# Meat from Costco?



## mlk18 (Apr 21, 2021)

They recently built a Costco about 50 miles away from us. Currently we buy most of our meat from locally grown sources processed at local meat lockers. While some of it is actually much cheaper than you can find at grocery stores, not to mention better, some products like brisket and ribs can get very pricey. Especially for grass fed and prime. Wife wants to get a Costco membership and drive up there once a month so for a variety of products including meat. Have you had good/bad experiences with the meat at Costco?


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## FishAndBeer (Apr 21, 2021)

mlk18 said:


> They recently built a Costco about 50 miles away from us. Currently we buy most of our meat from locally grown sources processed at local meat lockers. While some of it is actually much cheaper than you can find at grocery stores, not to mention better, some products like brisket and ribs can get very pricey. Especially for grass fed and prime. Wife wants to get a Costco membership and drive up there once a month so for a variety of products including meat. Have you had good/bad experiences with the meat at Costco?


Around here its the cheapest I can find prime brisket (I just checked the packer in my freezer and it was $3.29lb) ... I don't buy steaks there because they are blade tenderized (I risk it with the ribeye cap steaks), I can find pork shoulder cheaper as well.. But I do love costco. They have a lot of other good stuff IMO


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## SmokingUPnorth (Apr 21, 2021)

I’ve eaten all of the stuff from there. I’d recommend a membership. We don’t live near one anymore and it is a lot more expensive to fill the deep freezer without a Costco


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## Fueling Around (Apr 21, 2021)

Local stores have their meat shipped in from ?  You're lucky.  I have a 100 mile round trip to get to kill locker.

I have never had bad meat from Costco.  Started shopping there in the 90's when we lived in Seattle.
Moved back to Minnesota in 2001 and had to shop at local stores including Sam's until they built a Costco 75 miles away.
My theory is the only good Sam's is a close Costco to lead the way.
We usually only buy prime beef from either store, but mostly Costco.
A prime brisket is nice.  Lower grades require more attention.  

Thanks 

 FishAndBeer

Never noticed the "blade tenderized" , but we usually cook to 160° to satisfy the wife.


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## Preacher Man (Apr 21, 2021)

I find that Costco meat prices are fair, and their meat is excellent quality.

And by fair, I don't mean cheapest. I can find cheaper briskets and steaks in town, but for the money they are the best quality for the fairest price.


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## tallbm (Apr 21, 2021)

mlk18 said:


> They recently built a Costco about 50 miles away from us. Currently we buy most of our meat from locally grown sources processed at local meat lockers. While some of it is actually much cheaper than you can find at grocery stores, not to mention better, some products like brisket and ribs can get very pricey. Especially for grass fed and prime. Wife wants to get a Costco membership and drive up there once a month so for a variety of products including meat. Have you had good/bad experiences with the meat at Costco?



Costco meat is always great quality.  They over prime beef cuts and their fish is high quality (in Dallas, TX area at least.)

If Briskets, prime beef cuts, possibly getting beef plate ribs, and pork bellies are all things you are interested then it is worth it for u to get a membership and stockup.  Not to mention the gas prices are great so fill up while u are there.

As for cost... you can just as good chicken, pork butt, pork ribs, etc. from local grocery stores when they put things on sale.  The one exception may be chicken wings.  I never see them on sale at the store and the prices are stupid high for them everywhere.  Chances are Costco has them for a slightly lower price per pound AND they almost always have them in stock.

Now something u didnt mention but may make sense.  They have great seasonings in large enough volumes at great prices.  Be sure to get some coarse black pepper, garlic powder, dehydrated onion, and other seasonings we all use for BBQ there.  

I hope this info helps :)


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## noboundaries (Apr 21, 2021)

There was a time out here in NorCal that the Costco meat sucked. Metallic tasting, weird cuts, and tough. Those days are gone. 

