I tried ButcherBox, the grass-fed meat subscription service my meals have never tasted better
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- I tried ButcherBox, a subscription that curates boxes of grass-fed, hormone-free, and humanely raised meat.
- The meat arrives frozen and vacuum-packed so you can stock up for the whole month.
- The meat was tender and juicy and tasted amazing.
ButcherBox Meat Subscription Shop at ButcherBox External link Arrow An arrow icon, indicating this redirects the user."Unabashed carnivores would agree that nothing quite compares to a juicy, hearty steak. If just the thought of one is making your mouth water right now, then do yourself a favor and check out ButcherBox, the online company that delivers delicious, grass-fed, humanely raised meat to you for a competitive price.
ButcherBox calls itself the "friendly neighborhood butcher." But since not everyone has access to a local butcher who really cares about meat, ButcherBox brings the experience online so you can let the pros fill a box with your favorite proteins (or choose them yourself) and get them delivered to your door. In addition to beef, the company also sells cuts of chicken and pork.
How ButcherBox is different
When I buy supermarket meat, I know nothing about its origins or how the animal was treated. ButcherBox, on the other hand, only sources meats with the following criteria.
Beef:
- 100% grass-fed and grass-finished: the cattle live their entire life eating on a pasture
- Antibiotic-free and no added hormones
Chicken:
- Free-range, organic, and pasture-raised
- Certified humane: the chickens have access to the outdoors and room to move around and interact with each other naturally
Pork:
- Antibiotic-free and no added hormones
- Heritage breed (Duroc, Berkshire, and Red Wattle): do not have flavor bred out of them, which is typically done to promote rapid weight gain
The difference in taste and texture — a direct result of how the animals are raised — is huge. When cattle eat grass and get exercise, their meat has less fat, more healthy omega-3s, and more vitamins. Humane and ethical practices translate into better meat — so both parties benefit.
How to use ButcherBox
1. Choose your plan.
There are five different subscription plans: all beef, beef and chicken, beef and pork, a mixed box of all three types, and a custom box.
All pre-curated boxes contain eight to 11 pounds of meat and cost $137, while the custom box contains nine to 14 pounds of meat and costs $159.
2. Select any add-ons.
Add-on options vary based on season and availability, and they can include fish like salmon, or other cuts of meat like bacon and breakfast sausage.
3. Receive your ButcherBox at your door every month or every other month.
The meat comes frozen and vacuum-packed in a cardboard box with an insulated liner and dry ice. My box arrived at my apartment at 3 p.m., and all the meat was still frozen once I came home and opened the package at 9 p.m. I like variety and rarely discriminate when it comes to food, so I opted for the mixed box and was excited to see the spread.
I received two 10 oz. strip steaks, two 6 oz. tenderloin steaks, four boneless pork chops, four skinless and boneless chicken breasts, two pounds of ground beef, and uncured smoked bacon. I was basically set for dinner for the next month.
4. Refrigerate the cuts you're going to eat in the next few days and freeze the rest.
Since all the meat is vacuum-packed, it'll stay fresh for a while. Now, just cook and enjoy. Your taste buds are going to thank you once you experience these delicious cuts.
ButcherBox review
The beef, chicken, and pork I tried from ButcherBox were considerably juicier and more tender than the average cuts I get from the market, and they were all delicious. It's like eating fresh, melt-in-your-mouth sushi for the first time after only eating $10 pre-packed rolls your whole life. You can immediately taste the difference and you seriously doubt you can ever go back.
In case you want to pause or adjust your subscription, you can easily do so from your account page. While I personally didn't have problems with delivery or account settings, other customers have experienced issues, and ButcherBox's BBB accreditation was previously removed due to unanswered customer reviews on its page. However, it appears the company has resolved these problems and now has an A+ rating.
The bottom line
ButcherBox does the tough work for you — curating, selecting, and delivering good meat — so you can focus on enjoying it. The value, quality, and convenience of the service are excellent, and my meals have never tasted better.
ButcherBox Meat Subscription Shop at ButcherBox External link Arrow An arrow icon, indicating this redirects the user." Connie Chen Connie Chen is a former senior reporter on the Insider Reviews team, where she led coverage of home textiles, home entertaining, and food and drink. While at Insider, she specialized in all the things that enhance life at home, from the most comfortable bed sheets and fluffy pillows to cool online wine clubs and bartender-approved cocktail shakers. She combined rigorous testing methods, conversations with professionals, and active knowledge of the home and kitchen space to help readers get the most out of their money. When she's not changing duvet covers or washing towels twice a day for articles, she loves talking about and trying the newest snacks, drinks, and food gifts. You can see more of her testing process and other behind-the-scenes of being a product journalist on her Instagram @connayreviews. Connie joined Insider Reviews as an early member in 2017 and has also reported on products and services in the style, tech, fitness, travel, and e-learning spaces, with a particular interest and expertise in emerging startups. She has represented the team at CES and moderated panels on media business and the future of retail. Connie graduated from UC Berkeley with degrees in media studies and business administration, which help inform her perspective on and coverage of industry trends, as well as the competitive e-commerce landscape at large. Read some of her work: The 4 best cocktail shakers in 2021 The 7 best women's bathrobes in 2021 The 5 best wine openers and corkscrews we tested in 2021 The 5 best bed sheets we tested in 2021 The 5 best cordless vacuums we tested in 2021 12 direct-to-consumer kitchen startups that are changing the way we shop for cookware and knives 8 tableware startups changing the way we shop for dishes Even chefs experience cooking burnout — here's how they get re-inspired in the kitchen How businesses create successful virtual experiences 50 cookbooks from famous restaurants across the US that will help you recreate their best dishes at home Learn more about how our team of experts tests and reviews products at Insider here. Learn more about how we test kitchen products. Read more Read lessYou can purchase logo and accolade licensing to this story here.
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