Crowd Cow
Steak is such a great gift, especially for the person who has everything. If you bought someone a watch or a tie last year, they still have those things. If you gave them beef? They’ve eaten it and they’re ready for more.
So we’ve gathered some of the top beef purveyors in the country—and Australia too—to explore the world of dry-aging, grass-fed beef, Wagyu, and more. We didn’t stop there though. We also believe the ultimate meat deserves the right tools to bring out its best qualities. We’ve been tasting and testing the very best to discover the best gifts for steak lovers, including cuts from producers, pans, blades, and even finishing salts that any self-respecting meat-eater needs.
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Artisan Griller Grilling Gloves
Image Credit: Artisan Griller Do you ever stare at the meat in your smoker and think, “I wish I could just get my hands in there?” With the Artisan Griller Grilling Gloves, you can. These heat- and grease-blocking gloves are lined with soft and breathable jersey cotton, and the outside coating is food-grade Neoprene rubber, which is fire resistant, flexible and waterproof. You can reach right into a barbecue pit and rearrange your firewood, or pull out your smoked pork butt and then shred it by hand. Plus, these are 17 inches long, which protects most of your arm (and arm hair) from flames.
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Cutting Edge Firewood Savanna Heat Cooking Wood
Image Credit: Cutting Edge Wood chunks survive longer than wood chips in your smoker, and impart a deeper smoke flavor into your meats. Pecan, cherry, hickory, and oak are popular tree species for wood chunks, with their own unique character and burn strengths. But Cutting Edge Firewood’s Savanna Heat Smoking Chunks, which are sourced from invasive African hardwood and hand-cut into splits, burn two times hotter and last six times longer than any of those American cooking woods. The flavor is slightly sweet and floral, almost honey-like, with hints of vanilla and caramel.
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Crowd Cow Kagoshima Farms A5 Wagyu New York Strip Steak
Image Credit: Crowd Cow On Shodoshima Island, Japan, Wagyu cattle ranchers finish their beef on a diet of toasted and caramelized olives, a local specialty crop that gives the meat a boost of heart-healthy monounsaturated oleic acids and a bolder umami flavor. Olive Wagyu may be the rarest beef available—the herd contains 2,200 cows and only a few are harvested a month—and Crowd Cow is the only company that imports this remarkable A5 Wagyu to the U.S. Each of their cuts comes with a Certificate of Authenticity to guarantee its status, but it will probably be the intense marbling and unbelievably rich finish that sells you on its legitimacy.
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Boos End-Grain Rectangular Chopping Block, Maple
Image Credit: Boos Block Cutting boards are great for slicing fruits and vegetables and fileting fish, but when you really need to whack at something with a cleaver, you need to have a sturdy chopping block on hand. John Boos & Co’s 20-by-15-inch rectangular chopping block is three inches thick, 21 pounds, and made of solid maple. You certainly won’t crack it by hacking through some bones. And its traditional, end-grain construction can withstand substantial use while being gentle on your knife blades.
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Kalamazoo Gaucho
Image Credit: Kalamazoo Bring the theatrics of an Argentine asado home with Kalamazoo’s Gaucho. This wood-fired grill has an attached 30-inch spoked wheel, which you spin to raise and lower the cooking rack to the flame. The grates have a vertical range of 28 inches, guaranteeing a precise cook. Gas burners get your fire roaring in less than five minutes. And the Gaucho includes a motorized, built-in rotisserie spit that’s hefty enough to hold an entire animal for roasting. It can be used simultaneously as you grill. And as shown above, you can integrate the grill into an impressive outdoor kitchen from Kalamazoo. Add a couple of bottles of Malbec to the dinner table and you’ve delivered dinner, drinks, and a show.
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First Light Farms Wagyu Bone-In Ribeye Racks
Image Credit: Eddie Sanchez, Hungry in L.A. New Zealand-based First Light specializes in 100 percent grass-fed and finished Wagyu, which amazingly has the marbling of grain-finished beef. Not only will the taste of their steaks wow the diners at your house, but eye-popping cuts like their bone-in ribeyes, available in 12-pound racks of seven, will stop the show.
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Cangshan Maya Steak Knives
Image Credit: Cangshan It all comes down to the steak knife. You could have prepared the most luscious, flavorful piece of meat on earth, but if your knife is dull, you could end up with a sawed-up mess on your plate. You should have no such worry with Cangshan Maya steak knives, which are hand sharpened by master bladesmiths prior to shipping. The blades are forged from 67 layers of proprietary X-7 Damascus steel, while the handles are carved from African blackwood into an octagonal shape for a comfy grip.
