As a dedicated carnivore, I am very adamant about choosing the meat I purchase. Enter Cooks Venture and Butcher Box, two amazing meat delivery companies.
Cooking meat regularly is no fun if you do not have high-quality meat. A mediocre cut will ruin your whole recipe no matter how good you cook.
Cooks Venture is a company that offers high-quality cuts of meat, from chicken wings to the most amazing cuts of steak and pork chops.
The same goes with Butcher Box. Aside from the common cuts of steaks, you also have less unique options like bison and lamb from Butcher Box.
After trying out the two of these companies to see which one has better cuts of meat and of course, a better delivery service, I figured I will just stick with one of them.
So read on as I compare the two in detail to see how I came up with my final decision on which company to stick with when ordering the best cuts of meat.
Table of Contents
Main Differences Between The Two
- Butcher Box has 6 subscription boxes, while Cooks Venture does not have subscription services.
- Butcher Box is more flexible with the boxes they offer.
- You can choose up to 12 cuts from Cooks Venture, while you get to choose from 25 cuts from Butcher Box.
- Butcher Box has more cuts of meat to choose from than Cooks Venture.
- Cooks Venture sources cuts of meat from their farms, while Butcher Box partners with third-party producers to source their products.
- Butcher Box does not have one-time purchases, while Cooks Venture allows you to place one-time orders.
Unique Feature Of The Two
Butcher Box
- Butcher Box sources beef from Australia.
- Has seafood options that are wild-caught and sourced sustainably.
- Other cuts of meat like bison, lamb, and turkey are available.
- Organic chicken and crate-free pork cuts.
- Has 6 flexible subscription boxes available to choose from.
- Sources cuts of meat from producers that raise animals under humane conditions.
- No antibiotics or hormones ever.
- Choice and Prime-grade cuts of meat.
Cooks Venture
- Sources the meat from their farms.
- Pigs are slow-raised to provide lean and well-marbled pork cuts.
- Chickens are pasture-raised and are also slow-raised for more flavorful cuts.
- Partners with companies that follow specific standards for raising animals.
- Has pasture-raised lamb options.
- Pasture-raised beef cuts that are more marbled and have robust flavors.
- No antibiotics or hormones ever.
- Offers one-time purchases on the two boxes available from them. No need for a subscription.
Butcher Box Vs Cooks Venture
1. Meat Quality And Sourcing
Butcher Box
Sourcing meat is not easy nowadays if you want a good cut. I hardly rely on the cuts I see in supermarkets as I do not know where they get them.
Butcher Box is transparent when it comes to sourcing their cuts of meat.
The cattle is 100% grass-fed, so they develop this amazing marbling. They are never fed any antibiotics or hormones, so you know that the cuts are also really healthy.
With these standards and farming habits, the cuts from Butcher Box are graded Choice and Prime by the USDA.
Pork options from Butcher Box are also raised under humane conditions. The pigs are raised crate-free and gestation-free to prevent stress on the animal.
Just like the beef cuts, the pork cuts from Butcher Box are not fed any antibiotics or hormones to make the meat flavorful without unnatural taste.
Cooks Venture
One thing I like about Cooks Venture is they source their cuts of meat from their farms. They highlight regenerative farming, which also contributes to the quality of meat they produce.
Cooks Venture owns 800 acres of land for farming in Arkansas, and all their animals are free to roam in this large area.
For instance, the beef cuts from Cooks Venture are grass-fed and grass-finished.
No hormones are added to the cows’ food, creating a lean cut of meat with robust flavors and no artificial taste.
The same goes for the pork option from Cooks Venture.
Cooks Venture raises Kurobuta pork which is the equivalent of wagyu beef. They are extremely flavorful and have great marbling, allowing them to stay juicy when cooked.
I mean I can taste the difference in the flavor of these chickens; it is better than free-range and organic chicken.
2. Types Of Meat Available
Butcher Box
1. Beef
Beef options from Butcher Box are either Choice or Prime-graded by the USDA. Those are the two highest grades a cut of meat can get from the standards of the USDA.
You have options like New York strip steaks, ribeye steaks, filet mignon, steak tips, and even pre-made burgers.
