Sending Steaks

[FXDS]

For many years I have sent some of our customers a box of steaks for Christmas. Jim's Meats in Iowa is who I used, but Jim sold his company this past year and the new owners no longer offer that services.  Do any of you have ideas on who to use?  I know about Omaha Steaks, Kansas City Steaks, etc, however, I am inquiring about smaller shops that won't send steaks that you could just buy in a grocery store.  The thank yous have always been, "how do you find such great tasting meat". 

 

[dori36]

For many years I have sent some of our customers a box of steaks for Christmas. Jim's Meats in Iowa is who I used, but Jim sold his company this past year and the new owners no longer offer that services.  Do any of you have ideas on who to use?  I know about Omaha Steaks, Kansas City Steaks, etc, however, I am inquiring about smaller shops that won't send steaks that you could just buy in a grocery store.  The thank yous have always been, "how do you find such great tasting meat". 

I do understand your wanting a smaller concern for the meat gifts, but I do want to comment that I have used and eaten Omaha Steaks for several years and their steaks are second to none.  I was sent some by a cattle rancher in WY because he believes their beef is better than his own!  Always packaged well, always superior flavor, and, yes, expensive.  If you don't find another alternative, I'd not hesitate to use Omaha!

 

[6M Ranch]

We shipped some beef several years ago to Texas.  Didn't work out to well.  I would suggest buying a cheap cooler, lots of dry ice.  Not one of the cheap styro coolers.  We bought one of those styrofoam lined boxes, used dry ice.  Beef was thawed out when it got there.  I think I read or heard somewhere, at least one third the volume of the cooler should be dry ice.  Good luck!

 

[FXDS]

Thanks, I ordered them from Omaha Steaks after all.

 

[itk]

Just for future reference you might try these guys http://www.shomefarms.com/AboutUs.html. Yes it is alittle shameless shorthorn plug but they are also great people. They are tireless in their pursuit of producing a top product and the data and results they have collected on their product is second to none.

 

[knabe]

what breed are omaho steaks?  i thought they were holstein.

 

[dori36]

what breed are omaho steaks?  i thought they were holstein.

I'd heard that, too, Knabe, so since I use them quite often I called them up and asked!  I also asked if the hamburger they use is raised in the US.  They told me that although there could certainly be some Holstein steers in the makeup, they don't limit their beef to any one particular breed.  They use whatever meets their requirements.  They also said that all their beef is US grown/raised and most is contracted from feeders in Nebraska.  They also said that the incredible flavor and tenderness has more to do with how it is processed than how it grades.  Grading choice is not a requirement for them.  "A" maturity is also a requirement for their primal cuts.

 

[knabe]

probably similar to what safeway does with ranchers reserve to guarantee tenderness, though more so, ie, letting them hang longer.

do they come shrunk wrapped?

if so, does it list ingredients, ie a little salt water, acetic acid, how much moisture, are they extremely well shrunk wrap?  some wrap jobs are just not that tight, but it doesn't matter as any more  air can't get in there anyway.

 

[FXDS]

The orders I submitted will be delivered late this week and the beginning of next week.  I will relay a report when I hear from the recipients. 

 

[dori36]

probably similar to what safeway does with ranchers reserve to guarantee tenderness, though more so, ie, letting them hang longer.

do they come shrunk wrapped?

if so, does it list ingredients, ie a little salt water, acetic acid, how much moisture, are they extremely well shrunk wrap?  some wrap jobs are just not that tight, but it doesn't matter as any more  air can't get in there anyway.

They are vacuum packed and each group of the same cuts are, then, put in their own box. If it's hamburgers, each burger has it's own little package attached to one other burger in its own little package.  No having to use a chisel to separate them.  The wrap on one end can be peeled apart easily to access the hamburger.  Same system for the various steaks. That's just one example of what I consider innovative packaging.  It's very classy and the wrap on the cuts is very, very well done.  I think the ingredients are on the box, not on each piece.  I don't have any left right now so can't say for sure what the ingredients list says.  It all comes frozen in a cool, reusable styrofoam cooler with dry ice.  I've never had any of the meat showing any signs of having thawed. 

 

[knabe]

  I've never had any of the meat showing any signs of having thawed. 

so it stays frozen when you cook it? ;D

 

[Dusty]

www.allenbrothers.com

Expensive, but good...

 

[mike]

On show steers.com Hollenbeck farms does this and is a very small operation but does a faboulus job, weve used them several times and our customers love it, they are also all home grown beef.

 

[knabe]

www.allenbrothers.com

Expensive, but good...

i try to cook steaks that look like that, but it's hard to minimize the color change on that last 1/4".  even though it looks rare, it is fully cooked.  i wonder what would happen to people who prefer well done steaks if they were blindfolded and did a comparison.  granted,some of the issue, is just that it is simply a little more difficult to cook them like that.  even hot heat, with immediate removal from direct heat.

say dusty, i know that beef wellington is kind of fufu, but that is the exact recipe me and my sister make once a year.   slobbering right now.

also, check out the waygu pictures.