Where To Find 14 Rare Meats Online

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According to Western Livestock Journal, chicken is the most widely consumed meat in the United States by a large margin, followed by beef, pork, and in a distant fourth, turkey. There are, however, so many animal-based proteins beyond these four that offer a fascinating range of flavors, textures, and experiences. Not to mention, many alternative meat sources are deeply embedded in regional cultures, part of recipes that have been handed down from generation to generation.

One thing these game or exotic meats have in common is that they're much leaner than the beef, pork, or even chicken you find in supermarkets. While this can be a plus, nutritionally, it also means they can be more difficult to work with in the kitchen, because the lack of fat makes them easier to overcook and can make the perfect flavor combination harder to discover.

That being said, the internet has made the world much smaller and opened up a wide market for rare meat beyond your local supermarket. Retailers such as Fossil Farms, Wild Fork Foods, and D'Artagnan — plus many smaller farms with online stores — have made it easier to source interesting and exotic meat beyond the big four. Without further ado, let's take a look at 14 rare meat options available online for the adventurous cook and eater.

American alligators are large, freshwater reptiles native to the Southeastern United States, particularly in Florida, but also in the Louisiana bayous, and even in states like Oklahoma and the Carolinas. Most alligator meat available for commercial sale, at least online, is farm-raised in Louisiana, so when we talk about purchasing alligator, it's not wild caught — though obviously that is possible in areas where it is permitted — be sure to check local laws.

Alligator might be the classic "tastes like chicken" meat, though some will say it has a slightly fishy flavor or compare it to other reptiles or amphibians. The big challenge when cooking alligator is that it can become tough incredibly quickly, especially when working with tenderloins or filets. It's best to grill or sear these just until they're cooked through, taking extra care not to overcook them. Another popular — and likely easier — preparation is nuggets, which can be breaded or blackened and then deep or pan-fried. For something even more forgiving, alligator sausage is a good entry point.

Common brands available online include Fossil Farms and Country Boy Gator. Likely the best selection of gator meat comes from the store Creole Foods of Louisiana; it offers everything from pre-breaded nuggets all the way to whole-skinned alligators in a variety of sizes.

Antelope meat found in the U.S. typically derives from the South Texas nilgai, a South Asian species that was introduced here in the 1930s. The name nilgai comes from the blue-gray color of adult bulls, translating roughly to "blue cow" in Hindustani, although the female cows actually have orange-brown coloring.

South Texas antelope produces a tender, dark red meat that resembles beef. If most of these exotic meats are leaner than the mainstream meats that Americans consume, nilgai is the extreme of that range, often coming in at 1% or less fat in most cuts. Though this may seem advantageous from a health standpoint, extracting all but the most delicate flavor can become a challenge in the kitchen. Of course, you can add bold spices or fats, but on the other hand, if you're paying extra to source antelope, covering up its natural taste with bold flavors may be profligate. For the antelope curious, we might recommend starting with a cheaper cut like burgers and experimenting from there.

The leading online source for South Texas antelope is without a doubt Broken Arrow Ranch in Ingram, Texas. This retailer offers everything from ground antelope and strips for stir fry to filets and steaks, as well as many recipes to prepare the meat. Another source for South Texas antelope is Blackwing Meats, though it appears to only sell ground meat.

A large ungulate native to Africa and parts of Asia, the camel is commonly eaten across the Middle East and Africa, and sometimes in Australia, the latter of which provides much of the commercially available camel in the U.S. Though camel milk has been heralded for its benefits to both health and climate, its meat also offers intriguing and tasty qualities. Flavor-wise, it has similarities to both beef and lamb, but it's more minimally marbled, creating a rounded, slightly sweet flavor. It's also noted for high concentrations of both polyunsaturated fatty acids and amino acids.

Camel meat takes well to low-and-slow preparations — especially in larger cuts like brisket — such as smoking or stewing, and is especially prized in curries. It can also be ground and used in a variety of ways, from burgers to ragù to chili. To easily source camel online, look to Blackwing Meats, which offers ground camel, brisket, and tenderloin, or Fossil Farms, which offers camel burgers and strip steaks.

A specific type of venison — a word which refers to all deer meat, including elk, moose, and caribou — elk is trim and clean, but often richer and less gamey than some more common venison cuts from White-tailed deer. Elk is prized for its versatility at the table, as it can be used in a wide range of preparations including steaks, roasts, chili, burgers, etc. Elk is naturally high in protein and features high concentrations of zinc, iron, and phosphorus. Because it's low in fat, elk typically shouldn't be cooked further than medium rare to maintain tenderness, though there are certain cuts — such as round roast or chuck roast — that do well with braising low and slow in flavorful liquids.

ElkUSA offers an enormous selection of domestically raised elk options, everything from burgers and sausages to tenderloins, rib racks, and even tomahawk steaks. Plus, for the more committed (and those who have freezer space to spare), it also sells whole elk bundle options, as well as halves, quarters, and fifths. Fossil Farms is another excellent source for premium elk meat.

