Shopping for everyone on your list can prove challenging, especially if they already have everything they might want or need. However, most people love sitting down to a well-cooked, easy-to-prep meal. So, whether your loved one adores spending time in the kitchen or just enjoys good food, getting them the best meat holiday packages can serve as a unique and memorable gift.
But putting together a meat package gift sometimes proves challenging. In this article, we’ll get into how to put together a meat box that surprises and delights this Christmas season, including:
- Choosing the right provider
- Deciding on your flavor profiles
- Selecting the right meats
- Supplementing with sides and desserts
Building the Best Meat Holiday Packages
Choosing the Right Provider
When you first start to build the ideal meat gift package, you need to strongly consider which provider you want to choose. Ideally, you should find a meat delivery service that hires gourmet experts to properly cut and prepare the meat.
Omaha Steaks works with high-quality butchers and gourmet chefs to provide you with the best steaks, pork, chicken, seafood, and more. Each of their products comes read-to-cook, so your loved one only needs to fire up the grill or heat up the oven in order to enjoy a decadent meal. Many of the meats also come with Omaha Steaks’s signature seasoning, adding flavor to an already delicious experience.
Deciding on Your Flavor Profiles
When you start building your meat boxes, you need to first figure out what types of flavors the recipient likes. Meats vary widely in flavor, and many people like some types of meat but not others. So, pay attention to what the person receiving the box commonly eats.
Flavor usually comes down to either the amount of fat in the meat and how it’s prepared. For example, if the person prefers richer foods, you should consider getting them a steak with excellent fat marbling. On the other hand, a person who likes sweeter tastes might enjoy a honey-cured ham.
When it comes to selecting ham, knowing about how it has been cured provides you with the information you need to know to select the right meat. Cured ham goes through a process that uses salt and other herbs and chemicals, including flavorings, to produce rich and sometimes even smoky flavors. Uncured ham still goes through a curing process, but the ingredients used are all natural, such as salt and water, and the taste is more mild.
How to Select the Right Meats
Not every meat will taste equally good once its cooked, so you should do your research when considering how to find the right meat supplier.
In particular, you’ll want meat that is fresh or properly aged. Fresh meat is usually pink and has no visible brown spots. Aging involves a process that still keeps the meat from spoiling. For the most part, steaks can be served either aged or fresh, while meats like chicken and seafood need to be fresh.
Supplement with Sides and Desserts
No meal is complete without the right sides and desserts. Fortunately, a variety of sides and desserts are appropriate for a meat gift box. Some of our favorite pairings include:
- Scalloped or mashed potatoes
- Mac ‘n cheese
- Green bean casserole
- Rolls
- Custard tarts
- Cheesecake
Shipping in Time for the Holidays
Now that you know how to build the best meat holiday packages, it’s time to put it all together! If you order now, you’ll be able to get your gift boxes delivered in time for the holidays. So, get ready to surprise and impress your favorite people!
And if you want to learn to cook one of the side dishes, take a look at our advice for preparing mac ‘n cheese.
