Not everyone has a corner butcher they can count on. But thanks to the Internet, you don't need a local meat market to get the best cuts of
beef, pork or even chicken. But where in the world-wide-web are the best slabs of meat to be found? Here are nine excellent places to start, according to the chefs who use these sites themselves.
Meats by Linz
Meats by Linz is for member's only, but Jason Hall, chef de cuisine of Jane Q at The Kimpton Everly Hotel in Hollywood, Calif., says you won't regret your membership, or the mail-order program a membership includes. The site offers veal, pork, lamb, and angus beef from farms near to its Chicago location. Hall recommends ordering the site's New York strip steak. "It's cheap, but
really high quality," Hall says.
Foods in Season
If you're searching for, say, wild game straight from Scotland and a side of sea beans from the Washington coast, Foods in Season can be your one-stop online shop, says RJ Cooper, chef of Henley in Nashville, Tenn. "This website is great because they not only have high-end meat they also offer all kinds of other goods," he explains. In fact, he says, "Foods In Season carries so much variety it's hard to choose just one item."
foodsinseason.com
Debragga
This New York City-based meat supplier comes with very high praise from Fabio Capparelli: "This is the only recommendation you will need," the executive chef of The Main in Norfolk, Va., promises. You'll could spend a pretty penny (or thousands of pennies) on Debragga's site, Capparelli warns. "But it's well worth it if you are a meat lover. All the top steakhouses in New York City use it," Capparelli says.
debragga.com
Meat the Butchers
Novice and serious cooks alike will appreciate Meat the Butchers, says Chris Crary, executive chef of Farmspoke in West Hollywood, Calif. Why? Its website is packed with beautiful photos of every cut. "Sometimes people aren't great with the names of the cuts, so the pictures really help," Crary admits. Crary cruises this site for ribeye. "It's tender but not
too tender," he says, "and has loads of flavor." meatthebutchers.com
D'Artagnan
The meat you can purchase through D'Artagnan comes from free-range animals who were humanely raised and harvested, making this the right site for a conscientious meat-buyer, says Stefan Bowers, chef of Battalion in San Antonio, Texas. What to get? "They have a porcelet baby pig that's been milk-fed," recommends Bowers. "It's the pork-equivalent of veal and it's just so tender and amazing."
dartagnan.com
44 Farms
Another ideal stop for shoppers who care deeply for the welfare of the animals they eat is 44 Farms, says Peter Laufer, executive chef of Willard in Washington, D.C. On this site, consumers can read about its Right Way program, a 12-step protocol that ensures each animal's welfare. And the fair treatment of their animals seems to pay off. "Their beef is so tender and flavorful that you didn't need anything stronger than a plastic fork and knife to cut it," Laufer says. "It practically melts in your mouth."
44farms.com
Ham Cheese Wine Corporation
"When I'm buying high-end meat products, I want to see quality, authenticity and customer service," says Wendy Lopez, executive chef of Tapa Toro in Orlando, Fla. And she says she finds just that at Ham Cheese Wine Corporation. "I buy jamón ibérico, jamón Serrano, and chorizo on a weekly basis [from the website]." she says, adding that not only does the site offer a wide selection of rare and imported meats, but is capable of shipping "large quantities on short notice."
ham-cheese-wine.com
Lone Mountain Wagyu
Real Wagyu beef can be hard to find-and that tough search is what makes this site stand out. "Lone Mountain Wagyu is one of the few 100 percent full blood-and not cross bred-Wagyu producers in the states," says chef Jess Pryles. When you shop the site, Pryles recommends adding the ribeye to your cart. "The quality is so superb it's always guaranteed to cook well and be a luxurious treat," she explains.
lonemountainwagyu.com
Marx Foods
You'll find everything from beef to yak steaks, bison, elk, guinea fowl, and even pheasant on this online market. Marx Food is well-known for its owner Justin Marx's talent for finding rare, quality eats-think: pansies-and reasonable prices.
marxfoods.com
Not everyone has a corner butcher they can count on. But thanks to the Internet, you don't need a local meat market to get the best cuts of beef, pork or even chicken. But where in the world-wide-web are the best slabs of meat to be found? Here are nine excellent places to start, according to the chefs who use these sites themselves.
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