A few years ago, my friend Ethan decides he wants some unusual cuts from a particular, high-quality, small-rancher-raised cow. But to get them, he needs friends. So, he emails 200 people via BCC and asks if anyone wants to go in with him on a side of beef. 190 people reply in the affirmative. That’s how Ethan started CrowdCow.
Now, it’s a growing, venture-backed startup, and while I do hold that against them, the ranches they work with are fantastic, and the quality of meat is unlike anything you’ll get at the grocery store butcher. I recommend three things: American Wagyu (especially for the price:quality ratio), the Japanese Wagyu (for if you really want to spoil someone), and grass-fed boneless ribeye (because you cannot go wrong with it). The shipping containers are nicely biodegradable and environmentally friendly, too.