37 Gifts for Meat Lovers That Are a Cut Above the Rest

From burgers to barbecue, steaks to sous vide, chicken thighs to chopping boards, there’s a meat treat or groovy gadget for just about every gift-giving occasion. While these are our favorite gifts for meat (and grilling!) enthusiasts this year, nearly all of them are versatile enough to find a home in any kitchen or backyard—meat-eater or not. 

And the best part of food-centric gifts? They’re totally appropriate all year round! Birthdays, anniversaries, cute little “just because” moment. These are a few (ahem, 37) of our favorite things to give meat lovers.

A Crafty Cleaver

Victorinox 7 Inch Blade Restaurant Cleaver with Walnut Handle

$74 at Amazon View on Webstaurant Store View on Katom.com

This budget-friendly cleaver chopped its way to the top of our list our test thanks to its sharp blade and durable build. And looks cool, which definitely doesn’t hurt when you’re giving it as a gift. 

A Clever Cutting Board

The Boardsmith Maple End-Grain Cutting Board

$360 at Amazon View on Theboardsmith.com

It’s a little bit of a splash-out gift, but we love this customizable carving board that is spacious enough to hold a turkey and looks good enough to live on your countertop. Or, rather, the countertop of your lucky loved one.

And a Matching Carving Knife

Wüsthof Classic 9" Carving Knife

$170 at Amazon $170 at Williams Sonoma View on Wusthof.com

If you really want to impress a meat lover this year, wrap up a Wüsthof knife to go along with that fancy carving board. Or, just give this carving knife on its own, because the deft blade and comfortable handle are more than enough to please even the most discerning chef. 

A Scintillating Sous Vide

Anova Culinary Sous Vide Precision Cooker

$108 at Amazon View on Walmart $219 at Home Depot

Breville Joule Turbo Sous Vide

$250 at Amazon $200 at Walmart $250 at Target

Both of these immersion circulators stood out in our tests and are sure to inspire new cooking projects in the hands of your meat-loving mother-in-law (or, you know, whomever). They’re also both “smart” appliances that can pair with a smartphone app, so they’ll double as a fun gift for a meat eater who loves niche tech. 

And a Matching Vacuum Sealer

Anova Precision Vacuum Sealer Pro

$150 $142 at Amazon $150 at Williams Sonoma $150 at Walmart

Nesco VS-12 Deluxe Vacuum Sealer

$140 $97 at Amazon $120 at Walmart $97 at Target

It’s not every day we have co-winners in our vacuum sealer tests, but that’s a good thing—because, yikes, testing vacuum sealers on a daily basis would be a lot of work. Anyway, either of these two is a great choice and would pair beautifully with one of the sous vides above.

Maybe a Meat Grinder

KitchenAid KSMMGA Metal Food Grinder Attachment

$100 $75 at Amazon $75 at Williams Sonoma $100 $75 at Walmart

If your favorite meat-eater happens to have a KitchenAid stand mixer but doesn’t yet have the meat grinder attachment, well, that’s perfect. Gift-giving has never been easier. 

Or a Charcoal Grill

Weber Original Kettle Premium 22-Inch Charcoal Grill

$233 $219 at Amazon $219 at Home Depot $219 at Ace Hardware

Charcoal grills make a great gift. They’re impressive (a whole grill?!) yet budget-friendly and this classic model from Weber won’t take up anyone’s entire backyard. Way to steal the show with your thoughtful gifting!

A Practical Pan

Lodge 12-Inch Pre-Seasoned Cast Iron Skillet

$30 at Amazon $25 at Walmart $30 at Target

While it’s probably true that any meat person worth their salt already has a cast iron pan, there’s always room for one more. Lodge has long been our go-to for affordable cast iron quality, and this year is no different. 

Some Nifty Steak Knives

Messermeister Avanta 5-inch Fine Edge 4-Piece Steak Knife Set

$70 $64 at Amazon $70 at Ace Hardware View on Messermeister.com

We’ve tested oodles of steak knives and Messermeister came out on top with excellent performance at a great price. They also look so nice as to have been described as “sexy” by our team, so, take that as you will.

A Pair of Grippy Oven Mitts

Food 52 Five Two Silicone Oven Mitts, Set of 2

$40 at Food52

These oven mitts are some of the best. They’re ultra-flexible and super-grippy—perfect for pulling a roast out of the oven. And because they’re so flexible, they work well with hands of all sizes.

