Thanks to a food critic brother, I ate one of these fine strip steaks for breakfast. Niman Ranch meat has been called “the best of the best” and comes from Angus breeds grown on pasture and finished with all-vegetarian feed. The result is a highly marbled strip (or most other cuts too) brought to the table in the most human and sustainable fashion.

Niman Ranch has been at the forefront of sustainable agriculture for 30 years. Over that time the firm has grown to include over 650 independent ranchers and specializes in hogs, beef and lamb. Regardless of the meat, all products adhere to the same strict protocol.

When it’s time to spend money on something other than clothes, buy a good steak from Niman Ranch.

The strangest gift I ever received through mail was a Reuben Sandwich Kit from Zingerman’s. The Ann Arbor outpost does a terrific job, however, of sourcing foodstuffs and preparing packages that defy the limitations of ones local markets. That same principle can be applied to mail order steaks. Do local steakhouses have better cuts than you get at your nearby butcher? Do you even have a nearby butcher these days? Yes and no are the typical answers to those questions. Mail order solves the problem.

Having sampled steaks from a full range of mail order meat providers (from the ubiquitous Omaha Steaks to Allen Bros), my favorite is certainly New York’s Lobel’s. Above is their dry-aged Cowboy steak. They’ve also got a fine line in Berkshire and Durac pork, and will happily service a need for American Wagyu.

Another mail order favorite comes from New Bruanfels, Texas. The smokehouse’s sausages are highly recommended.