Do you know where there’s never any debate when it comes to talking about ethics and sustainability when it comes to meat? Taste. We’ve put this theory to test over the past few gloriously sunny and rainy weekends, and the results were fairly conclusive.
Generally, people liked the story behind the meat – how it was 100 per cent grass-fed, and/or organic, and/or genuinely free-range, and that it came from well-cared for animals.
But they loved the taste of it. When the meat was served up the table invariably became quiet, as guests discovered the flavour and the texture.
You know you’re onto something good when the condiments are hardly touched, and you receive messages afterwards asking for “the name of that farm again”.
Free-roaming, pasture-fed cows have evolved naturally to forage and are not forced onto grains. This means their meat tastes of the terroir they have grazed upon. It’s also generally higher in vitamin E, which provides beta carotene – which is good for the immune system – and protection against toxins and neurological diseases.
Truly free-range and organic chickens are meatier because they have developed good muscles. They also offer more complex flavours because of their healthier lifestyle and feed. There are less of the bad fats and more of the good fats in these chickens, and they are not routinely fed antibiotics.
Sheep fatten up nicely by simply foraging in fields. They traditionally graze on land that doesn’t have much other agricultural use – such as poor-quality hillsides – and they convert that grass into oh-so-tasty and tender meat.
Organic and truly free-range pigs are reared without the routine use of drugs, antibiotics and wormers common in intensive farming. When it comes to eating, the firmness of texture and depth of flavour is unparalleled in pigs that have been free to roam and fed a healthy diet.
Here, we recommend some of our favourite meat boxes on offer at the moment – in no particular order, it just depends on what you’re looking for.
The meat arrives chilled or frozen and will stay that way all day. Each brand offers a whole range of different meat, not just the box we’ve selected, so if you like the sound of one then click on the link to find more.
You can trust our independent reviews. We may earn commission from some of the retailers, but we never allow this to influence selections, which are formed from real-world testing and expert advice. This revenue helps us to fund journalism across The Independent.
Cotswold Beef offal box
We included the Cotswold Beef steak box last year and our review said: “These were the biggest, most delicious looking steaks we’ve seen in a while and their cooking and eating lived up to the first impressions.” This year, we decided to review their offal box. Offal is some of the most nutrient dense food you can eat – it’s rich in vitamins, minerals and an excellent protein source. It’s too often overlooked, especially as a way of feeding nutritious food to a family that offers incredible bang for your buck.
The Onglet steak went straight off the barbecue and into the mouths of those who claimed they would never eat offal – they are probably only finding out as they read this article that this is how it is classed. The juiciness of this cut was out of this world. It tasted pure, natural and, of course, meaty. The whole heart was roasted to make a dining table showstopper, while the generous portion of liver, pan-fried to perfection, was smooth and creamy yet rich in flavour and melted in the mouth. We’re still working our way through the kidneys, organ fat and marrow bones (which we intend to use for flavouring and broth).
A far cry from the headlines which usually demonises beef production as a main cause of climate change, Cotswold Beef are out to prove a slow-growing native breed of cattle can be beneficial for the environment – and biodiversity – if farmed in the right way. As such, their cows are mob grazed on wildflower meadows, herbal leys and permanent pasture. This farming method and dry ageing clearly captures flavour, too.
Rosewood Farm 5kg steak night box
A recipe for a great night? A 5kg steak box, a fiery barbecue and a bottle of young cabernet sauvignon. Rosewood Farm specialises in beef. Interestingly, it doesn’t dry age its meat for any length of time – a process that is widely practised by others to improve the meat’s flavour and tenderness. It says this makes little difference to its grass-fed beef and believes it is actually a waste of resources. Their customers agree, and we do, too.
The flavour is rich and full, and the steaks were incredibly tender – easily standing up to those who had been dry-aged for 28 days plus. The Picanha – taken from the top of the rump and surrounded by a thick layer of fat – was hands-down the star of the show. This Yorkshire farm also literally goes against the grain by producing 100 per cent grass-fed meat. It prides itself on being herbicide, pesticide and fertiliser free, and it does a whole lot for the environment – its tagline is “food as a by-product of conservation”.
Knepp Wild Meat, venison
We turned up to a friend’s barbecue and were immediately hailed as the best guests because our host knew what Knepp Farm was, and of course, was a fan. And rightly so, thanks to its excellent reputation for turning farming as most of us know it on its head.
