Different people place importance on different things. For some it’s handbags and shoes, for others it’s a nice car, or a designer suit. For me, it’s quality meat. Today we’re going to take a look at the offerings from Meat The Butchers…get it? “Meat”, not “meet” lol I thought that was pretty clever.
Quality meat is hard, if not impossible to find at a local chain grocery store and the days of having a local butcher are all but gone for most of us. Enter Meat The Butchers, an online meat delivery service that delivers quality proteins to your doorstep. I have ordered from MTB several times now and my experience has been mostly positive.
What I Loved
I loved the freshness and quality of the beef and seafood. The flavor of the ribeye I first ordered is like no grocery store meat you’ll ever buy; it tastes clean, like real beef should taste. That said, some guests I served it too said they found it somewhat gamey. The Chilean sea bass was to die for and was unbelievably fresh. Beyond the taste, I really appreciate that MTB sources all of their meats from sustainable family farms and ranches.
The convenience is also huge for me — being able to make my order and select a specific delivery date for a dinner party or cookout is extremely helpful. That said, I have had a couple of hiccups with their delivery; this may be attributed to growing pains for a new business. Having fresh steaks delivered the day of a party and not have to plan a trip to the butcher’s shop while busy preparing for guests is important. Though, the risk of not having your meat on time does exist with MTB, and I haven’t had those delivery issues with other online meat delivery services. Again, I’ll chalk it up to the newness of their service and working out the kinks.
I found the recipe cards that are included in the packaging to be a thoughtful and fun addition. I normally have an idea of what I am going to do with the meat before it arrives, but there have been some really fun recipes that I’ve tried just based on the cards that came with my order. They are inspirational to say the least.
Finally, the price point is reasonable and in line with other online retailers I’ve tried, so if you’re price sensitive this might be a good option. The downside is that it seems other online meat purveyors may have negotiated better shipping rates; MTBs shipping is higher than others I’ve ordered from. This could also be based on distance and admittedly I am on the opposite coast.
What Could Be Improved
First, they have to get better with their delivery times and packaging. I have had meat not delivered the day it was supposed to be delivered which could be a huge disaster with guests waiting. In addition, the packaging could use some improvement in that they need to include more dry ice for shipments in the summertime. I had one order that was a complete waste as the meat wasn’t cold when it arrived. To their credit, MTB made it right and overnighted a new order for me as a replacement. Aside from that, I would love to see some thicker and different cuts available. For example, the prime, dry aged porterhouse is only available in a pack of two, 14 oz. steaks. I would prefer a single 28 oz. steak. Same for the bone-in ribeye, etc. So, while the quality is higher than that of grocery store proteins, the cut selection is somewhat limited.
For my taste, I prefer a thicker cut of meat so I can do the reverse sear method of cooking. I would also like to see them carry tri-tip (which isn’t readily available outside of California) and perhaps a whole prime packer brisket as opposed to just the flat.
Who It’s For
This is really for anyone, from the executive chef to the backyard warrior. I think MTB is also a great resource for cooks who live in an area where access to anything other than grocery store meat is limited. The folks at MTB believe that you shouldn’t need to live near a large city to enjoy premium protein and I couldn’t agree more.
Final Thoughts
If you are hesitant to order meat online, I’d encourage you to try it from MTB — you’ll be glad you did.
The knock on mail-order meat has been, and will always be, the shipping costs. I get it, it’s hard to get past the price for delivery. When I consider the convenience and the fact that I can’t get this quality of beef locally, it’s well worth it. Depending on the size of the order, they also offer some pretty steep shipping discounts which helps offset that cost.
Finally, I’ve personally had good experience with their customer service which hasn’t always been the case for me when ordering online. MTB is the new kid on the mail-order meat block and they are hungry for market share; I’m excited to see how they progress with their minor shipping issues and cut selection.