2. Pork
I love the wide variety of options when it comes to pork cuts from Butcher Box. You can get the more common cuts like baby back ribs, boneless pork chops, and pork tenderloin.
Other great pork options are the St. Louis pork ribs, pork butt, pork loin roast, or the amazing and juicy breakfast sausages as well as thick-cut bacon.
3. Chicken
The organic free-range options from Butcher Box are amazing. They have a deep flavor and juicy textures that you would love on your barbecue.
I like ordering chicken tenders and seasoning them with my favorite rub and glaze. Drumsticks, chicken wings, and thighs are available as well as whole chickens.
4. Seafood
See, I know what good seafood tastes like since I grew up eating seafood all the time from home. Butcher Box ensures you get a taste of nature from their seafood options.
All the seafood options like the scallops and sockeye salmon are wild-caught so you have all the natural seafood flavors in them. They are also sourced sustainably so you are not endangering any species.
5. Others
This is one of the many advantages of Butcher Box over other meat delivery services. They sell unorthodox cuts from beef, pork, and chicken options.
I recommend the bison cuts and leg lambs from Butcher Box if you love slow cooking. They are amazing with robust flavors and are perfect for smoking.
You can also order a free-range turkey from Butcher Box during the holidays. See, you will not run out of options from Butcher Box with the wide variety of cuts that they sell.
Cooks Venture
1. Beef
The beef cuts from Cooks Venture are full of robust flavors from the 100% grass-fed cows. You can choose from the amazing chuck roast or the large beef brisket, both well-marbled.
One disadvantage I found from Cooks Venture is that I do not have any options with steaks when I tried one of their boxes so you might want to consider that.
2. Pork
The slow-growing pigs from Cooks Venture produce a deep flavor and great marbling on the meat. This shows on the boneless pork chops from Cooks Venture.
There are also other options like my favorite, the applewood-smoked bacon as well as the ground pork option which is perfect for spaghetti and meatballs.
3. Chicken
Cooks Venture really focuses on their chicken products and it shows how many options you have for the chicken cuts.
Choose from classic cuts like drumsticks, boneless skin-on chicken breasts, chicken wings, bone-in skin-on chicken thighs, and ground chicken.
You can also get pre-made chicken options like chicken nuggets, cheddar, chicken sausages, apple and wildflower chicken sausages, or whole chicken.
4. Others
You can also choose lamb cuts that are also 100% grass-fed and pasture-raised to develop that meaty and deep flavor on the cuts.
As of writing this post, there is no available seafood option from Cooks Venture but there is a ‘coming soon’ label on the seafood option so we will have to wait.
3. Pricing
Both Butcher Box and Cooks Venture do not specify the prices for each item they sell. However, they have subscription boxes that you can choose from that include multiple cuts.
The cheapest option from Butcher Box is $99 for the Basic Box where you get a lot of cuts and the best part is that you get to choose from any of the cuts of beef, pork, and chicken.
You can also get the Custom Box where you get more meat and choose from all the cuts of meat available for only $169 a month.
There are more specific boxes where you can get a mix of beef and pork or a mix of beef and chicken for only $146.
Cooks Venture has a slightly higher price but provides good value on what you buy. For example, you can get the Small Box option for only $159.99 and choose up to 6 cuts.
If you need more meat, the Large Box allows you to choose up to 12 cuts for only $289.99 for the whole meat box.
So Butcher Box has a cheaper price and you have more options from them.
4. Subscription Options Between The Two
Butcher Box
1. Custom Box – $169 a month
With the Custom Box subscription from Butcher Box, you get to choose from the 25 cuts available. The custom box contains 9 to 14 pounds (20% more than the other curated boxes) of meat for only $169.
You have all the freedom to choose which cuts you would like to be included in the Custom Box. It is great if you plan to have a barbecue or if you want to store meat for later.
The best thing about the Custom Box is that you edit the box’s content monthly. You do not have to order the same cuts if you want to try other cuts of meat.
2. Mixed Box – $146 a month
This subscription box is not that different from the first one as you can choose from 100% grass-fed beef cuts, organic chicken, and crate-free pork cuts.
You do, however, get fewer cuts of meat that only totals 8 to 11 pounds in one Mixed Box. then again, you are paying for less so it is still a good deal for your money.
