Porter Road Review 2024: Is Its Meat Truly Great?

Overview

Porter Road is a meat delivery service that takes quality seriously. The company offers high-quality beef, pork, chicken, and lamb meat. And it ships products to customers countrywide. But what really sets the meat delivery service apart is its commitment to responsible sourcing.

The service works with suppliers who maintain high breeding standards. It checks its partners in Tennessee and Kentucky regularly to ensure they treat animals with care and respect. Animals are also raised outdoors and fed a vegetarian diet.

Overall, I think Porter Road provides a premium service, but it has a price to match. You’ll receive recipes and other extras that make it worth the price. Check out my full Porter Road review to learn all about its unique features.

Porter Road’s Menu: Meats of the Highest Quality

Porter Road works with family-owned farms that keep high animal welfare standards and treat their livestock humanely. The meat delivery service offers dry-aged and hand-cut beef, pork, chicken, and lamb products processed in its facilities.

Note that the service’s meat may have a different color than you’re used to seeing. Porter Road doesn't use antibiotics, hormones, preservatives, or any other additives. So don’t be worried! It’s a sign that the meat you receive is completely natural.

Meal Options: Pork, Chicken, Beef & Lamb

Porter Road has pork, chicken, beef, and lamb products in its assortment. You'll find various products in the available meat categories, including:

All of Porter Road’s beef is dry aged. This process – which you usually only find at a fancy steakhouse – results in a superior savory flavor. You’ll see a Dry Aged label on the menu as well as an assortment of symbols that indicate different preparation methods for each item.

I you want to try a variety of meats before committing, check out the Curated boxes. These include a selection of different cuts, so you can get a sense of what you like before ordering larger quantities. 

Each curated box has a unique selection of meats and other items. They contain combinations of different cuts of meat, while some have extras like spice blends or kitchen tools. Many even have themes, like the Breakfast Box, which includes bacon and breakfast sausages.

Curated boxes make great gifts, but don’t write them off as a luxury! You can receive certain discounts if you opt to Subscribe & Save on selected boxes. This can make it more affordable to enjoy a steady supply of quality meat.

Customization Isn’t Available, but You Can Filter the Menu 

With Porter Road, there’s no customization. However, you can check out each product’s info page where you’ll find details about the selected piece of meat, cooking suggestions, and customer reviews, if available. You'll also see cuts the service recommends if you don't find the reviewed meat satisfactory. 

You can also use the side filters on Porter Road's website to narrow down options or find a specific type of meat. This feature allows you to filter by Cooking Time, Cooking Gear, and more. You may also find additional filters like Recipe and PR Favorites, which shortlist some of the company's featured products. I found Cooking Time and Cooking Gear filters very helpful. And I believe you can benefit from them greatly, especially if you don't have much time to spend in the kitchen or your cooking equipment is scarce.

Porter Road’s Menu at a Glance 

Unboxing: You Get Fresh Meat in Insulated Packaging

Porter Road ships your meat in a special box designed to keep it fresh and safe. The package comes with biodegradable insulation on each side and ice gel packs at the top and bottom. You'll find the meats safely nestled in between. 

The products are guaranteed to arrive fresh even in the heat of summer. This means, however, that many items are shipped frozen. This mostly applies to large roasts and ground meat, including sausages.

You'll notice that all items are neatly packed and labeled. Once you're done unpacking, don't throw away the cornstarch-based insulation material, as you can use it to light your barbecue. But if you don't need it, simply rinse it down the sink.

Refrigerate or freeze meats as soon as they arrive. You should eat poultry within 4 days, pork in 5 days, and lamb within 7 days. Beef can last up to 10 days, in general.

Cooking with Porter Road: From 15 Minutes to a Whole Day

Porter Road has meats you can prepare in under 15 minutes to a full day. It offers many beef and pork cuts and a few chicken products that you can prepare in under 15 minutes. You can also find products suitable for cooking on the grill, oven, pan/skillet, smoker, and crock pot. So, whatever time and equipment you have, you'll find products matching both on the Porter Road website. 

Shortlist of My Favorite Meals

I'm a huge fan of Filet Mignon, generally one of the most popular beef products. And when it's free of antibiotics, hormones, and other by-products, it's a must-have meal for me. And this particular piece of the lower back of the beef is suitable for grilling and cooking in the skillet.

