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Costco Meat Question

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Comments

  • Toxarch
    Toxarch Posts: 1,900
    The last meat I bought at Costco I did cook to over 160°. And it was Prime beef too.


    Aledo, Texas
    Large BGE
    KJ Jr.

    Exodus 12:9 KJV
    Eat not of it raw, nor sodden at all with water, but roast with fire; his head with his legs, and with the purtenance thereof.

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  • YukonRon
    YukonRon Posts: 17,261
    My Beautiful Wife and I are members at our local Costco, and have been, for years. We have purchased primals, sub primals and the occasional rib cap. There has only been one issue, with all that I have purchased, from their butcher shop; it was a whole tenderloin, graded choice, that was oddly pre trimmed for whatever reason. After prep, and placed on. The BGE, it came out excellent. From my uneducated point of view, what I have purchased thus far from Costco, has been quality, safe, and a bargain. I will continue to do so.
    "Knowledge is Good" - Emil Faber

    XL and MM
    Louisville, Kentucky
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  • Teefus
    Teefus Posts: 1,259
    Costco has the best strips and ribeyes I've been able to find. Both the prime and the choice have been excellent. I just did a choice Brisket Flat this past weekend and it was tasty too.
    Michiana, South of the border.
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  • SaintJohnsEgger
    SaintJohnsEgger Posts: 1,826
    How does Costco compare to Restaurant Depot for meat prices and quality?

    I have a one day pass to RD through KCBS but I'm okay with getting a Costco membership if that it the better alternative. I'm just startign aout and I want to avoid going down the wrong rabbit trail.

    Marshall in Beautiful Fruit Cove, FL.
    MiniMax 04/17
    Unofficial BGE MiniMax Evangelist
    Facebook Big Green Egg MiniMax Owners Group


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  • SGH
    SGH Posts: 28,988
    edited October 2016
    SaintJohnsEgger said:
    How does Costco compare to Restaurant Depot for meat prices and quality?
    This varies from location to location. As an example, most folks on the forum say that they prefer Costco over Sams due to Costco carrying prime beef. With that said, the nearest Costco to me (Theodore, Al) does not carry any prime beef. Nor do they have brisket. No brisket of any grade. Our Sams does not have prime beef, but it always has briskets. Tons of them. 
    With the above said, RD vs Costco in my area is a no contest. RD wins hands down. Even Sams beats Costco here. 
    My advice would be to scope out both stores and see what each of them have and base your choice accordingly.  

    Location- Just "this side" of Biloxi, Ms.

    Status- Standing by.

    The greatest barrier against all wisdom, the stronghold against knowledge itself, is the single thought, in ones mind, that they already have it all figured out. 

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  • Shiff
    Shiff Posts: 1,835
    SaintJohnsEgger said:
    How does Costco compare to Restaurant Depot for meat prices and quality?

    I have a one day pass to RD through KCBS but I'm okay with getting a Costco membership if that it the better alternative. I'm just startign aout and I want to avoid going down the wrong rabbit trail.

    The Costco is 5 miles from my house and we shop there often.  Restaurant Depot is 40 minutes away and we get there from time to time.  The meat is cheaper and there is a much bigger selection at RD.  Our RD does not carry fresh fish yet, so we only get that when we go to the second closest RD about 1.5 hours away (only when we are in that area for other reasons). 

    I don't like buying the blade tenderized meat at Costco so I generally buy the cryovac packages and cut my own.  The fresh fish at Costco is very good but it is better at RD.  Our Costco does not carry any Packer briskets but RD does in several grades (not Prime, though).

    I buy very little meat at any local supermarkets or butcher shops.
    Large BGE
    Barry, Lancaster, PA
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  • tksmoke
    tksmoke Posts: 776
    The closest Costco is about 20 minutes from here, and the nearest RD is an hour away.  At the local Costco, neither the prime or choice filets are blade tenderized, either in bulk cryovac or precut packs.  The bulk prime and choice tri tips aren't blade tenderized, nor are any of the other cryovac-packed cuts.  Ribeye caps aren't blade tenderized.  The quality of the Costco meats is great, but I don't buy any of the blade tenderized meat.  The pork ribs and soon-to-come standing pork rib roasts are not blade tenderized either.  Costco rocks!! 
    Santa Paula, CA
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  • Jellyworm
    Jellyworm Posts: 96
    Our Costco in Houston has a great selection of both Prime and Choice meats.  I have never been disappointed but rather very happy with all meat purchased at Costco and will continue to do so.
    Large BGE
    Houston, TX
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  • Carolina Q
    Carolina Q Posts: 14,831
    Thanks, everyone. I have joined warehouse clubs before (Sam's and BJ's) and never really found them worthwhile. The only reason I am even considering Costco is for steaks. I haven't had a good one in years. Even the one and only butcher shop in town doesn't have very good stuff. Better than the grocery store, but nowhere near a nice restaurant.

    But I'm also not interested in buying huge chunks of meat like a whole beef tenderloin either. I just want to be able to buy a good steak once in a while - sometime before I die. Preferably, one that has not been tenderized. I'm kinda with @stike on that. I suspect he has a point - he usually does. Sounds like untenderized is at least a possibility so I guess I'll take a drive to see for myself.

    I hate it when I go to the kitchen for food and all I find are ingredients!                                                                                                                                                                                                                           

    Michael 
    Central Connecticut 

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  • Star_TrEGG
    Star_TrEGG Posts: 111
    SGH said:
    SaintJohnsEgger said:
    How does Costco compare to Restaurant Depot for meat prices and quality?
    This varies from location to location. As an example, most folks on the forum say that they prefer Costco over Sams due to Costco carrying prime beef. With that said, the nearest Costco to me (Theodore, Al) does not carry any prime beef. Nor do they have brisket. No brisket of any grade. Our Sams does not have prime beef, but it always has briskets. Tons of them. 
    With the above said, RD vs Costco in my area is a no contest. RD wins hands down. Even Sams beats Costco here. 
    My advice would be to scope out both stores and see what each of them have and base your choice accordingly.  

    If RD is within reasonable driving distance, I would go there.  If not, Costco is the next alternative in my opinion.  Costco's in my area have some occasional prime beef offerings (i.e., top loin whole [NY strip]), but as some pointed out it is location/region dependent.  Hope this helps.
    BGE Large, MiniMax & Mini; Weber Summit Charcoal Grilling Center, Weber Smokey Mountain 18.5" & E-310 natural gas; CyberQ Cloud; Flame Boss 200; ThermoWorks Smoke & Thermopen Mk4
    Washington, DC Metro Area
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  • bgebrent
    bgebrent Posts: 19,636
    SGH said:
    BYS1981 said:
    I cook all meats from costco to 165°F.

    That's about the internal temp I cook hare to. Give or take a little either way. 


    Agree, way over done.  Costco prime including the dry aged beef you've seen from Michael and me has not been "tenderized".  Been happy with Costco.  No financial affiliation.
    Sandy Springs & Dawsonville Ga
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  • SmokinTiger81
    SmokinTiger81 Posts: 746
    Super pleased with Costco--and at least they label blade tenderized.  Ours never has prime briskets, but other than that everything is reasonable and good quality--wings, chicken breasts, pork tenderloin, salmon, talpia all good.  I don't like their ground beef, too dense/finely ground so just stock up at Fresh Market on $2.99 Tuesday.  Costco has great prices on about everything--milk, eggs, paper goods, cheese, gas etc.  Very easy return policy too--including food.  Did not like taste of their Korean Beef Jerky--they take it back, no question.
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  • Terrebandit
    Terrebandit Posts: 1,750
    Who cares?
    Dave - Austin, TX
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