some research, we looked at two of the top companies: ButcherBox and Crowd Cow. ButcherBox is maybe the most well-known online meat supplier, but Crowd Cow has really made a name for themselves in the last few years.
After comparing them, here's what we found:
Key Similarities
- Both offer beef, chicken, heritage breed pork, lamb, bison, salmon, cod, and scallops
- Both deliver to all U.S. states except Alaska and Hawaii
- Both focus on sustainable practices and high-quality meat
- Both are delivered on dry ice to keep meat in peak frozen condition
Key Differences
- ButcherBox offers 4 subscription box options, whereas Crowd Cow offers 5 subscription boxes, plus a la carte options
- Crowd Cow has a much wider selection of seafood including trout, char, lobster, yellowtail, and mussels. They also feature duck and game meat, Japanese wagyu beef and sides like mac & cheese and dessert
- ButcherBox offers free shipping always, Crowd Cow offers free shipping after $100
Crowd Cow
Crowd Cow sends responsibly sourced meat and seafood right to your doorstep. Everything is sourced from the very best independent and sustainable places, and is free of antibiotics and added hormones. Not only do they have the standard offerings like grass-fed beef, pasture-raised chicken, heritage pork and wild-caught seafood, they also offer delicacies like luxe Japanese wagyu and other rare cuts of meat and fish. There's also an array of sides, desserts, sauces, and seasonings, from Belgian Chocolate Mousse Cake to Beecher's "World's Best" Mac & Cheese.
There are 5 subscriptions available: Best of Crowd Cow, Best of Beef, Best of Seafood, Best of Japanese Wagyu, and a Custom Box. Each prefixed box is also customizable to either remove some meat selections or increase the number of your favorite cuts.
One thing we really love is that they have video tutorials and recipes. They've got tips and tricks for everyone, from novice cooks to grillmasters.
Most importantly, the meat is high-quality and delicious!
The only downside is that choosing a la carte could be a little overwhelming, so we recommend one of their subscription boxes to start.
ButcherBox
ButcherBox delivers "100% grass-fed beef, free-range organic chicken, humanely raised pork, and wild-caught seafood directly to your door." Although we appreciate their focus on sustainability, they don't get into specific farms, sourcing, and practices to the extent that Crowd Cow does.
While ButcherBox does have high standards for their meat, they lack transparency when it comes to individual cuts.
We were also being generous by saying they offer 4 subscriptions; it's technically two. You can get the Curated Box in Classic or Big and the Custom Box in Classic or Big.
Final Thoughts
While both brands have great offerings and subscribing to either one could give you the best dinner of your life, Crowd Cow is our favorite!! Their dedication to quality and transparency, their variety through a la carte options and incredibly rich add-ons, and — most importantly —the amazing taste of their products make them truly stand out.
For that edge, Crowd Cow is the superior service.
Order today and get $100 off plus free shipping!