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What is Mail Order Meat?
Mail order meat is normally ordered from a catalog or through a website on the Internet. It may be ordered in bulk or in smaller portions for families or individuals. Some companies specialize in either fresh or frozen meats, and others sell both types. Popular types of mail order meat include beef, pork, lamb, veal and a number of types of seafood.
Mail order meat was first introduced to consumers in the mid 1950s. A few wholesale meat companies that previously supplied meat exclusively to supermarkets and restaurants began offering the service to the general population. This was considered a boon to homemakers who lived in remote areas and had little access to a wide variety of commercially produced meats.
When initially introduced, mail order meats were ordinarily only available in a frozen state. They were normally flash frozen and packed with dry ice to ensure they arrived to the consumer in good condition. Since shipping methods were not as fast and far-reaching as they are today, transportation problems commonly occurred.
As overnight shipping became available to more consumers, the mail order meat businesses expanded. Along with beef, which was the most popular mail order meat for many years, pork, chicken, lamb and veal became widely available. Coastal seafood companies soon advertised lobster, shrimp, crab and other seafood items available through mail order. Faster shipping also enabled companies to ship fresh meat to customers who preferred it over the frozen varieties.
Over the next few decades, mail order meat experienced a significant increase in popularity. Popular meat packing plants and restaurants famous for their quality beef and pork began marketing their most well-liked products to consumers. These companies frequently sent discount coupons and free shipping offers to potential customers through mass mailings.
In the past few years, mail order meat choices have expanded. In addition to the more traditional offerings of beef, pork, lamb, seafood and chicken, less common meats such as bison, buffalo and goat can be ordered through the mail. Exotic meats such as ostrich, alligator, turtle, python and crocodile are often readily available through mail order as well. Game meat fans can purchase deer, elk, wild boar, antelope and a variety of game fowl through the mail.
A form of mail order meat that is gaining popularity in some sectors is prepared meat dishes. Gourmet dishes such as beef Wellington, chicken cordon bleu, roast crown of pork and stuffed poultry can be ordered from a variety of companies, often along with appropriate side dishes. These offerings are normally shipped frozen and reheated in a microwave by the consumer at their leisure.
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AS FEATURED ON:
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![Turtle meat is often available by mail order.]()
Turtle meat is often available by mail order. -
![Various types of meat.]()
Various types of meat. -
![Crocodile meat is often sold via mail order.]()
Crocodile meat is often sold via mail order. -
![Slices of mail order alligator meat.]()
By: fsfxSlices of mail order alligator meat. -
![Frozen mail order meat.]()
By: ra3rnFrozen mail order meat. -
![Mail order bison meat.]()
By: Giovanni BurliniMail order bison meat. -
![Some companies now offer prepared meat dishes, including Chicken Cordon Bleu.]()
By: oksixSome companies now offer prepared meat dishes, including Chicken Cordon Bleu. -
![Rustic elk stew with vegetables.]()
By: BillRustic elk stew with vegetables.
Discussion Comments
My wife got me a membership to a meat of the month club. Every month they send you a couple of pounds of a different kinds of meat, usually exotic and always high quality. It comes flash frozen in vacuum packed bags.
We have had some great steaks, pheasant meat, sea scallops and bison. All of them have been great. I think it is a really cool idea too. You never know what the next meat is going to be so it is a surprise you begin to look forward to.
I have order meat that is delivered to me but not through the mail. There are a number of farms in my are that have local sustainably produced meat that they produce. If you place a big enough order they will prepare it for you and deliver it to you fresh.
I went halves with my neighbor and together we bought a whole cow. All told it adds up to hundreds of pounds of meat, most of which I have in a deep freeze in the basement. It is extremely high quality and probably better than anything you could buy in the store, even in a nice store. I would not be surprised if there are farms in your area which offer a similar service.
You might not expect it but I have had some really high quality mail order meat before. You can find great deals if you buy meat online and the packaging freezing and shipping process is so good these days that there is almost no loss in the quality of the meat.
And it is not just beef. I have head great seafood, pork, chicken and even some exotic game like elk and boar. It is not easy to find that kind of stuff unless you are willing to have it sent to you through the mail.
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