Though frog legs are most typically associated with French cuisine, TasteAtlas ranked the best frog dishes in the world and put an American dish — fried frog legs from New Orleans — at the top. When discussing frog meat, we speak specifically about the amphibians' legs for a reason, as that's where the meat is concentrated. One could, of course, eat other parts of the frog, but it might not be worth the effort. American bullfrogs — one of many invasive species Americans can eat — which are native to the eastern U.S., can grow up to 1.5 pounds, meaning their chonky legs have plenty of meat to go around.

Frog meat is mild and tender, usually with a flavor that is similar to chicken, but has subtle hints of whitefish. In Cajun and Creole cuisine, frog legs are often fried with a hint of cayenne, while the French prefer to sauté them in garlic and butter. These also work quite well in stews and gumbos. Online, Blackwing Meats is a good source for ordering frog legs, as is Ohio Valley Meats.

Chicken is the most widely consumed poultry in the United States, while turkey and, to a lesser extent, duck are also commonly eaten. That being said, there are a ton of other bird species that make for excellent eating, and these generally fall into the category of game birds such as partridge, pheasant, quail, squab, and more.

Though each species has its own distinct characteristics, in general these game birds tend to have a firmer texture due to less intramuscular fat. This leads to a wilder flavor, featuring nutty, earthy, or mineral notes. While these birds can typically be used the same way one would cook a chicken, their leanness makes them particularly technique-sensitive, with dried-out meat being an unfortunate but frequent occurrence.

Despite their moniker, game birds sold commercially are still farm-raised, because selling wild-caught animals is illegal in most states. Farmers of these birds, however, tend to raise them in ways that preserve their gamiest traits, such as additional opportunities for movement and more diverse, natural feed. Fossil Farms has an outstanding selection of wild game, including partridge, pheasant, quail, squab, and Guinea hen. D'Artagnan offers the same, while also selling goose and capon under the game birds heading.

What would our list of exotics be without this famous, marsupial native to Australia? A kangaroo's extremely athletic frame produces firm but tender red meat with a somewhat livery, iron-rich flavor. It's especially easy to overcook — even compared to this list of mostly lean meats — so it's typically best in fast sears, or ground into patties. Kangaroo sausages can also be surprisingly tasty. 

Kangaroo is particularly high in conjugated linoleic acid, a naturally occurring fatty acid that has been shown to have positive effects on weight as well as bone and immune system health. A recent social media thread included some witty thoughts about what kangaroo tastes like. "A little like beer ... given the hops," wrote one poster. "I hear it's got quite a kick," added another. Other, more serious commenters noted it's gamey, similar to venison, and leathery when overcooked.

Fossil Farms is perhaps the best place to source Kangaroo online, offering a wide variety of cuts including ground, sausage, medallions, Denver legs, and boneless loins. Blackwing Meats also provides ground and tenderloin, whereas Wild Fork Foods often sells ground kangaroo. Furthermore, Mountain America Jerky offers kangaroo jerky alongside a wide variety of other interesting meat options. It's important to note that kangaroo meat is not permitted in California.

Ostrich meat is a perplexing contradiction as it's both poultry and red meat — it gets its red color from high concentrations of the protein myoglobin. That said, from a culinary standpoint, ostrich meat tastes more like bison or grass-fed beef than any other bird species. Like many of the meats mentioned on this list, it contains very low amounts of both saturated and overall fat, often coming in at less than 5% total fat content. Similar to bison, ostrich steaks, tenderloins, and chops are rich, tender, and satisfying when cooked rare or medium rare, and burgers made from ostrich meat are also delicious.

Aside from being healthy and tasty, another plus when eating ostrich is its environmental benefits. Raising ostriches uses far less water, feed, and land than beef, and produces less methane and other greenhouse gases.

American Ostrich Farms sells an incredibly diverse selection of ostrich meat online, from standard steaks, filets, and burgers to chef-created variety packs, and even specialty items like offal, bones, and more. Fossil Farms also offers an extensive ostrich selection — in fact, ostrich meat was the original product sold by the company, and the source of its mission to try and change American eating habits.

Though python — the large constrictor snake — is only sparingly consumed around the world, some scientists are now preaching the potential benefits of python meat farming. In fact, a 2024 study published by Scientific Reports praised the practice for its sustainability and food system resilience. Similar to alligator, python has a mildly fishy or chicken-like flavor and can be chewy or tough, even when handled properly. It's best curried, grilled, or ground into sausages.

Python became an invasive species in Florida after being originally introduced as a pet. Today, these snakes have become such a threat to the local ecosystem that each July marks the annual Florida Python Challenge, in which area residents compete to catch the most Burmese pythons — the event was immortalized in the TV series "Killing It." That being said, Florida officials have warned citizens about eating wild-caught python from the Everglades due to high levels of mercury contamination.