Animals here – which include longhorn cattle, Tamworth pigs and red and fallow deer – have free range of an incredible 3,500 acres of land that’s been re-wilded, and are all 100 per cent grass fed. Their natural slow growth means the meat is denser and richer, completely unlike the sometimes watery-like and bland tasting mass produced meat. We tried the venison meat from Knepp. Venison is an underrated meat – it’s a complete source or protein and also includes haem iron, zinc and packed with heaps of B vitamins.
It’s the only one on our list that’s technically not a pre-made box of meat – instead, you can build your own. First up, we tried the naked red venison burgers (£4.50, Kneppwildrangemeat.co.uk), which come in packs of two. Deep red in colour, they’re the perfect amount of lean to fat ratio left totally naked, 100 per cent venison (with just a little salt and pepper seasoning). If you’re after a beef alternative, this is it; they’re more intense in flavour and offer up that classic gamey taste.
Taking things up a notch, we also tried the venison striploin (£9, Kneppwildrangemeat.co.uk), which is essentially the venison equivalent to a fillet of beef. It’s super lean, deep purply red in colour and is some of the best meat we’ve ever had. It’s best not to over complicate something so good though, so we grilled it on the barbecue, and cut it into thin slices, where the meat melted and was utterly delicious. Just make sure you rest the meat well to enable the juices to be reabsorbed from cooking.
Last, but not least, and perfectly suited to a low and slow roast for a flavoursome family meal, is the boned and rolled venison haunch (£19.98, Kneppwildrangemeat.co.uk). We seared it and then gave it the love it deserves by slow roasting it in the oven with beetroot, shallots and thyme, that really did justice to the wonderfully deep-flavoured meat. Or you could cut open the string ties and sear on the barbecue, cooking it with just the right amount of heat and smoke to make a decadent centrepiece. Prices start at £4.50, and vary depending on the meat you select.
Great Berwick Organics secret 7 steak box
Think you already know your steak preference – a sirloin, a ribeye or a fillet? This box will make you think again. It includes organic steaks cut from the lesser-known muscles such as the tri-tip (bottom sirloin); denver (front shoulder) and hangar (upper belly – and prized for its flavour). While each offers something subtly unique to the seasoned palate, what they have in common is more important, in our humble opinion.
Great Berwick specialise in rearing English Longhorn Cattle with majestic horns. They have a 100 per cent grass-fed diet and live a stress-free existence in fields next to the River Severn. The intramuscular marbling throughout occurs as a result of slow growth, and the resulting meat is tender and full of flavour. Well, the secret’s well and truly out now.
Primal Meats monthly surprise subscription box
Primal Meats specialises in supporting customers on diets based on ancestral wisdom, such as Paleo, Keto, Wildervore. They believe their nutrient-rich meat – from 100 per cent grass-fed animals from farms that practice regenerative land management – offers the biggest potential for cooling our planet, restoring our damaged ecosystems and providing global sustainable nutrition security. As such, they say a lot of their customers are former vegetarians and vegans looking for the next most ethical option. You can tailor your monthly surprise box based on cost (£50 – £200), diet, and members of your household.
Fosse Meadows medium free range BBQ box
Have you ever barbequed a spatchcock chicken? If not, it should be the thing you serve at the next barbecue you host, and the Fosse Meadows spatchcok is a great place to start. The USP of Fosse Meadows chicken is that they are grown to 81 days. Why is this significant? Well, an average supermarket chicken is grown to around 35 days, so a Fosse chicken lives more than twice as long. This allows them to grow at a natural rate, antibiotic-free. They are also free-range, and forage in meadows that aren’t sprayed with fertilisers or pesticides.
The meat is darker, more textured and offers unparalleled deep flavour that the lemon, garlic and bay marinade beautifully enhances. Fosse Meadows have recently partnered with similarly-minded farms to broaden their range – this box includes Redhill Farm free range pork ribs and sausages and grass-fed beef burgers. They are both very welcome additions.
Eversfield Organic traditional BBQ box
The great British barbecue doesn’t get much more traditional than a burger and (burnt) sausage. In our burger taste-test, the ones from Eversfield box came up trumps – for both flavour and texture. The other elements of this box received murmurs of approval from sticky-fingered guests, too. Devon-based Eversfield Organic works with a network of smallholding farmers to offer a range of produce direct to your door.
As their name suggests, their minimum standards are always organic. More than this, the beef is 100 per cent grass-fed, and the chickens are processed on the farm where they are reared, which minimises travel time that can be very stressful for the animals.