An excellent example of what you can get from the Mixed Box subscription is 2 pounds of ground beef, 2 NY strip steaks, 4 top sirloin steaks, 1 pound of whole pork tenderloin, and 3 pounds of chicken breasts.
3. Beef And Chicken Box – $146 a month
You also get 8 to 11 pounds of meat with this subscription box, but the only difference is that you can only choose between beef cuts and chicken options.
While this may seem like a letdown, I like this box because I do not cook pork that often, and when I need to, I have a trusted butcher shop nearby to supply my pork cuts.
So if you are in the same situation, the Beef And Chicken box is a really good option for you.
4. Beef And Pork Box – $146 a month
Now if you want to switch to pork instead of chicken, you can get the Beef And Pork Box. You still get a total of 8 to 11 pounds of meat in the box.
Choose from the wide variety of cuts from the 100% grass-fed beef cuts or the crate-free pork cuts from Butcher Box.
5. All Beef Box – $146 a month
Ever since I tried this subscription box from Butcher Box, I learned how to properly cook high-quality steaks at home.
This is great if you want to store some steaks at home so you are ready to cook them whenever you want a deliciously juicy and beefy meal.
A good sample of this box is where you get 2 pounds of ground beef, 2 NY strip steaks, 1 pound of premium steak tips, 2 pounds of chuck roast, and 4 top sirloin steaks in just one box.
6. Basic Box – $99 a month
The Basic Box from Butcher Box is great for beginners. If you do not want to splurge on meat and you just want to try out what Butcher Box has to offer, this is a great box.
You only get 7 to 7.5 pounds of meat, but you get to choose from any of the cuts that are available from Butcher Box.
Note: All subscription boxes from Butcher Box are shipped FREE, and you can cancel any time you want.
The only disadvantage is that there is a limited supply, so specific cuts like New York strip steaks, flat iron steaks, boneless pork chops, and others might not be available depending on the region.
Cooks Venture
You do not need to subscribe or be a member to purchase the boxes from Cooks Venture. They allow one-time purchases, so this is good if you just want to try it out.
There are two options from Cooks Venture that you can choose from:
1.Large Box for $289.99
The Large Box from Cooks Venture is the perfect box if you plan to have a barbecue in your backyard. You get to choose up to 12 cuts of meat that you like.
You are not limited to any cut of meat. You can choose chicken, beef, pork, or a combination of the three to place in just one box.
Here Are Your Options:
Chicken
- 2 (1.5 lbs) boneless skinless chicken breasts
- 1 (2 lbs) pasture-raised chicken nuggets
- 1 (3.5 lbs) whole chicken
- 3 (1 lb) chicken wings
- 4 (1lb) chicken drumsticks
- 3 (1 lb) chicken ground
- 3 (12 oz) hatch chile and cheddar chicken sausages
- 3 (12 oz) apple and wildflower honey chicken sausages
- 3 (12 oz) classic smoked chicken kielbasa sausages
- 1 (3 lbs) spatchcock chicken
- 3 (1.25 lbs) bone-in skin-on chicken thighs
Beef
- 1 (2.25 lbs) chuck roast
- 1 (2.5 lbs) beef brisket (additional $5.99)
Pork
- 4 (6 oz) boneless pork chops
- 2 (1.5 lbs) applewood-smoked bacon
- 3 (1 lb) ground pork
You can choose up to 12 cuts out of the listed items for the Large Box. Note that if you choose the beef brisket, there will be an additional $5.99 on top of the price of the whole box.
2. Small Box for $159.99
The smaller box is a favorite of mine since I get to choose up to 6 cuts of meat that I like from all the options available.
You get to choose from the same options as the Large Box but pick only 6 items. This is a great box if you want to try out the quality of the meat from Cooks Venture.