Delicious Sauce

Bobbie’s Boat Sauce Gift Pack

View on Bobbiesboatsauce.com

If you haven’t tried Bobbie’s Boat Sauce yet, you’re missing out. This spicy, tangy, well-balanced sauce goes on absolutely everything—needless to say, it’s marvelous on meats. 

A Dynamic Duo

Nordic Ware Naturals Baker's Half Sheet

$28 at Amazon $28 at Walmart $40 at Sur La Table

Mrs. Anderson's Baking Half Sheet Baking and Cooling Rack

$17 $11 at Amazon

Baking sheets and cooling racks aren’t just for bakers—give the gift of easy dry brines, bacon drains, and the perfect spot on which to let meat rest before digging in. You can give either of these as a gift, but we’d spring for both and make it a practical pairing. 

The Snappiest Tongs

OXO Good Grips 12-Inch Tongs

$16 at Amazon $24 at Walmart $24 at Walmart

Everyone loves to snap tongs together, and it’s especially satisfying with a fresh pair like these from OXO. The stainless steel tips mean these are equally at home over the grill or the skillet, and they’re comfortable to work with. We like them so much that we named them the best tongs after our extensive tests.

A Big Spoon

JB Prince Sauce Spoon

View on Jbprince.com

Does anyone actually need a special spoon just for tossing hot butter over steak? Probably not, but the better question is indeed why not? And since half the fun of gift-giving is to give things people aren’t likely to buy for themselves, an extra-large spoon is just the ticket—especially if you’re on a budget this holiday season. 

A Fancy Thermometer

ThermoWorks Thermapen ONE

$115 at Amazon View on Thermoworks View on Kingarthurbaking.com

Thermoworks ThermoPop 2

$41 at Amazon View on Thermoworks

We’re pretty adamant that every home cook needs a great thermometer, and ThermoWorks has been making our favorites for quite a while now. Instant-read thermometers are especially important for cooking meat properly, and we like ours as fast and accurate as possible. Splurge on the Thermapen One or give the handy ThermoPop 2—both are sure to be well-received.

A Different Type of Fancy Thermometer

ThermoWorks Smoke Remote BBQ Alarm Thermometer

View on Thermoworks

This thermometer was made for pitmasters. It features two probes—one for the meat, one for the pit—and includes a receiver so you can keep an eye on temperatures without having to spend the afternoon hovering over the grill. What’s better than the gift of a worry-free beer and a bathroom break?

A Couple of Books

Meathead: The Science of Great Barbecue and Grilling

$35 $24 at Amazon $23 at Walmart $35 at Barnesandnoble.com

The Great Meat Cookbook: Everything You Need to Know to Buy and Cook Today's Meat

$40 $10 at Amazon

The nice thing about cookbooks is that good ones never go out of style. From learning how to select the right cuts to their perfect preparation—and coming up with Very Important side dishes—there’s no shortage of meat-centric books to choose from.

A Bountiful Bucket

Maldon 3.1 lb Sea Salt Flakes

$25 at Amazon $25 at Walmart

Is my editor tired of seeing this on my gift guides? Probably. But meat people take their salt seriously and showing up with a bucket of the good stuff is guaranteed to impress. Just like a few of these fabulous flakes on a sliced ribeye.

A Swanky Cooler

YETI Tundra 45 Hard Cooler

$300 at Amazon $300 at Ace Hardware View on Westmarine.com

Nothing declares a serious backyard barbecue like a big cooler full of frosty drinks. Yeti doesn’t play around when it comes to insulation, and the Tundra 45 is one of our favorites. It makes a great gift, and you can do something cute like fill it with beer or grilling accessories. 

The Best Backpacking Stove

Jetboil Stash Cooking System

View on Amazon $150 at REI View on Johnsonoutdoors.com

Alright, so your meat-loving recipient will also have to be the outdoorsy type to appreciate such a gift, but if they're into hiking and camping, they’re sure to appreciate this portable powerhouse. 

A Portable Gas Grill

Weber Q1200 Portable Gas Grill

$287 $259 at Amazon $259 at Walmart $259 at Walmart

Speaking of going places with grills, if a camping stove isn’t quite the right fit, maybe this larger, real-deal Weber portable gas grill is. This is a grill perfect for tailgating or loading up and bringing over to a friend’s house when they’re hosting a backyard party but don’t have a grill (maybe gift them this grill?).