You should quickly cook Filet Mignon over high heat. But be careful not to overcook it because it doesn't have much fat. The idea is to sear the outside while keeping the inside juicy. When you're done with cooking, leave it to rest for a while before consumption. 

Double-cut pork chop is my favorite pig meat. This special cut from the chop section weighs between 1.25 and 1.75 pounds and is good for cooking in the skillet and excellent for grilling.

If you grill it, sear the meat from each side over high heat first. Then, shift it to indirect heat and keep it there until the internal temperature reaches 145°F. 

Bone-in Skin on Thighs is a versatile Porter Road product you can easily prepare. It typically weighs between 1.26 and 1.5 pounds and is prepared in a braiser, oven, skillet, and on a grill.

But you should sear them in the pan before roasting them in the oven for the best result. Dry the skin before seasoning the cuts to achieve a crispy finish. Cook these flavorsome chicken pieces to 165°F and, optionally, accompany them with some vegetables for a complete meal.

Prices: Porter Road Is Reasonably Priced

You won't be able to filter Porter Road's products by cost. You'll have to check individual items to see their prices. The price tag varies depending on the type of meat, and here's a quick breakdown:

Regarding pricing, you'll find that most products cost well below the maximum price. Take the Pork section as an example. The majority of items fall in the $10-$30 range, with several cuts priced below and only a few going above that.

As for shipping fees, Porter Road has sort of a dual pricing policy. It means that the delivery expenses you'll pay depend on the amount of your purchase and your location. To be eligible for discounted delivery, you must purchase for at least $125. But whether you'll pay nothing or up to $82 depends on 2 parameters – your residential state and the preferred delivery method. 

You qualify for free delivery for standard shipping if you live in a state close to Kentucky. The farther away you are, the higher the delivery fee will be. Please refer to the following image to get an idea.

Shipping and Delivery: Shipping Is Prompt, but Some Details Are Unclear

You can order Porter Road meats if you live in the continental United States. Thus, you can't get the company's offerings if you live in Hawaii, Alaska, American Samoa, or any other overseas territory or dependency. In that case, consider checking the Omaha Steaks review to see whether it’s the right fit for you.

The meat delivery service doesn't accept returns due to the perishable nature of its products. This means that you won't be able to return a product if you're dissatisfied with its state or something else. 

The service also doesn't explicitly mention how it intends to resolve any issues. It encourages customers, however, to contact customer support in case of any problem. Still, it doesn't offer a guarantee that you'll get compensation because it ultimately depends on its assessment. 

I didn’t find any mention of rescheduling on the site, which is likely due to prompt shipping. If you prefer having control over delivery rescheduling, check out Crowd Cow.

How Porter Road Works (Step by Step Guide)

You can purchase the Porter Road meats as a guest. But you can earn points providing discounts on the company products by becoming a member. Signing up for membership is free, and you instantly get 25 reward points. To save $5, you’ll have to collect 100 points, to get $10 off, you need 200 points, and so on. 

If you’re a social service worker, you benefit from a 10% discount. You'll need to verify your employment status through GovX ID. First responders, military personnel, government employees, and teachers fall into this category. 

Also, first-time buyers can save money on curated boxes for their first order. You'll need to scroll down the page and check the Subscribe box to receive 15% off on your initial purchase. The promo code will be right there. Moreover, you can select how often to receive the package, whether it's every week or every 2, 4, or 8 weeks. Note that this normally doesn’t work for purchasing individual cuts.

How To Sign Up (Just 3 Simple Steps)

To get membership discounts and bonuses, you need to register an account first. It takes a minute or 2 and includes 3 simple steps, which are:

1. Create an account. Enter your first and last name, as well as your email address, and create a strong password. 

2. Check your email for the confirmation message to confirm the registration of your account.

3. Once you click on the link in the email, go to your account and start purchasing.

Managing Your Account

You can easily manage your subscription from your account. From there, you can also check past orders, change shipping addresses, and see your reward points. 

When it comes to reward points, new customers automatically get 25 points. It’s also pretty great that every dollar spent equals 1 point and that 100 points equal a $5 discount. 

You can level up your subscription by spending more. Depending on how much you spend per year, you can reach different membership tiers. For instance, you become a Meat Eater when you start spending. You evolve to a Meat Lover stage when purchasing over $250. A $1,000 worth of combined purchases elevates you to Meat Nerd. 