Here Are Your Options:
Chicken
- 2 (1.5 lbs) boneless skinless chicken breasts
- 1 (2 lbs) pasture-raised chicken nuggets
- 1 (3.5 lbs) whole chicken
- 3 (1 lb) chicken wings
- 4 (1lb) chicken drumsticks
- 3 (1 lb) chicken ground
- 3 (12 oz) hatch chile and cheddar chicken sausages
- 3 (12 oz) apple and wildflower honey chicken sausages
- 3 (12 oz) classic smoked chicken kielbasa sausages
- 1 (3 lbs) spatchcock chicken
- 3 (1.25 lbs) bone-in skin-on chicken thighs
Beef
- 1 (2.25 lbs) chuck roast
- 1 (2.5 lbs) beef brisket (additional $5.99)
Pork
- 4 (6 oz) boneless pork chops
- 2 (1.5 lbs) applewood-smoked bacon
- 3 (1 lb) ground pork
5. Packaging And Delivery
Butcher Box
Butcher Box makes sure that you receive your orders in perfect condition. They have test labs to create the perfect packaging to deliver your orders properly.
They also have a zip code tool to determine if the place you are in needs your package to have dry ice, and if so, how much so they can reduce waste.
My orders came in a nice box that is insulated with dissolvable foam. The box is also reusable so you are making less environmental impact.
Because of the amazing insulation on the box and the dry ice inside, the meat can stay frozen for up to 6-8 hours so you do not have to be there personally to pick up your orders.
You can also schedule the delivery or the frequency where you get your orders every 4 weeks, 6 weeks, or every 2 months.
All subscription boxes from Butcher Box is delivered FREE of charge. The only disadvantage is that they do not deliver to Hawaii and Alaska.
Cooks Venture
My orders from Cooks Ventire arrived 7 days after I placed my order. This is not the quickest meat delivery service I have experienced, but they did mention it when I ordered.
I prefer the packaging from Cooks Venture over Butcher Box because the meat stays frozen for longer even if you do not pick up your order immediately.
See, the box that the Cooks Venture comes in with is insulated. Within the box, there is also a reusable insulated box.
The double insulation makes the meat stay frozen for up to 12 hours. Each cut of meat is packed in a vacuum-sealed package as well.
Cooks Venture also has the upper hand with the delivery since they offer FREE shipping on all of the 48 contiguous states while also delivering to Hawaii and Alaska with extra charge.
So no matter where you are, you can order amazing high-quality cuts of meat from Cooks Venture and deliver them to your doorstep.
Crowd Cow Vs Cooks Venture
Aside from these two, I have also tried other meat delivery services, and one that stuck with me is Crowd Cow. You can check out my brief comparison between Crowd Cow and Butcher Box.
When compared to Cooks Venture, Crowd Cow has a lot of advantages. You can buy a la carte from Crowd Cow or subscribe to their membership for more benefits.
Cooks Venture does not have the option for you to subscribe, but they do deliver great quality meat. You have two box options from Cooks Venture, while Crowd Cow only has one.
The difference, however, is that Crowd Cow allows you to order any of the cuts available from them. You are not limited to just a few cuts.
The advantage of Cooks Venture over Crowd Cow is that all their boxes are delivered FREE, whereas Crowd Cow requires you to order over $125 total to avail of the FREE shipping discount.
You have more options with Crowd Cow, including Japanese and American wagyu. These are top-of-the-line cuts of steaks that score the highest from the USDA standards.
I prefer Crowd Cow over Cooks Venture, but Cooks Venture also has a lot to offer and is more transparent about its process, so it is still a great alternative.
Customer Service
Butcher Box has a more detailed website, and my questions were quickly answered by the robot that you can chat with from the “help?” button on their page.
While Cooks Venture answers some of my questions, I needed to email them first for more specific information that is not included on their page.
They are responsive, but some messages might take a few minutes or hours. You can contact Cooks Venture through their e-mail for specific questions.
When I tried asking questions about the cuts of meat and the delivery, Butcher Box already provided the answers on the chatbox which was really convenient.
Cooks Venture has a more general FAQ section which I did not need for my questions. That is why I prefer the customer service of Butcher Box over Cooks Venture.
What Do Other Customers Think Of Butcher Box Vs Cooks Venture?
Butcher Box
Just like myself, other customers received really good cuts of meat with excellent service. Most of the reviews about Butcher Box mention how good the quality of the meat is.
Some also say they have excellent customer service by being responsive to questions and issues that are fixed almost immediately, which I agree with.
