5 Best Cuts Of Meat At Sam's Club For An Unbeatable BBQ

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If you're planning a BBQ event in the near future, you're likely going to need quite a lot of meat to throw on the grill or in the smoker to feed each of your guests. Luckily, Sam's Club sells some remarkably high-end cuts of meat in bulk at a fair price, meaning you can make just one shopping trip and be fully prepared for your BBQ in no time. While we've already discussed some of Costco's best cuts of meat in the past, Sam's Club's assortment of Member's Mark-branded meats is just as capable of satisfying you and your fellow meat lovers' needs throughout the summer months and beyond.

This shortlist of some of the best Sam's Club meat cuts is just scratching the surface of what is available at the massive warehouse club, but they're ones that are well worth picking up. Whether you're the type who likes to cook meat low and slow or you prefer throwing something on the grill and working with it until it's complete just minutes later, Sam's Club has all the meat you'll need to have an all-time great BBQ with your family and friends.

Starting things off with arguably the heaviest hitter of them all is the Member's Mark USDA Prime Beef Brisket, which is a must-try if you're a fan of low-and-slow cooking and want some delicious, tender beef to enjoy. This brisket is well-marbled Angus beef which has the distinction of USDA Prime (a higher tier of meat than USDA Choice). This makes it pretty hard to argue against the possibilities of the whole brisket — especially for those looking to feed a lot of people some high-quality meat.

In terms of how it's cooked, brisket requires patience to avoid ruining the meat, with brisket lovers warning against raising temperatures and not preparing the meat correctly beforehand. As far as how long to cook it, some have garnered great results smoking Sam's Club's brisket for as long as 24 hours, while others suggest 12-18 hours is a more appropriate cook time.

Although price isn't what makes a cut of meat truly great, Sam's Club does sell its Prime brisket at a pretty affordable price. You can brisket of this grade cost at $6.80 per pound (which equates to around $85 for an average-sized brisket), but Sam's Club currently offers the beef for just $5.98 per pound on its website. Considering many briskets are big enough to feed a whole party on their own, this could be your best bet if you're looking to make just one purchase of meat for your BBQ during a visit to Sam's Club.

Buy the Member's Mark Prime Angus Beef Brisket for $5.98 per pound at Sam's Club.

Another cut of meat that's perfect for proponents of low-and-slow barbecuing, Sam's Club sells bone-in pork spare ribs which shoppers routinely express delight over. A classic BBQ dish, spare ribs are exactly the type of meat you'll want to serve to your guests, especially if you're looking to stray from an exclusively beef-centric BBQ platter. When it comes to cooking these ribs, this is another instance where smoking the meat can pay great dividends, as properly smoked ribs are both remarkably tender and incredibly flavorful.

It's important to note that it's specifically the naked ribs sold at Sam's Club that are worth buying, as many have expressed discontent with the pre-seasoned or pre-marinated ribs you can also find at the retailer. Generally speaking, there are many reasons to avoid pre-marinated meats at grocery stores, but using the naked spare ribs that Sam's Club sells and making your own marinade or rub to apply to it at home is crucial to serving some delicious meat at your next BBQ. Plus, at under $3.00 per pound, getting even a few packs of spare ribs can feed a sizable gathering for well under $100 in total.

Buy the Member's Mark Bone-In Pork Spare Ribs for $2.68 per pound at Sam's Club.

Shifting away from things that require hours to cook, pork chops are another worthwhile cut of pork that you should be slapping on your grill at your next backyard BBQ. Known for being a cheaper alternative to traditional beef steaks, pork chops are a great option due to their simplicity. Some people worry about pork chops drying out on the grill, but getting the timing and cooking technique down leads to a mild, juicy meat that has the ability to be a legitimately versatile crowd pleaser.

Buying the bone-in pork chops from Sam's Club is a great option, as they're not only more forgiving (as in, slightly harder to dry out), they also offer a richer flavor than the boneless variant is capable of. Be sure to brine pork chops at home before throwing them on the grill, as this will also help produce juicier, more tender chops.

With that being said, the thickness of a pork chop plays a big role in its flavor. At Sam's Club, you have a choice between thick-cut bone-in pork chops (which are actually new to Sam's Club) and thin-cut bone-in pork chops. While your kneejerk might be to go for the thin-cut pork chops, thick pork chops are better for searing on the grill and are well worth the extra $1.50 per pound it costs at Sam's Club.

Buy the Member's Mark Thick-Cut Bone-In Pork Chops for $3.94 per pound at Sam's Club.

Another chop to take a look at when visiting Sam's Club are the Australian lamb loin chops, which are as underrated as they are spectacular. The product is a cult favorite among Sam's Club shoppers who have given it a try, even turning people who weren't previously fans of lamb into believers. If you tend toward beef steaks, someone on Reddit said of lamb loin chops, "They're tiny porterhouses, I never understood why they're not expensive."

However, as is the case for all meat, these Australian lamb loin chops will only be as good as the chef who makes them. The meat benefits greatly from being salted 40 minutes prior to being grilled, but is arguably even better when marinated overnight to allow whatever spices, seasonings, and sauces you choose to breathe even more flavor into the meat. Keep in mind that overcooking lamb chops is one of the most common mistakes people make, so pull the meat off the grill when it reaches about 10 degrees lower than your desired temperature.

Buy the Member's Mark Australian Bone-In Lamb Loin Chops for $10.78 per pound at Sam's Club.

Arguably the most fitting cut of meat for a BBQ, the ribeye is a tremendous option to purchase from Sam's Club for a wide variety of reasons. For starters, this cut of meat is famous for having strong marbling, meaning that even choice-grade ribeyes are still incredibly juicy, rich, and tender. Plus, Angus beef rises to the occasion especially well on the grill, getting a truly tremendous sear when cooked correctly. Combine this with ribeye being among the most popular cuts in America (making it a major crowd pleaser), and it should come as no surprise that the ribeye is among the best meat cuts to buy at Sam's Club for a BBQ.

One point of contention that frequently arises when it comes to ribeye is its price. Sam's Club sells boneless ribeye at $15 per pound, which is a high enough price to make it unrealistic for large groups of people. You could opt for slicing ribeye into pieces and serving it in smaller quantities, but some would argue that ribeye steak is better suited for smaller get-togethers so that everyone there can indulge in a substantial amount of the delicious meat. Of course, if money is no obstacle then fire away.

Buy the Member's Mark Choice Angus Beef Boneless Ribeye for $14.97 per pound at Sam's Club.