The higher the tier, the more benefits you'll receive. For example, you get a 1x point multiplier as a Meat Eater, while as a Meat Nerd, your point multiplier is 1.5. Also, the Birthday Rewards grow with each tier. As a Meat Eater, you get 100 points, while as a Meat Lover and Meat Nerd you receive 200 and 300 birthday reward points respectively.

Customer Service: Porter Road's Support Is Okay

I had a good experience contacting Porter Road's customer support. The response time was reasonable considering I contacted it via email. The meat delivery service also has a contact form and a phone option available, if these are more convenient for you. 

But I noticed that the company doesn't have a live chat feature. I found that disappointing given that the feature is quite common these days among meal delivery services and suitable to a host of dieters looking for quick information. 

Scroll to the footer and select Contact Us to get in touch with customer care. There, you can choose your preferred contact method. Agents operate from 10 am to 6 pm EST, Monday to Friday.

I sent an email and received an answer in around 12 hours. My question was whether Porter Road plans to expand its assortment since I'm a big fan of duck and turkey meat. Daemon answered my question to the point stating that the company offers turkey around major holidays, such as Christmas and Thanksgiving. But he emphasized that it’s unlikely for the service to add those meats to its regular selection.

I haven't found any information relating to the cancelation policy on the website. Not even the Search feature in the header helped. I assume it's of no consequence to most meat eaters since the service's deliveries aren't recurring, for the most part. But if you're planning to commit to recurring deliveries of curated boxes, I advise checking with customer support about the cancelation procedure before purchasing.

How Porter Road Compares to Other Meal Delivery Services

• Porter Road vs. Factor: Porter Road specializes in high-quality raw meats, while Factor prepares and delivers meals that require only heating to its customers. Licensed dietitians design Factor's dishes while experienced chefs prepare them, ensuring balanced nutrition and flavor. Additionally, Factor offers free nutrition coaching sessions to help customers figure out what food and diet suit them best.

• Porter Road vs. Blue Apron: While Porter Road's meats are of high quality, the company doesn't provide the same level of convenience as Blue Apron. The latter sources top-quality meat and produce and formulates meal kits and prepared meals catering to the needs of many dieters, including vegetarians and carb-conscious people. Blue Apron also allows you to personalize certain dishes (for meal kits only).

• Porter Road vs. Snake River Farms: Porter Road has a wide selection of cuts. But unlike Porter Road, Snake River Farms has first-class beef wagyu (but it doesn't have beef wagyu, which is where Snake River Farms excels). While you’ll find the latter offering beef and pork products, it seems to lack chicken meat. Both services source ingredients from farms with sustainable farming practices, but I found that Porter Road's prices are generally lower than those of Snake River Farms.

The Bottom Line: Is Porter Road Worth It?

You'll love Porter Road if you're a fan of high-quality, sustainably-raised meat. The service has many beef and pork cuts and a decent selection of chicken products. And besides expert cooks, it suits beginners, who can find prep recommendations and suggested methods accompanying each product. 

On the flip side, the meat delivery service may not be a great fit for budget eaters. Moreover, it doesn't ship products beyond the continental US states. Also, I found during my Porter Road review that it doesn't have a defined refund or cancelation policy, which may prove inconvenient if you have trouble with delivery.

FAQ

Is Porter Road good?

Porter Roads meats are additive-free and sustainably raised. It's a great choice for eco-minded foodies and anyone who wants meat free of antibiotics, steroids, and other quesitonable products.

Why is Porter Road so expensive?

Porter Road’s high prices are largely due to its responsible sourcing practices. The company buys meat from farmers who practice sustainable and humane farming, which is more expensive than conventional farming methods. Still, you can find reasonably priced products on Porter Road’s website. 

What are Porter Road's competitors? 

Snake River Farm, Crowd Cow, and Omaha Steaks are a few of its direct competitors. Snake River Farm is generally pricier, but it has beef wagyu on offer. Besides locally, Crowd Cow sources meats from international suppliers, giving you a chance to try something new. Omaha Steaks has side dishes and desserts besides meat cuts and delivers products to remote US territories and dependencies, while Porter Road ships items to customers in the mainland US only.