The 5 Best Cuts Of Meat At Costco, Hands Down

Costco is known for many things — from its iconic (and unchanging) $1.50 food court hot dog to its wide array of baked goods housed in the bakery section — but its meat department is particularly underrated. The meat at the grocery chain might not be as high-caliber as meat from a proper, specialized butcher shop, but it's still widely considered to be quite serviceable; especially if you pick the correct cut of meat. We recently spoke to Isaac Bernal Carbajo, the executive chef of the representation of Spain to the United Nations, to get his insight into what Costco's top-tier cuts are. The five cuts that came to mind for Carbajo were the prime brisket, short ribs, tenderloin, chuck roast, and whole strip loin.

While these cuts all excel in their own way, the chef first wanted to note the things that separate Costco from other stores when it comes to these cuts of meat. "They're a great option for people who cook frequently, like to BBQ, or want larger cuts without paying absolutely crazy prices," Carbajo explained. "What I notice most with Costco meats is their consistency. There's a lot of product turnover, and you can see that reflected in freshness and in the fact that you usually know fairly well what you're going to find."

Carbajo's notion that Costco is great for those who love to BBQ is informed by his belief that both prime brisket and short ribs (two staples of a good BBQ) are among the best meat cuts the chain carries. When looking at the prime brisket (which is one grade higher than choice brisket), it's clear to see just how high-end some of Costco's meats truly are. The well-marbled, fatty whole briskets (which are often over 12 pounds each) are as delicious as can be when dealt with correctly.

He noted that the prices at Costco set the chain apart from the pack. As Carbajo put it: "When you compare certain prime or choice cuts to general supermarkets the price difference is often substantial." While prices differ depending on where you're located, people have found whole prime briskets at Costco for as little as $4.99 per pound in recent months — a price that's either competitive with or outright lower than many other grocery chains. Considering the consistency and high quality of Costco's brisket, the low price makes it absolutely perfect for those looking to enjoy the best beef possible while remaining within their budget.

Another notable type of beef that Costco provides is short ribs, a cut of meat that's notoriously versatile and is thus the perfect cut to buy in bulk. This is another area where Carbajo says that Costco's meat excels. "I think Costco works extremely well for people who purchase for meal prep or events," he explained. "While all cuts don't mirror that of a specialty butcher shop, they do offer a quality-to-quantity-to-price ratio that's not just currently difficult to find elsewhere, but especially helpful with today's cost of groceries and meats in general."

This brings up one major quality that makes Costco's short ribs even more worthy of buying: their resilience to inflation. Beef is getting more expensive to buy at grocery stores seemingly every day, but Costco's short ribs have remained relatively affordable. This is especially true at Costco Business Centers (which provide notoriously inexpensive meat to business owners), where you can currently find short ribs for $6.59 per pound. You can also find this versatile meat at  regular Costco Wholesale locations, but the price difference is noticeable. Costco's website currently lists choice short ribs at $11.34 per pound. Granted, you'll have to purchase somewhere near 16 pounds of short rib at the business center to get that price versus the 4 pounds (give or take) which the Costco Warehouse typically packages short ribs at, but it's hard to argue with the price difference.

Another must-buy cut of beef that Costco sells is the tenderloin, which is best known for being the most tender meat on the cow. While Anthony Bourdain preferred other cuts of steak due to the mundanity of the tenderloin, the meat continues to be a favorite among the general public due to its simultaneous tenderness and leanness.

However, even at Costco, you still can't avoid the seismic price of a high-grade tenderloin. If you can stomach the idea of purchasing 20 pounds of beef all at once, you can get a package of choice beef tenderloin for roughly $21 per pound. Meanwhile, prime beef tenderloin is selling for a staggering $36 per pound.

Keep an eye on the prices of different versions of tenderloins at your local Costco, as you never know where you'll find a great deal for this desirable meat. For example, prime beef tenderloin that's packaged as pre-cut steaks (as opposed to whole) sells for $30.63 per pound right now. Not only does this mean you save some money by selecting this version of the meat, it also makes the process of cooking the steak easier by bypassing the need to slice the tenderloin yourself.

Looking at a slightly less glamorous cut of meat, Costco's chuck roast will ensure you get plenty of bang for your buck and is well worth experimenting with. The most common use for chuck roast is undoubtedly as the centerpiece of a pot roast, but there's so much more to the cut than meets the eye. For example, grinding up chuck roast and using it for burgers is one of the best ways to enjoy an especially juicy homemade burger, as ground chuck has more fat than traditional ground beef and has a generally richer flavor that many people adore. 

Chuck roast is a tremendous candidate for low-and-slow cooking, in general. For example, smoked chuck roast is considered underrated among BBQ fans. In fact, many people call chuck roast the "poor man's brisket" due to its similarities to the more popular cut of meat and its ability to be smoked to perfection. Smoked chuck roast will only be marginally less tender compared to brisket if cooked properly.

As for why Costco in particular is such a great choice for chuck roast, the meat is at its best in large quantities and Costco is the perfect place to buy it in bulk. Some people have reported finding whole chuck roasts that weigh as much as 20 pounds at Costco, but it's more typical to find smaller packages of the meat hovering around five pounds each and selling for $8.50 per pound; making the relatively inexpensive cut perfect for those looking to utilize a lot of chuck roast in a short period of time.

Another one of the best cuts of meat you can get from Costco is the whole strip loin, which is most commonly known for producing strip streak. The beauty of the whole strip loin is that it's such a massive piece of meat that it allows you to use different parts of it for different dishes. You'll likely want to cut a few pieces of steak off the whole strip loin to enjoy a delicious New York Strip (one of the easiest types of steak to cook at home), but you might also want to use this cut of beef for a strip roast, as these are great for feeding big groups and can be absolutely delicious if made properly. 

Beyond those two focal points, the trimmings you take off of this cut of meat can be used to make some delicious Philly cheesesteaks (if they're lean) or beef tallow (if they're fatty). This means you can effectively use the entire slab of meat without wasting one bit.

This level of variety coming from just one whole strip loin is a major selling point of Costco's version of the strip loin, which weighs in at an average of about 13 pounds. This seismic piece of meat isn't the most expensive cut of beef at the store, but it's sold at a relatively affordable $13 per pound right now for choice and $16 for prime.