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In this report
Steak: Ratings of Sources
Total of 17 Sources
For an explanation of how we rank reviews, see our ratings criteria page.
Rating Beef Tenderloin
by Editors of Cook's Illustrated
by Editors of Cook's Illustrated
Our AssessmentOf the nine steaks editors tested, three are available by mail order. The best tenderloin of all was one purchased at the local supermarket.
Mail-Order Porterhouse Steaks
by Editors of Cook's Illustrated
by Editors of Cook's Illustrated
Our AssessmentEditors taste-test six dry-aged, prime porterhouse steaks. Lobel's Dry-Aged American Wagyu Porterhouse Steak and Lobel's Natural Prime Dry-Aged Porterhouse Steak are among those considered.
Catalog Critic: Where's the Beef? Not in the Freezer
by Charles Passy
by Charles Passy
Our AssessmentReviewer Charles Passy orders fresh porterhouse steaks from seven companies and brings in a butcher to help assess them in a blind taste test. All the steaks reviewed for this article cost more than $100 for a package of four. Two companies -- Niman Ranch and Ceriello Fine Foods -- delivered shipments late. Of those that delivered on time, Rube's Meat Co. fared worst: the raw steak was gristly and chewy when cooked. Lobel's "juicy," "tender" steak is declared best overall. A steak from Stock Yards earns the best-value rating. As with other Catalog Critic articles, Passy pays close attention to the ordering experience.
Raising the Steaks
by Mark Schatzker
by Mark Schatzker
Our AssessmentGrass-fed beef from Alderspring Ranch wins this tasting of five steaks. Marbling proved to be a poor indicator of quality. Mark Schatzker isn't shy about revealing the losing steaks, which include two rib eyes from Allen Brothers (one is aged wet; the other dry). Other than Schatzker, we're not sure who the judges were. If Schatzker had pan-seared the steaks instead of grilling them, we'd give this testing a higher ranking: for many people, grilling is a summertime-only activity; and grilling gives steaks a robustness that can overwhelm more subtle flavors.
Prime Steak
by Editors of Consumer Reports
by Editors of Consumer Reports
Our AssessmentConsumer Reports has a team of tasters sample eight filet mignons, ranging from mail-order to club store brands. This article is fairly light on detail and doesn't offer buying tips. Steaks are listed in order of preference. Only one steak earns an "excellent" rating.
Mail-Order Steaks
by Editors of Cook's Illustrated
by Editors of Cook's Illustrated
Our AssessmentReviewers test eight strip steaks in order to answer the question, "Can you buy a better steak through the mail?" Two Lobel's products, the Boneless Strip Steak and the Wagyu (Kobe-Style) Boneless Strip Steak, are considered.
Natural Beef
by Editors of Cook's Illustrated
by Editors of Cook's Illustrated
Our AssessmentEditors pit six USDA Choice strip steaks against six similar steaks from Coleman Natural, which does not use hormones or antibiotics.
Catalog Critic: Finding Steaks That Make the Cut
by Charles Passy
by Charles Passy
Our AssessmentFor this older article, Charles Passy ordered the same type of steak -- New York strip -- from five suppliers. Lobel's was "the steak of our dreams" that "could have been cut with a butter knife." Omaha Steaks "were barely above restaurant quality." Although this article is dated, we appreciate Passy's attention to crucial aspects of mail-ordering, such as return policy, shipping cost and "phone attitude."
Grilling: A New Blaze of Glory
by Russ Parsons
by Russ Parsons
Our AssessmentRuss Parsons offers his impression of four steaks, which range from flank steak to New York Strip. A Wagyu chuck steak from Mitsuwa Marketplace had a "mouth-filling flavor that seemed to last forever," but it was somewhat chewy. The Wagyu developed the best crust. A Bristol Farms steak was "so tender it cut like butter, with a flavor that was subtle but complex." A New Zealand grass-fed rib-eye from Whole Foods was "very lean," with "the intense gamy character of lamb married to the deep bottom notes of beef." We would have given this review a higher rating if Parsons has discussed his methodology.
Kobe or not Kobe?
by David Rosengarten
by David Rosengarten
Our AssessmentThis is the short, free version of David Rosengarten's article on Wagyu beef. In the longer version, available by subscription only, Rosengarten rounds up steaks and does his own tasting. Rosengarten tastes three "top-notch" cuts from Jimmy P's. Allen Brothers also earns a perfect rating.
Catalog Critic: Summer Grilling: Testing Big-Ticket Beef
by Charles Passy
by Charles Passy
Our AssessmentCharles Passy (who sure seems to have eaten a lot of steak over the years) reviews Wagyu steaks from five vendors with the help of a beef expert. Lobel's wins best overall and Morgan Ranch earns the best value rating. The Lobel's steak wins raves for its melting tenderness, while Morgan Ranch is declared nearly as flavorful as Lobel's, but not quite as buttery. Steaks from KobeBeef.com, which are panned for having a liver-like aftertaste, are rated in last place.
Wagyu Beef
by Robb Walsh
by Robb Walsh
Our AssessmentWalsh rounds up several samples of Wagyu beef, but he doesn't reveal which steaks finished last. The Allen Brothers steak is "buttery and beefy" and the "fat content made the texture meltingly soft." Arrowhead Game Meats earns praise for its reasonable prices. Walsh doesn't reveal exactly who participated in the tasting.
The Best in Shopping and Travel
by Editors of Kiplinger's
by Editors of Kiplinger's
Our AssessmentEditors pit steaks from Lobel's of New York against Niman Ranch of California. Lobel's "rich, nutty and complex" flavor wins the day. We aren't sure who participated in the tasting, and this write-up is very brief.
Steak, First Class
by Paul Lukas
by Paul Lukas
Our AssessmentReviewer Paul Lukas rounds up half a dozen steaks and conducts his own tasting. Lobel's never-frozen beef is the top finisher, and its Kobe beef is "meltingly tender, with a distinctive meat tang." Niman Ranch finishes second. Lowest-rated is Omaha Steaks, which ships a mixture of prime and choice beef, with no way of knowing which you'll get.
Serious New Year's Food Sources
by Ed Levine
by Ed Levine
Our AssessmentVeteran food writer Ed Levine recommends two steaks: Lobel's and Peter Luger. Lobel's Wagyu is "absurdly expensive but worth every penny," and Luger's porterhouse is the "finest steak money can buy." Levine doesn't reveal how many steaks he tasted before he picked these two winners, nor does he say who did the tasting. Levine is a highly credible reviewer, and with a little more disclosure, we'd have given this review a higher ranking.
There's More to Like About Grass-Fed Beef
by Marian Burros
by Marian Burros
Our AssessmentMarian Burros serves 15 steaks to friends and finds them tender, "although none melted in my mouth," she writes. Suppliers are listed alphabetically and not ranked. Laurel Ridge is called full-flavored with a "nice beef taste." American Grass Fed in the mild category is said to be "pleasingly chewy."
The best steakhouse: your grill
by David Rosengarten
by David Rosengarten
Our AssessmentRosengarten conducts his own tasting of 23 steaks available by mail. He lists the top steaks but does not provide tasting notes here. Although this article was updated in 2003, it is dated and does not identify the lowest-rated suppliers.
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