Ribeye Roast For Steaks

GregW

Today I made a trip to my local Costco. As I have found in the past, the ribeye's were packed four to a tray. At least one steak in each tray was of lower quality. I like all my steaks to be of uniform thickness and overall shape. Sadly my Costco fails on all my selection criteria.

I made a discovery that I'm sure most of the forum members are already aware of. I saw the ribeye roast and noticed that they contained the steaks that were exactly what I was looking for. Each exposed end had the same ratio of meat to cap.

This leads me to believe that If I cut this ribeye roast into steaks they would all be of similar shape. 
The ribeye roast at Costco appear to be cut from what I call the sweet spot of the loin.

The price per pound is the same for the roast and the cut steaks.

Has anybody purchased a ribeye roast and sliced it at home?

Scottborasjr

I haven't done it myself but that it's exactly how most stores do their steaks is getting whole roasts in then cutting them for the service counter. Can't speak to the prepackaged multi packs. Not sure if those are trimmed on site by the Costco meat department or if they come in like that.

OmahaOne

I'm a member of both Sam's Club and Costco and I've been able to ask the meat cutters to package steaks for me and they can if that's what they happen to be cutting at that time.

Sea2Ski

Yep, I have done it. Usually not totally into steaks, but rather half roast, and half into steaks. You theory is correct.  Go for it!  

Darby_Crenshaw

Yeah. You just discovered how most of us buy steaks i think

age it first and you'll never buy a 'fresh' supermarket steak again. Wet floppy too thin things that they are

as others said, try it a few ways. Some don't want giant steaks, and will instead carve off a roast from the bigger end, while making steaks from the smaller. Or the other way around

try a whole tenderloin too

tthat said, many of the warehouse stores (BJs, Costco, etc) seem to be selling lower quality tenderloins past few years.  They used to be whole, but last couple times mine were badly cut up. 

If you can get a truly whole one, say from Restaurabt Depot, or you get lucky at the others, you'll find there are some decent vids or writeups on line for breaking it down. You can do a nice roast ('chateau briand'), then some filets, cut the chain and the thinner end up for tips, etc.  Lots of options

RRP

I haven't bought but a few individual steaks from a butcher shop in years. Instead since I dry age my own beef I start with cryovaced sub-primals. Typically a loin strip will weigh 10 to 12 pounds and a rib eye is 15 to 18 pounds. By buying that way the per pound cost is cheaper. I buy most of mine at SAMs and I go there on a Monday when they have restocked the bins and I'll have upwards of 24 to choose from. You can sort through them reading the marbling on the ends to get a pretty good idea what the meat is going to be like.

Raymont

I also buy the whole ribye/loin sub-primal and age/cut into steaks. I have found there is sometimes a disappointing, large amount of fat in the "eye" (is that what they call it in the middle of rib-eye?); but overall agree this is the way to go. I recently paid $11.59/lb for prime ribeye at Costco.

njl

GregW said:

The price per pound is the same for the roast and the cut steaks.

Has anybody purchased a ribeye roast and sliced it at home?

All the time...both at Costco and Publix.  I have the same issue with how Costco generally packages the ribeye steaks...and Publix cuts most of theirs thinner than I'd like.  Usually the price per pound for roast is a bit less than for steaks.

pgprescott

Yep. Then I can get them nice and thick for me and a little thinner for her. 

SRFShane

We do it all the time, and so do our customers.  In fact, we created a couple of "how-to" videos that could be helpful for you.  Here's the NY Strip one: 

NY Strip:  

I can't seem to embed the ribeye one, but you can find it here:  
https://vimeo.com/album/3403195

Shiff

My problem with Costco is that they blade tenderize the meats that they cut and package.  This adds to the risk of contamination.  Also, they don't cut them the way I want.  I generally buy a whole Rib Eye primal or NY Strip which are cryovaed and are not blade tenderized.  I cut my own roasts and steaks from the primal and get much better meat for a lower cost.

GregW

Shiff said:

My problem with Costco is that they blade tenderize the meats that they cut and package.  This adds to the risk of contamination.  Also, they don't cut them the way I want.  I generally buy a whole Rib Eye primal or NY Strip which are cryovaed and are not blade tenderized.  I cut my own roasts and steaks from the primal and get much better meat for a lower cost.

The people working in the meat departments are butchers in the most literal sense.
The fine art of a real butchers is sadly lost for the most part with the rare exception of a local meat market.