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Creekstone Farms Prime Tomahawk Steak
Image Credit: Creekstone Farms The king of steaks, the tomahawk is a showstopper on any table. Creekside Farms is the preferred supplier of eye-popping bone-in ribeyes for American Cut, chef Marc Forgione’s steakhouse in TriBeCa. Creekside’s Black Angus cuts weigh in at about 45 ounces each, including an 8-inch-long, French-cut exposed bone, and are then wet aged up to three weeks for optimal tenderness and flavor.
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Flannery Beef California Reserve New York Strip Steaks
Image Credit: Flannery Beef Flannery Beef, a Northern California company that’s been in the same family for decades, is beloved by chefs at Michelin-starred restaurants for its hand-cut USDA Prime steaks with ideal marbling and texture. Sourced from all-natural Holstein cattle on small California ranches and then dry-aged for at least 28 days, the 12-ounce New York strip is Flannery’s most popular cut and is available in packs of two.
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Lodge Carbon Steel Skillet
Image Credit: Lodge Lodge is known for its rugged cast iron cookware, but its new line of durable carbon steel pans may soon be just as iconic. The 12-inch steel skillet comes pre-seasoned with natural soybean oil and is ready to use right out of the box. The versatile pans can retain low and high heats evenly, and get hot or cool down in a snap. Their long handles make them comfortable to use over a flame, and their weight is a fraction of their unwieldy, cast iron cousins.
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Yoder Smokers YS640s Pellet Grill
Image Credit: Yoder Yoder builds its pellet grills for battle—barbecue competitions that is. And when the pressure is high, consistency and control is key. The high-tech YS640S model includes Wi-Fi and Bluetooth connectivity for its Adaptive Control System, integrated food probes, and a ceramic ignition system for ultimate monitoring from anywhere. Set it at 700 degrees to sear a steak in moments, or at 250 degrees to smoke a butt for 12 hours, and the grill automatically feeds the pellets and air into the 1,070-square-foot cook space so it stays exactly 250 degrees the entire time. The pellet grill can also be set up for flame grilling on the same cooker, and the competition model comes with a portable cart decked out with 8-inch never-flat tires so you can maneuver the 418-pound behemoth across any terrain, including your backyard.
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Chef Sac Waxed Canvas & Leather Chef Knife Roll Bag
Image Credit: Chef Sac Designed with pro chefs in mind, the Chef Sac knife roll bag has 23 slots and zippered compartments to fit nearly an entire kitchen inside—culinary knives, utensils, a cleaver, and honing rod for starters. Carry and protect all of your precious work tools that measure up to 16 inches in length in this portable storage system, which is made of durable waxed canvas and leather. An adjustable shoulder strap makes it easy to take the lightweight roll on the go, wherever a steak awaits.
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Meat N’ Bone Dry-Aged Ribeye
Image Credit: Jeremy Repanich For the longest time, the hardest part of the steakhouse experience to replicate at home was to experience that deep, umami-packed, beefy flavor of dry-aged steak. An artisanal butcher in your city may have some selections, but they usually wouldn’t age for that long. And aging at home? That’s not so easy or safe without the right equipment. But online purveyors have filled the void with amazing selections. One of the best comes from the company Meat N’ Bone. Its thick cowboy ribeye is aged for more than 45 days, giving it an amazing depth of flavor like you’d get at your favorite steakhouse. And though the company takes pride in advertising the level of funk in this meat, it doesn’t suffer from having a muddled or off flavor like some aged beef has, showing they took some care in the aging process.
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Smithey Ironware No. 12 Combo Set
Image Credit: Smithey Ironware Co. Since 2015, Smithey Ironware in Charleston, S.C. has been crafting beautiful, polished cast iron pans. While you can get pretty good performance out of a good Lodge cast iron pan—which are readily available all around the country—they don’t have the vintage flair, beautiful patina and ultra-smooth surface that Smithey boasts. While the company sells a dutch oven, forged carbon steel pans and multiple cast iron skillets, our favorite is the set they offer with a 12-inch skillet paired with a flat top griddle that also doubles as a lid for the pan.
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Cote Korean Steakhouse x Schmidt Bros. Harmony Set
Image Credit: Gary He Simply put, this is a stunning set of steak knives and chopsticks. Michelin-starred Korean Steakhouse Cote and Schmidt Brothers teamed up for a beautifully crafted collection that combines form and function. The true stars of the show are the knives with ergonomic walnut handles with full-tang, five-inch forged stainless-steel blades. The knives feel balanced and sturdy in your hand while the blades glide through your big slab of beef with ease.
