Where Does Cracker Barrel Source Its Beef From?

While visits to Cracker Barrel may have inspired musings on the genius that led to the invention of country or chicken fried steak, you may not have wondered where the beef beneath the crispy, golden breading comes from, or the source of its less adorned New York strip, pot roast, or any of Cracker Barrel's newer menu items, for that matter. But we do know there's a good chance Cracker Barrel's beef comes from the U.S. The company asserts on its site that "all of our pork, poultry, and 98.7% of our beef are domestically grown or raised."

That bit of data narrows down the geographical provenance but does not address other concerns, such as factory farming that many consumers are increasingly aware of. Cracker Barrel addresses some of those potential questions in its animal welfare position statement provided to its investors. Here, the company details its commitment to animal welfare with attention to diet and housing. Although the particular sources are not listed by name, the chain elaborates more generally, stating, "We give preference to suppliers that can document how they meet or exceed the animal welfare standards set forth by organizations," like the National Cattlemen's Beef Association and North American Meat institute.

The best way to know exactly where your protein is coming from is to shop for it yourself. Your neighborhood butcher can answer questions about where, specifically, the shop gets its beef. And you can recreate plenty of Cracker Barrel favorites with meat from said butcher, or even from beef you already know and trust from your local supermarket. You can even pick up some old literature, like the "Cracker Barrel Old Country Store Celebrates American Holidays Cookbook," for a glimpse into comfort-food preparations that real CB devotees might consider downright historic.

It also isn't too hard to find Cracker Barrel recipe dupes with minimal web sleuthing. Recreating something like Cracker Barrel's country fried steak, hamburger steak, breakfast burger, or meatloaf at home puts you in charge of the protein's origin and quality. Whatever main you aim to make, we have our own Cracker Barrel mashed potato recreation that will pair just great with your own studiously sourced entree.