“I have used Butcher box since 2018 and have had a wonderful experience. The 2 or 3 issues were handled with replacements ASAP. Great quality and customer service. I would highly recommend it to anyone who wants quality meat delivered to your door. I have a carnivore way of eating, and all I eat is meat. Very satisfied with this service. THANK YOU, Butcher Box…” – Roxanne Lambert
Most of the issues about Butcher Box are about the delivery or billing process. I am still confident that I get good cuts of meat but this made me back up for a second.
So when I tried, I did not have any issues with the billing policies although some people were not cofident about it.
“They have shady billing policies and a terrible cancelation policy. I had used Butcher box for several months in 2019 but put my account on hold for 3 months while I moved. During that time, my credit card number changed, and when the 3 months were up, instead of being contacted for updated address and card number, they attempted to run the charges TEN times over 2 months in 2020.” -Kylie Campbell
So far, I have not experienced anything bad from Butcher Box whether it is about the quality of the meat or the service they provide but you can check it out yourself if you are not confident.
Cooks Venture
Most reviews about Cooks Venture praise the quality of the chicken they get. I agree with the reviews since I prefer the chicken from Cooks Venture over the organic chicken from Butcher Box.
“The chickens have the flavor I remember from my youth on farms in Ohio. The care with which they are processed, air chilled, and then frozen allows the texture to surpass any other commercially available birds.” – Andreas from Cooks Venture’s website
“We made the switch to Cooks Venture for our chicken and they are by far the best we can get. Small but careful growers of high-quality chicken.” – Alexsandrv K. from Cooks Venture’s website.
However, some customers are not as impressed with the quality and choice of cuts from Cooks Venture.
Most of the customers with bad reviews say that their packages arrived with thawed products. I cannot relate since their package is really well-insulated, but it happens sometimes.
“Pkg arrived w/nothing frozen except whole chicken that was only partially frozen. several packages leaking. unable to get a response from the company. Epic fail. I just wasted a whole bunch of money because I had to throw everything away except the whole chicken. I don’t have those finances to waste like that. deplorable shipping process.” – June B.
What About Refunds Or Exchanges?
Butcher Box
Refunds are granted by Butcher Box if your orders are damaged, late delivery, or there are missing items in your box. You do, however, have to send pictures of the item.
You can also choose full or partial refunds for your items if applicable. Another option from Butcher Box is to afford credits on your next orders to compensate for the damaged ones.
Butcher Box does not accept returns since they are providing perishable items. So if you have damaged items, it is always good to demand refunds or account credits.
Cooks Venture
Cooks Venture guarantees that the products you receive are in perfect condition. You can also ask for a refund if you receive something that does not reach their standards.
They can also replace the box you ordered if damaged goods are in it. If you have any complaints about your order, you can easily contact Cooks Venture through their e-mail.
The customer service is responsive, so any complaints or questions can be answered and provided a solution.
Does Butcher Box Or Cooks Venture Have A Better Company Reputation?
Although Butcher Box has received an A-plus rating from Better Business Bureau, Cooks Venture has a better company reputation since they partner with many standard-labeling companies.
For instance, Cooks Venture has a Global Animal Partnership (GAP) rating of 4 while Butcher Box only received a GAP 3 certification.
Cooks Venture also raises chickens in compliance with the Non-GMO Project Standard so customers are more likely to trust Cooks Venture over Butcher Box.
Final Verdict
Even though Cooks Venture has a better company reputation, I still choose Butcher Box. Overall, Butcher Box is better regarding the quality and quantity of meat choices.
They have a wide range of beef, pork, and chicken cuts that I can choose from, and the quality of the cuts of meat is far better than the supermarket cuts I used to buy.
Where Cooks Venture wins is the chicken cuts. Perhaps they have the best cuts of chicken I have ever ordered.
Since I can choose from different cuts of steaks, and I love steaks, I prefer Butcher Box. They also have flexible subscription boxes where I can choose whichever cut I want.
So I recommend Butcher Box over Cooks Venture but if you want chicken, get it from Cooks Venture to get the taste of amazing pasture-raised chicken cuts.
Do let us know your experience in the comments below!
If you have anything else to add then you can do so as well since it would help our readers.
Photo Credits- www.cooksventure.com
www.butcherbox.com
Leave a Reply