I'm a price shopper. I can usually find better prices and equally good meat locally on sale. Briskets at Costco are the best. I ALWAYS check what they have in the meat aisles, but we keep our Costco membership active for the other stuff they sell, especially the electronics. Great return policy. Plus, if they put something on sale after you buy it, take your receipt back, and they'll refund the difference. 

Last week, I saw Prime grade, bone-in short ribs mismarked for 30 cents/lb. Only two packages in the refer at 3 lbs each, buried under other packs. I checked to make sure there was plenty of meat on them, and they weren't dog bones.  I kept my mouth shut and loaded them in the basket. I wasn't completely sure if it was a mismark or something was wrong with them, so I made a big pot of beef vegetable soup three days ago. OMG! Melt in your mouth. Now I wish I had smoked them.


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## OldSmoke (Apr 22, 2021)

We like their half-hams for double smoking. Perfect for two people. They can be difficult to find at other stores when it isn’t a holiday. They are also a source for good wines at good prices.


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## johnb46804 (Apr 22, 2021)

My neighbors are members and have a tendency to show up with a stack of ribs or a pork butt.  The ribs are usually at least as good as my grocery store and the pork butts have always striked me as odd.  They are always thinner, longer, and they smoke a lot faster than any butt I would buy.


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## Chasdev (Apr 22, 2021)

I'm a Costco member, have been for years but we stopped buying beef from them 4 years ago because of the taste.
Fresh beef from our local HEB stores tastes better and the 80/20 burger meat seems to have less fat than Costco 80/20.
As to Costco briskets, they have way too much fat for my taste and I prefer fatty brisket.
If memory servers, Costo sources their beef from Australia and it just tastes weird.
Just me perhaps.


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## SCBBQ (Apr 22, 2021)

I think their trimmed prime tenderloins are the bomb - whole prime ribeyes  are  good too  IMO - 

Prime Briskets are good too but agree with the fat comment . 

Here’s pics of their meat -


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## Alsta (Apr 22, 2021)

I've gotten pork shoulders from my local Costco a number of times - If you can catch them on sale, you can get great prices.
Never had an issue with the quality, and before I got my good smoker, I did a propane/smoker tube smoke on one and it turned out amazing.


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## sandyut (Apr 22, 2021)

GET THE MEBERSHIP and give it a try.

Im quite frugal and Costco has great meat.  The only issue for us is for a family of two I need to freeze a fair amount - for example baby back come in a three pack.  they are very high quality, but either way I'm freezing at least two - cooked or raw.  Here the beef to great.  as mentioned the briskets are great.  I really like Costco in general too - great deals and customer support.  Around here - I avoid the weekends there as they can be kinda busy.

even with a family of two here the executive membership pays off.  meaning the rebate offsets the cost to be equal to or less than the regular.  if that makes sense.


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## SlickRockStones (Apr 22, 2021)

Costco is great. Bunny ‘s a service deli associate there and she’s never been happier. Not only is the meat quality but their cleaning and sanitation systems are tops. We  regularly get the prime sirloin cap steak and bone in loin pork chops.


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## SmokinAl (Apr 22, 2021)

I was a Costco member for 20 years, also a Sam’s member for the same time. I gave up my Costco membership, cause I liked the meat at Sam’s better. I also live in a small town about 50 miles from Sam’s & 60 miles from Costco. But if you are a Sam’s premium member you can get 2 day free shipping on anything, except of course meat. It pays for itself many times over.
Al


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## daspyknows (Apr 22, 2021)

I have a Costco a few miles away and a Costco business center 20 piles away.  The business center is cheaper and the meat is good.  I have bought prime and choice brisket, beef short ribs, pork belly, ribs and butts, whole chicken and a case of legs with no complaints.  The beef is domestic (at least in Norca)


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## Coreymacc (Apr 22, 2021)

This is probably apples to Oranges from the US to Canada but our Costco meat is really good and cheaper than I can find anywhere. Only thing I don't buy there is Beef steaks,  I can get them cheaper at the butcher in the little town near my house.  Which is odd because full briskets are cheaper at Costco than him. 