An Herb Garden

AeroGarden Harvest Elite

$82 at Amazon View on Aerogarden.com

We recently tested a bunch of indoor herb gardens, and this one came out on top, delivering lush herbs that will pair beautifully with—you guessed it—meat. From basil to rosemary to sage to thyme, a tidy little hydroponic system will let anyone grow fresh herbs at home, no outdoor garden required.

The Best Grilling Gloves

Grill Armor Gloves Extreme Heat-Resistant Oven Gloves

$30 at Amazon $30 at Walmart View on Grillarmorgloves.com

The Best Grill Brush

Grillart Grill Brush and Scraper

$17 at Amazon $19 at Walmart View on Grillartus.com

Two things are true about grills: They’re hot, and you eventually have to clean them. Pick up a part of high-heat grilling gloves and Riddley’s favorite grill brush for a practical, effective gift set.

A Personality Trait

Instant Vortex Plus 6-Quart 6-in-1 Air Fryer

$140 at Amazon $150 at Williams Sonoma $182 at Walmart

No shade to air fryer people—we know they’re convenient! We know they cook food really well! Including and perhaps especially meats! We just wanted to make sure they weren’t going to be a passing fad before we invested time and resources into testing air fryers. The Vortex Plus yielded the crispiest, most evenly cooked food (including chicken wings), so we’re happy to recommend it. The price isn't bad, either. 

A Serving Platter

Le Creuset Serving Platter

$75 at Amazon $75 at Sur La Table $65 at Wayfair

For serving roasts (or whatever), grab a good serving platter. One of our favorites from Le Creuset looks fancy, but it’s also durable and has handles! 

A Fancy Panini Press

Breville BGR700BSS The Sear and Press Countertop Electric Grill

$200 at Amazon $200 at Williams Sonoma $200 at Sur La Table

A Cubano made on a panini press? We’ll take two! (Or three…) 

The Best Boning Knife

Victorinox 6-Inch Fibrox Pro Flexible Boning Knife

$38 at Amazon $25 at Walmart $24 at Sur La Table

For slipping in between joints, you’ll need a nimble boning knife. This one has a nicely flexible blade, isn’t too expensive, and sports a grippy handle. 

The Best Salt Cellar

Zero Japan Bee House Salt Box

$33 at Amazon

Meat needs to be seasoned. This is why a cellar for holding a vat of kosher salt is a necessity. This one has a bamboo lid that flips upright and a large opening.

The Best Pepper Mill

Peugeot Paris Pepper Mill

$62 $39 at Amazon $69 at Williams Sonoma $58 at Walmart

In that same vein, a big ol’ steak practically screams for a smattering of freshly cracked black pepper. Grab our favorite pepper mill, tie a bow on it, and be done gifting.

An Electric Pressure Cooker

Instant Pot Pro 8-Quart 10-in-1 Pressure Cooker

$190 $170 at Amazon $170 at Williams Sonoma $233 at Walmart

For transforming tougher cuts of meat quickly, a pressure cooker is the way to go. And make it an electric pressure cooker, which is infinitely easier to use. Our favorite Instant Pot has a steam release switch (no more poking at the valve with a spoon) and handles on the cooking pot that anchors it in place.

An Actually Worthwhile Roasting Pan

Misen Roasting Pan

$134 at Sur La Table View on Misen.com

Most roasting pans stink: Their too-high sides inhibit browning. But not this one from Misen! It’s thoughtfully designed and solves all of our roasting pan qualms. 

FAQs

What do you get someone who loves to cook meat?

This gift guide should give you some great ideas! Our go-to, budget-friendly gifts for meat lovers include an instant-read thermometer, a cast iron skillet, or a comprehensive cookbook.  

What do you get someone who loves to grill?

Meat and grills go hand-in-hand, so, again, you’ll find lots of inspo in this guide. But a few quick suggestions might include a grill brush, a remote thermometer, or a fresh pair of tongs.

Why We're the Experts

• Summer Rylander is a writer who's been contributing to Serious Eats for years.
• Her work has also appeared in Food & Wine, Travel + Leisure, and more.