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In an ideal world, you’d live right around the corner from a trusted butcher where you could conveniently pick up fresh cuts of meat whenever needed. Unfortunately, that’s not a reality for many—but that’s where meat delivery services come in. These days, not only can you get dog food and meal kits dropped off at your front door, but you can also receive regular shipments of high-quality steak, chicken, bacon and more.

Meat delivery services offer quality and convenience. You can host an entire gourmet gathering with ... [+] the wide range of products from Porter Road.

Even if you can reliably find decent cuts of steak at your local grocery store, you may still want to consider a dedicated meat delivery service. Not only do these companies make it easier than ever to get top-notch cuts, but “the variety is incredible,” says Michael Chernow, founder of New York City restaurants Seamore's and The Meatball Shop. The perks go on and on. For instance, “You can get more information about your steak when you buy it online than you may have gotten if you bought it in person,” says Iron Chef Marc Forgione, owner of New York City restaurants Marc Forgione and Peasant. “You can find out if it’s grass- or grain-fed, what cut it is and how to cook it.”

From subscription plans to curated boxes, here are the best meat delivery services to help you upgrade your grill game this summer and beyond.

Porter Road is based out of Kentucky, which is where the company processes its meats. All meat is sourced from pastures in Kentucky, Tennessee and Pennsylvania and free of antibiotics and hormones. It’s also dry-aged and hand-cut at Porter Road’s own facilities.

For meat delivery, you have a few different options. You can pick and choose the beef, pork, lamb and/or chicken cuts you want, sign up for a subscription or get a curated box with Porter Road’s favorites. The company also has bundled boxes—including a Stay At Home Bundle—that make great gifts for family friends across the country. Most meat, with the exception of sausages, ground beef and large roasts, arrives fresh.

Snake River Farms has a wide selection of premium American Wagyu beef and Kurobuta pork— and the prices to match—so seek them out for special occasion cuts. You can purchase cuts individually (and choose a preferred size) or opt for one of three subscription boxes—beef, beef and pork or dry-aged. While most cuts ship frozen, all dry-aged options arrive fresh overnight.

ButcherBox, a subscription-based model, delivers 100% grass-fed beef, free range organic chicken and heritage-breed pork to your door. All meat is sourced from trusted farmers with humane animal welfare practices. You can choose from five different boxes—custom, mixed, beef and chicken, beef and pork and all beef. Each box has a base price that starts at $146 per month and from there, you can opt for additional cuts inside each shipment or special bulk buys, like 10 pounds of ground beef. All meat is delivered frozen.

Rastelli’s used to be an O.G. butcher shop in New Jersey that eventually grew to be an online meat purveyor. The company has a wide variety of antibiotic-, steroid- and hormone-free meats and seafood at great prices. But something that really makes Rastelli’s shine is its oven-ready items.

You can choose from entrees—like Faroe Island salmon burgers, three-cheese stuffed chicken breasts and bacon-wrapped scallops—that arrive ready to cook. Rather than purchase items à la carte, you can also opt for curated sampler boxes, bundles and value packs. All meat arrives frozen.

Grocery store delivery service FreshDirect has a solid meat selection you don’t want to miss. You can choose from beef, pork, lamb, chicken, veal and other specialty meats like bison. You can purchase cuts individually, or opt for larger value packs that bring the cost per pound down. And, since FreshDirect also does groceries, you can tack on the rest of your order while you’re at it. Just a heads up: FreshDirect mostly serves the Northeast, so look into the company’s delivery zones before you order. Meat is delivered fresh.

Kansas City Steak Company is an easy way to load up on your favorites. The company started as a small, family-owned butcher shop in the early 1930s and has evolved into a popular direct-to-consumer brand. You can shop by cut or purchase steak combo packs that also make great gifts. All steaks are wet-aged, so they’re super tender when they make it to your home. Kansas City Steak Company also offers chicken, turkey, lamb and pork, as well as fully-cooked turkey and ham. All meat arrives frozen.

Crowd Cow has a solid selection of meats, including beef, Wagyu, chicken, pork, bison, game meats, lamb and turkey. The online meat delivery service also offers sustainable seafood and a plant-based protein option that cooks up similar to ground beef. You can purchase meat packages individually, opt for bundles or choose from specialized boxes, like Ultimate Japanese Wagyu Surf & Turf or the Farmers Market Box. There’s also an option for recurring delivery, but you get to customize your box before its shipped. All meat arrives frozen.

FarmFoods is a convenient way to support local farmers. All of the 100% grass-fed and grass-finished beef is sourced from small family-run farms. All farms are listed on the site, so you can shop them directly—or you can choose from individual cuts or value packs. You can purchase beef in bulk (25 to 100 pounds at a time) or opt for wholesale packs. FarmFoods also offers pasture-raised pork and chicken. All meat arrives frozen.

The company may be called Omaha Steaks, but it offers so much more than beef. In addition to other proteins like chicken, pork and seafood—plus meats like veal, bison and turkey—Omaha Steaks offers fully-prepared sides, apps and desserts. That means you can order a full gourmet meal for hosting dinner guests or holiday gatherings, and you can pick up some wine while you’re at it.

The site also has prepped slow cooker, single-serve and skillet meals for simple weeknight fare, then there are gift boxes that make fail-proof presents (especially for the person who has everything). As a bonus, the company often offers deep discounts on a wide variety of items so you can save big. One thing to keep in mind is that most foods arrive frozen and may require extra time to thaw.

If you love nothing more than a grilled burger, you can’t beat Good Ranchers’s Burger Box, which comes with 30 individually packaged 5.33-ounce Wagyu patties. Working exclusively with farms that exceed organic standards, the brand advertises its meat as “better than organic.” While the meat is already portioned out, you can repurpose it for things other than burgers, such as tacos, pasta sauces or meatballs. And if burgers are a staple in your household—and you have a big household—save money by signing up for a subscription to deliver patties every four, six or eight weeks.

The right meat delivery service for you depends on your unique preferences and habits. If you’re unsure of where to start, here are the factors worth keeping in mind before hitting purchase on 10 pounds of chicken or signing up for a recurring burger subscription.

It goes without saying that not all services offer the same range of proteins. Whereas some specialize in one type, such as beef, others boast a wider selection, from seafood to poultry to game meat. If you’re looking to sign up for a regular subscription, make sure to pick a service that has the variety you need.

Since the best meat delivery services are known for their top-notch offerings, they don’t always come cheap. That being said, they’re worth the higher price tag since you’re paying for quality. Plus, not all services are super expensive; FreshDirect, for example, offers many affordable cuts.

If you’re looking to save money—and you regularly eat meat—consider a subscription plan, as many services offer discounts when you sign up for recurring deliveries. Just make sure your household can actually eat (or freeze) the amount you sign up for.

Regarding quality, fresh meat is typically preferable—but not always. Cuts that are flash-frozen at the peak of freshness can be significantly better than meat you might find at the grocery that’s packaged and sold as fresh. While some delivery services offer fresh meat, many ship their products frozen to keep them in their best shape while traveling.

One thing to keep in mind if you order frozen protein: You can’t always cook it right out of the box, as you typically want to defrost it beforehand.

Since these services specialize in high-quality proteins, they often sell meat that’s grass-fed, free-range, antibiotic-free or hormone-free. That being said, it’s up to you to pick the quality of your meat (and determine how much you’re willing to spend). For example, some services like Snake River Farms offer premium products, such as American Wagyu beef and Kurobuta Pork.

While many top meat delivery services source their meats from local or US-based farmers, not all do. Just keep in mind that you may have to pay a little more for services that make a point to support local.