Corey


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## mneeley490 (Apr 22, 2021)

Costco has bulk buying power, and their markup on everything is only 14%. 
I buy most of my meats there, but as was stated above, I have to freeze some of the package, with just 3 people in the house. If there is a Business Costco in your area, you can pick up uncut meat a little cheaper than in the regular stores.

There is one Sam's Club about 60 miles from me. By contrast, there are 11 Costcos within 60 minutes of me, in the greater Seattle area. Plus, their gasoline is always the cheapest around.


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## Fueling Around (Apr 22, 2021)

mneeley490 said:


> ...
> There is one Sam's Club about 60 miles from me. By contrast, there are 11 Costcos within 60 minutes of me, in the greater Seattle area. Plus, their gasoline is always the cheapest around.


i heard that Sam's basically pulled out of Puget Sound.
You need all the help possible on inflated fuel prices.
My last fuel on Saturday for premium was more than what I pay in town.


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## edwardalt (Apr 23, 2021)

I typically buy my briskets at Costco. 

I recently purchased a Weston Pro-1100 Vacuum Sealer on Costco online that was shipped to my home. When I tried it out a little over a month later it would seal but it wouldn't vacuum. I opened a return/replace and they shipped out the replacement the next day, before I had even shipped the faulty one back. Actually I had thrown out the packaging from the original  so I was glad when they shipped a replacement immediately, and I just waited until it arrived and swapped the units in the packaging and sent the faulty sealer back.

That is great customer service!


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## mneeley490 (Apr 24, 2021)

Fueling Around said:


> i heard that Sam's basically pulled out of Puget Sound.
> You need all the help possible on inflated fuel prices.
> My last fuel on Saturday for premium was more than what I pay in town.


Filled up yesterday, regular $3.19 gal. Not great, but it's the best around here. Of course, most of it is taxes. 
Stupid state claims that  during COVID, many fewer people were driving, so they weren't getting the tax revenue they should have. Their solution? Raise the taxes, of course.


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## radioguy (Apr 24, 2021)

Im a Costco member also.  I tend to wait on prices to drop before buying.  We have a large freezer.  It pay to get to know the meat cutters there.   I bought a full NY strip loin for dry aging, sliced NY strip was on sale for $6.99/lb.  You can also get a price reduction if you are willing to buy it by the box.  Box is anywhere from 40-60 lbs depending upon meat and cut.  I call ahead and will ask whats on sale today.  

RG


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## daspyknows (Apr 24, 2021)

This got me motivated to hit the Costco business center.  I went overboard.  A prime brisket, a pack of beef short ribs, a pork belly, 3 racks of spares and two chickens.  Gonna be busy.


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## mneeley490 (Apr 25, 2021)

daspyknows said:


> This got me motivated to hit the Costco business center.  I went overboard.  A prime brisket, a pack of beef short ribs, a pork belly, 3 racks of spares and two chickens.  Gonna be busy.


LOL! Yeah, that can happen.


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## mlk18 (Apr 27, 2021)

Fueling Around said:


> Local stores have their meat shipped in from ?  You're lucky.  I have a 100 mile round trip to get to kill locker.



We have 5-6 meat lockers within a 25 mile radius. Way more if you increase that to 100 miles. They all pretty much exist to process locally grown farm animals and game animals. Which is great, as long as you don't want specific cuts of prime beef. Then it gets really expensive really quick.


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## Fueling Around (Apr 27, 2021)

mlk18 said:


> We have 5-6 meat lockers within a 25 mile radius. Way more if you increase that to 100 miles. They all pretty much exist to process locally grown farm animals and game animals. Which is great, as long as you don't want specific cuts of prime beef. Then it gets really expensive really quick.


I have many chop shops in 25 mile drive.  They only cut up shipped in carcass.
A meat shop in town processes hundreds of venison carcasses.
Expensive, but they do a good job, especially with sausage and meat sticks.


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