If you’re looking for a sizzling gift idea for Dad, look no further than your front door. Mail-order companies deliver filets, ribeyes and more. But how good are they and are they worth the price?
Consumer Reports taste testers sampled popular filet mignon and ribeye cuts from Omaha Steaks, The Kansas City Steak Company, and Snake River Farms.
“The companies didn’t know that we were testing these steaks. They didn’t send them to us, we bought them just as any consumer would,” said Consumer Reports’ Perry Santanachote.
The panel looked at everything from the packaging to the steak’s appearance, aroma, flavor and texture.
Snake River Farms was voted their top choice.
“The filet mignon was everyone’s favorite and the cowboy steak was a stunner that would make any meat-lover happy,” Santanachote said.
Snake River Farms filets didn’t come cheap at $8.50 an ounce. The 40-ounce ribeye cost $158 or $3.95 an ounce.
The Kansas City Steak Company’s filet was voted best for a crowd. It’s $5.83 an ounce. The 18-ounce ribeye was about $70 or $3.96 an ounce.
“Most tasters liked this ribeye the best even if it wasn’t the prettiest,” Santanachote said.
Omaha Steaks was voted the best value.
“Neither the filet or the ribeye were anyone’s favorites in the taste test. But we really appreciated how beautifully butchered and well-marbled the steaks were,” Santanachote said.
Omaha was the least expensive of the three. Its filet was $4.76 an ounce and the ribeye was $3.54 an ounce.
Testers compared Omaha’s steaks to a really good supermarket steak, a fine option and especially good value.
Steaks from all three companies come frozen and packed with dry ice, so you don’t have to cook them right away.