While farmed python isn't widely available online, Amazon often sells frozen filets at $75.00 per pound from the Chicago Game and Gourmet store. If that gives you sticker-price shock, perhaps try the more affordable rabbit and python sausage from Chicago Game and Gourmet, or python jerky from Newport Jerky Company via Amazon. 

Though commonly found in grocery stores and butcher shops across the world, rabbit is, for whatever reason, a bit more difficult to find commercially in the United States. To be fair, however, it's probably easier to find than some of the more exotic species on this list, with stores like D'Artagnan, Wild Fork Foods, and Fossil Farms all carrying various cuts.

Rabbit is, on the other hand, one of the more forgiving rare meats for those new to the practice, with its mild flavor and lack of gamey sharpness. It's excellent stewed or braised, used in dishes like cacciatore or served in a ragù over pasta. It can also be roasted whole, with some added fat to boost flavor.

One of the more difficult aspects of rabbit is that there's not a lot of meat, but there are a lot of bones, so it can be tricky to both work with and eat. That said, it's an approachable and delicious option for those willing to put in the effort.

Rocky Mountain oysters are among the many foods with misleading names. People will jump through hoops to pretend they're something other than what they are, like prairie oysters, cowboy caviar, swinging beef, or bull fries. They're testicles. Let's embrace them for what they are — although, to be fair, serving them to someone who thinks they're seafood is always comedy gold.

As can be deduced from the name, these are popular in the western United States, particularly in the plains and Rocky Mountain states. They are most commonly the testicles of either cattle or bison, but theoretically could come from any bovine species. When cooked properly — often deep fried, but also grilled or sautéed — this nutrient-dense delicacy has a rich, creamy interior with a texture similar to sweetbreads.

The easiest way to grab some testes is via Cabela's, which sells them breaded and ready for frying. Other online options include Ohio Valley Meats and Buy Ranch Direct which are both pre-breaded. They're also available at Coors Field in Denver during Colorado Rockies games.

There's an old southern adage regarding snapping turtles, claiming they taste like seven different types of meat in one: beef, chicken, fish, goat, pork, shrimp, and veal. Whether this is precisely accurate or not is up for debate, but it certainly highlights the versatility and diversity of turtle. It's also safe to say that the dark meat comes from the legs, while the white meat is taken from the neck and back.

Most turtle meat is firm, with a rich flavor, but it can be tough and stringy if not cooked properly. A traditional preparation, iconic in New Orleans and environs, is Creole turtle soup, which features chunks of turtle cooked in a spiced tomato base. Turtles are more prevalent in summer, however, so another classic dish is deep-fried turtle nuggets, which is commonly prepared outdoors. Turtle can also work well in stews, gumbos, and other slow-cooked preparations. To find turtle meat online, check out House of Smoke, Inc., Marx Foods, or even the TenderBison via Amazon.

Authentic wild boar is one of the only commercially available game meats sourced from actual wild animals (in this case, from the Texas hill country, where these aggressive beasts have propagated and become an issue for local ecosystems). As such, eating wild boar is particularly sustainable; not only does it avoid the negative effects of factory farms (such as greenhouse gases), but removing it from local areas helps other animals and plants. To be sold commercially, wild boar meat must be caught humanely, then processed in a USDA-approved facility, but because they are feral animals, their meat contains no added hormones, steroids, or antibiotics.

Wild boar meat is, not surprisingly, similar to pork, and can be used as a direct replacement in many pork recipes. That said, boar's unique taste is mostly influenced by a diverse diet that includes a variety of natural foods such as fruits, vegetables, nuts, and more. This can lead to intriguing flavor notes of maple, nuts, and herbs. Because boars are constantly moving and foraging, they are far leaner than domesticated pigs, so care should be taken to maintain tenderness when cooking.

Mossy Oak Gamekeeper Butchery has an impressive selection of wild boar in their online store, including a variety of sausages, ribs, shanks, shoulders, loins, chops, and more. Other solid options to source wild boar online include D'Artagnan, Fossil Farms, and Wild Fork Foods.

Yaks are conspicuously hairy bovines native to the Himalayas, where they've been prized for their meat — as well as milk and labor — for more than 5,000 years. That said, the yak meat sold in the U.S. comes from domestic (or sometimes Canadian) farms, which were introduced in the 1980s and now host approximately 7,000-10,000 animals across the western part of the continent.

Yak meat is lower in fat than beef — it only gets up to about 10% — but is nonetheless prized for its juiciness, as well as its clean flavor that never gets too gamey. It's also known for featuring delicate floral or herbal notes, and for matching well with fruity sauces or condiments. It features minimal saturated fat, but is high in protein as well as nutrients like zinc, niacin, and B vitamins.

Fossil Farms is an excellent source for yak meat, offering ground meat, burgers, ribeye, and strip steaks, as well as several yak recipes. Chicago Game and Gourmet also offers ground yak, and for a pretty penny, whole yak tenderloin. To go straight to the source, check out the yak selection at Firebird Farms or Yak'N Radish Ranch.