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Yeti Roadie Wheeled Cooler
Image Credit: Yeti If you’re grilling your steak outside or traveling with it to a destination, you need a trusted cooler to get it there. Yeti’s hard-sided Roadie Wheeled Coolers are just as durable and insulated as you’d expect from the brand. They come outfitted with never-flat wheels so rocky trails won’t puncture your fun, non-slip feet so they won’t slide around in your car or boat, and a sturdy periscoping handle that makes it easy to maneuver when you’re on the go. And the Roadie is big and deep enough to handle upright bottles of Cabernet, the perfect pairing for your slabs of beef.
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ThermoWorks Thermapen One
Image Credit: ThermoWorks Don’t leave that steak to guess work. If you’re going to plop down a few hundred bucks on some amazing, thick-cut tomahawks, you want to get that cook just right. When you’re really seasoned, your fingers can do a lot of work to help you test for doneness, but this digital instant-read thermometer is even better. I use it when I’m reverse-searing a thick steak and letting it come up to temp in the oven before getting a hard sear on the outside. The Thermapen lets me pull the steak right on time so I get the perfect doneness with every steak.
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Steak Locker Smart Dry Aging Refrigerator
Image Credit: Steak Locker With dry aging steak, the problem people run into is that they don’t realize the home fridge doesn’t really work, for a couple reasons. You want your dry-aging fridge to have a more consistent temperature and air flow than your home fridge offers. Also, you don’t want anything else in the fridge, because over time the steak will start absorbing the flavors of the other food inside the old icebox with it. So when the steak actually has time to undergo the enzymatic reaction that makes dry-aged steak so delicious, it will start to have a muddled, stale flavor because of what it has absorbed in the ol’ icebox. However, this Steak Locker solves those problems with a dedicated dry-aging chamber that keeps the temperature and humidity at a constant level, for safe and effective aging.
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Asada: The Art of Mexican-Style Grilling
Image Credit: Abrams Books Asada is not just a dish, it’s a lifestyle. Bricia Lopez, chef and restaurateur and author of the hit cookbook Oaxaca, is back with a new tome, Asada, a guide to the art and culture of Mexican grilling. The book explains Mexican cuts of meat such as ranchera, how to prepare them, and the sides, salsas, and drinks to pair with them for a full-blown backyard asada.
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Steelport 3-Piece Essential Set
Image Credit: Steelport Knife Co. Steelport Knife Co. was founded by Portland, Ore.-based Eytan Zias, a chef turned knife sharpener and purveyor who started forging his own blades last decade. In 2020, he decided to create his own line of knives, and the eight-inch is the versatile chef knife you’ve been looking for. It’s a handcrafted knife featuring a full tang, carbon steel and a handle made from handsome Oregon big leaf maple that’s reinforced with resin for better durability. You can tell it was made by someone who cooks; the handle is ergonomic, the blade balanced, the knife sturdy. Steelport’s 3-Piece Essential Set includes the eight-inch chef knife, a four-inch paring knife, and a 10-inch serrated knife, which are sure to tackle any job in your kitchen.
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Napoleon Prestige Pro 825
Image Credit: Napoleon Sure, your grill can cook. But can it put on a light show? While not the most impressive feature of Napoleon’s Prestige Pro 825, its light-up control knobs are certainly the most fun: Outfitted with LED Spectrum lights, they can glow in practically any color and cycle through the rainbow on their own. As a bonus safety feature, they will switch to red if you accidentally leave the gas on. The Prestige Pro 825 can run on propane or natural gas, includes scorching-hot infrared burners on the bottom and rear, and a side burner, totaling 1,430 square inches of cooking space. That’s enough space to cook 51 burgers at the same time. An integrated wood chips smoker tray is camouflaged as a control knob, and slides out so you can fill it with chips and add just a hint of smoky flavor to your meal, without having to fill your yard with smog.
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Snake River Farms Plate Short Rib
Image Credit: Snake River Farms Ok, so this isn’t a steak, but it’s one glorious slab of beef. Snake River Farms’ plate short rib lets you make your own big old beef ribs you’ll see from some of your favorite pitmasters. But if you’re not in the mood to slow cook this unctuous hunk, Snake River Farms still has plenty of great cuts available of its beautifully marbled American Wagyu steaks.
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Hedley & Bennett Grilling Apron
Image Credit: Hedley & Bennett Splatter is unavoidable when grilling, but ruining your clothes is not. Pro chefs—including those who work at LA’s Chateau Marmont and those who appear on Bravo’s Top Chef—reach for Hedley & Bennett aprons when they want protective gear between them and a flame. The rugged yet functional design has deep pockets and cross-back straps to take the strain off your neck, plus they’re made from water- and stain-resistant heavy-duty waxed canvas and leather. That means they’re just as effective in a workshop as they are in an outdoor kitchen.
