By Elizabeth Tettleton Mason

During the ice storm of January 2024, Oxford was on lockdown, urged by law enforcement and Mayor Robyn Tannehill to stay home and wait out the melt.

Eventually, what was originally some fun extended the January Martin Luther King Jr. holiday break into boredom, and most of all, into a dwindling of the fresh food supply.

Photos were posted daily of Kroger and Larson’s Cash Saver’s emptied shelves and wrap-around lines, but one little social media account kept popping up with posts of their full shelves: Oxford Meat Company. Joshua Christian, owner of the 9-month-old butchery on West Oxford Loop, mucked through the snow and ice to open his doors until he’d sold out. Then, as soon as trucks could bring him more product, he was back at it again. 

Sitting in the back of the shop with Joshua Christian, I learned why his dedication to brave the ice was so strong. He and his wife, Stephani, put everything into a business founded on the goal of providing the best tasting, freshest meats and seafood they could source to the Oxford community.

After having worked more than 16 years as a manager at The Library on the Square, Christian was ready to find a work environment that had a schedule more amenable to family life while his two daughters are young – Stella is 6 and Collins is 9. Christian had the idea to start a butcher shop while working with his friend and business partner, Chris Blackwell, for a couple of years in a successful crawfish business still in operation – Major Cajun. His friend bought Joshua out of his half of the crawfish business to start Oxford Meat Company. 

While Joshua and I were chatting, he broke down dozens of pounds of ribeye steaks. They were for a Ducks Unlimited order for an event they were having that evening– one of the many customers to come by during our interview.

Watching Joshua swiftly shift from conversation to customer to mentorship was impressive. As part of a local high school program, students can opt to spend afternoons after classes working in various businesses in Oxford – allowing them an internship-like opportunity and providing Oxford small businesses with desperately needed staff. Joshua has a knack for passing on his knowledge, and it is that personable and patient nature that shines through and what sets him apart in the food and beverage industry. 

Joshua sources his products primarily from Creekstone Farms, which takes pride in its grain-fed, well-marbled beef. Christian also sources products from 44 Farms. Every Monday and Thursday truck deliveries bring fresh seafood from the Gulf Coast – gulf fish and royal red shrimp primarily – but he has regulars who order oysters from him as well.

Oxford Meat Company can take special requests two to three days in advance and has yet to fail to source a specialty item for a customer. Obviously, the more notice, the more likely an exotic order can be accommodated. They also welcome catering opportunities.

Don’t have time to come in the store or chat on the phone? Contact Oxford Meat Company through its online submission form and Stephani or Joshua will get back to you with all the info you need. 

When you walk through the doors of Oxford Meat Company, don’t just plan on buying a few steaks. The business offers an array of ready-to-go items such as pimento cheese and locally made peach salsa and hot sauces. It offers sides such as jalapeno duck poppers, twice-baked potatoes and crab-stuffed mushrooms.

The variety is immense, ever-changing and purposefully planned to offer something for every palate. During weekdays from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m., a $12 plate lunch is available; keep an eye out for the offerings on social media and the regular items on their website. 

After a couple of hours of watching Joshua in action, I was ready to try the product. I left with some ribeyes, which my husband grilled that night, and I can attest personally that they were outstanding. We are already planning our next get-together, except next time I’m eyeing a few more things, namely the New York Strip, lobster tails and some of the family dinners I can stuff into my freezer (because one always needs a meal at the ready like Jambalaya or Million Dollar Chicken). 

Next on the horizon is expansion into catering and larger orders. More than anything, the Christian family wants to grow and provide a quality product to the town they call home. 

Follow Joshua’s business as it grows on Facebook, Instagram and at https://www.oxfordmeatcompany.com.