Carnivore Club Subscription Box Review – September 2015

Carnivore Club sends artisanal cured meats from around the world. Each month’s box is themed around a different producer that specializes in a particular style of cured meat. Boxes feature everything from French charcuterie and Italian salumi to Spanish chorizo and South African biltong.

All of the featured meats are cured and shelf stable for at least a month; however, Carnivore Club recommends that subscribers keep their boxes in the fridge to maintain product quality and increase shelf life.

This box was sent to me at no cost for review. (Check out the review process post to learn more about how we review boxes.)

The Subscription Box: Carnivore Club

The Cost: $50 per month with a recurring subscription. (Single boxes can be purchased for $55.)

The Products: Artisanal cured meats from around the world.

Ships to: US (Note that Carnivore Club also operates clubs in Canada and the UK.)

Carnivore Club includes a brochure that provides information about the shipment’s featured producers and details the month’s meats.

This box also included a coupon for Hello Fresh.

Lone Mountain Wagyu Jerky (3 oz.)- $15.59

Wagyu beef is renowned for it’s tenderness and potent marbling. Lone Mountain operates one of the only 100% Fullblood Wagyu ranches in the US, and they verify the lineage all their cattle. I’ve never had Wagyu jerky before, and I’m extremely impressed by how moist and flavorful the meat is. Often, jerky can be a little dry, but Lone Mountain’s Wagyu Jerky manages to be chewy while also mouth-meltingly tender. Of course, quality comes at a price. $15 for 3 oz. of jerky seems pricey… until I poked around their store and found these filet mignon steaks. Wowzers!

Chef’s Cut Original Recipe Steak Jerky (2.5 oz.)- $6.99

Chef’s Cut Chipotle Cracked Pepper Steak Jerky (2.5 oz.)- $6.99

Chef’s Cut Jerky is made with hand-cut, certified Angus beef, a proprietary smoking process, and natural spices. I’ve tried both of these flavors before thanks to Mantry. Both are flavorful and tender, but I especially like the spice blend on the Chipotle Cracked Pepper Jerky.

Vermont Smoke and Cure Pepperoni (7 oz)- $7

Vermont Smoke and Cure Pepperoni is another product I previously received in a Mantry box. It’s smoked, which results in a product that’s less oily than most pepperoni on the market. It’s smoky, spicy, and really fantastic. Looks like I’ll need to schedule a pizza night!

Vermont Smoke and Cure Summer Sausage (7 oz.)- $7

Vermont Smoke and Cure summer sausage is fermented for 12 hours, which gives it a distinct, tangy flavor. It’s made without nitrates, preservatives, or MSG. Carnivore Club recommends serving it diced in potato salad or pasta. I love the idea of tossing it with pasta. I might try adding it to something like this.

The Verdict: I’m impressed by the quality of the cured meats selected for this month’s Carnivore Club. In particular, I think the Lone Mountain Wagyu Jerky is outstanding. This month’s featured products have a combined value of almost $45. While this falls short of the $50 cost of a recurring monthly subscription, I think there’s added value in the curation and presentation of the box. The packaging is fantastic, too, and I’m considering gifting a subscription to a couple of my carnivorous, meat-loving friends this upcoming holiday season.

Have you tried any of the cured meats included in this month’s Carnivore Club?