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Camp Chef Woodwind Pro Wi-Fi 36-Inch Pellet Grill
Image Credit: Camp Chef For those looking for total control of your cook, the Camp Chef Woodwind Pro is the pellet grill for you. This Wi-Fi-enabled grill allows you to monitor everything that’s going on under the hood from your phone, and then adjust the smoke and temp with a tap of your thumb. This grill is outfitted with a smoke box that’s compatible with hardwood pellets, wood chunks or chips, and charcoal, so you can get the exact flavor you want, and down-and-out ventilation ensures the heat is circulated evenly. You can try your hand at cold smoking with the “fan only” mode, or just crank it up to its highest temperature, 500 degrees F, and sear a steak with ease.
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Looft Lighter X Cordless
Image Credit: Williams Sonoma No matter how natural your fuel is—charcoal, briquettes, hardwood logs—you’ll inevitably have to introduce lighter fluid or toxic chemicals to get it ablaze. Enter the Looft Lighter X Cordless, a rechargeable lighter that superheats air to 1,200 degrees F in 60 seconds and then blasts it onto your fuel of choice to spark it up. After ignition, the all-electric device can be switched to “air mode” to quickly fan the flames, boosting heat, and glow.
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Wüsthof Classic 6-Inch Cleaver
Image Credit: Wüsthof If you’re working with ribs, racks, and bones, you’re going to need a knife that’s up to the challenge. Wüsthof’s Classic 6-Inch Cleaver is strong, balanced, and rigid, with a large flat blade and ergonomic handle, to make quick and easy work of your butchering.
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Jacobsen Salt Co. Pure Flake Sea Salt
Image Credit: Williams Sonoma You’ve tempered your steak, seared it perfectly to medium-rare, let it rest just the right amount of time, sliced it on the bias and now you’re ready to serve, right? No. You’ve taken so much care to this point, you might as well end strong with the right finishing salt. Jacobsen’s hand-harvest flakes from Netarts Bay, Oregon will provide a clean, crunchy touch that will heighten the flavors of meat without overwhelming it with salt.
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Holy Grail Upper Prime Black Angus Ribeye
Image Credit: Holy Grail Steak Co. One of America’s premier Japanese A5 Wagyu purveyors is also an excellent place to buy Angus beef and American Wagyu too. Holy Grail’s Upper Prime program curates only the best of the best Prime beef—only around 1,000 head of cattle per year meet the criteria—offering steaks with the outstanding fat marbling that provides optimal flavor and tenderness. This steakhouse-quality beef comes in a variety of cuts, but for those who are looking for the “Holy Grail” of Black Angus raised in the U.S., get the abundantly marbled ribeye, which comes in a sizeable 16 ounces.
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Hestan Outdoor
Image Credit: Hestan Hestan has flipped the traditional grill on its head: Its Outdoor grills have a ceramic, infrared top burner under the hood. With heat sources below and above, you can sear, broil and finish your meats like a professional kitchen does under a salamander. The hood has spring-assisted hinges that keep it in place, whatever angle you open it at, and motion-activated “stadium lights” illuminate the cooking area for late-night or early-morning grilling sessions. And all of the grills—built in, freestanding or carts—are available in 12 colors, bringing a splash of brightness to the typical stainless-steel finish.
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Vermont Wagyu Ribeye
Image Credit: Vermont Wagyu Most American-raised Wagyu beef is a cross-breed of Japanese cattle and Black Angus. At a farm in Vermont, Sheila Patinkin rears and raises fullblood Japanese not far from where she grew up. The difference between American and Japanese beef isn’t merely semantics. The Japanese cattle is genetically different from its Stateside counterpart because it creates fat on the inside of the muscle tissue, making the fan more evenly distributed through the meat and not just in a fat cap. Vermont is selling A5-levels of fattiness, but its steaks are still remarkably rich and tender nonetheless with subtle, buttery notes to the fat in the meat.
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DeBragga Australian Wagyu Tenderloin
Image Credit: DeBragga No, this isn’t a still from the 1990 Kevin Bacon sci-fi classic Tremors. This is 3.5 lbs. of Australian wagyu beef tenderloin from the premium meat purveyor DeBragga. Slice it into your own desired thickness of filet mignon, wrap it in pastry for a winning Beef Wellington or perhaps even roast it whole, it’ll be hard to go wrong with tenderloin that’s this richly marbled. But to up the umami factor even more, DeBragga is adding truffle butter and glace de viande veal stock to the meat too.
