Best Reviewed
Steak
- Best steak overall, but expensive Lobel's *Est. $53
- Best value, hormone-free steak Coleman Natural *Est. $15
- Best grass-fed steak Alderspring Ranch Grass-Fed Beef *Est. $23
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Best value, hormone-free steak
- Pasture-raised, without hormones or antibiotics
- May taste more "beefy" than traditional steak
- Less expensive than mail-order steaks
- Animals on 100 percent vegetarian diet
- Brand harder to find in stores
- Not as tender as some steaks, including Lobel's
- Grade not always on packaging
Reviewers agree that Coleman Natural offers excellent value and high-quality, humanely raised beef. Editors at Cook's Illustrated say it's rich and flavorful, but it may not be as tender as beef that's fed only grain. Testers at TheNibble.com agree that Coleman Natural beef is beefy and juicy. Reviews say that Coleman Natural's methods, which include raising beef on pasture without hormones, are environmentally friendly. Coleman Natural steaks are sold mainly at natural foods stores and some Whole Foods locations, so they may be hard to find in your area.
We found reviews of Coleman Natural at Cook's Illustrated and at TheNibble.com, an online specialty-foods magazine known for its rigorous reviews. Cook's Illustrated tests Coleman Natural's strip steaks in two different tests five years apart. The Nibble taste-tests flank steaks.
Our Sources
1. Cook's Illustrated MagazineDetails/Subscribe
Cook's Illustrated tests nine strip steaks in this review -- seven available via mail order and two found in the supermarket. The Coleman Natural steak is among those tasted.
Review: Mail-Order Steaks, Editors of Cook's Illustrated, Mar. 2003
2. Cook's Illustrated MagazineDetails/Subscribe
Editors pit six USDA Choice strip steaks against six similar steaks from Coleman Natural, which does not use hormones or antibiotics.
Review: Natural Beef, Editors of Cook's Illustrated, May 2008
The Nibble tests five specialty skirt steaks. The Coleman Natural product is veined with fat and cooks up tender and juicy. It's also judged "very beefy."
Review: Sampling the World of Specialty Beef, Editors of TheNibble.com
