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COSTCO meat tenderization question

RRP
RRP Posts: 26,455
in EggHead Forum
Will someone please clarify if ALL whole beef products from there are blade tenderized? Do they just do individual steaks or are the full sub-primal packages of cryovaced also blade tenderized. Thank you!
Re-gasketing the USA one yard at a time 
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Comments

  • Lit
    Lit Posts: 9,053
    I thinks this has been discussed atleast 100 times in the last year.
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  • SGH
    SGH Posts: 28,989
    RRP said:
    Will someone please clarify if ALL whole beef products from there are blade tenderized? 
    No, it is not. It seems to vary location to location. For example the Costco in Mobile, Al. does not have any blade tenderized meat unless they just started recently. Never seen it there myself. However there have been many folks say that their local Costco has both or only blade tenderized meat. Seems to be no real rhyme or reason to it. 

    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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  • RRP
    RRP Posts: 26,455
    SGH said:
    RRP said:
    Will someone please clarify if ALL whole beef products from there are blade tenderized? 
    No, it is not. It seems to vary location to location. For example the Costco in Mobile, Al. does not have any blade tenderized meat unless they just started recently. Never seen it there myself. However there have been many folks say that their local Costco has both or only blade tenderized meat. Seems to be no real rhyme or reason to it. 
    Thanks for your civil reply, Scottie! Sounds like each person needs to check their COSTCO.
    Re-gasketing the USA one yard at a time 
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  • Lit
    Lit Posts: 9,053
    The responses I have always seen are all cuts are tenderized and the primals are not. 
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  • SGH
    SGH Posts: 28,989
    RRP said:
    Thanks for your civil reply, Scottie! Sounds like each person needs to check their COSTCO.
    My pleasure brother Ron. On a seperate note, your question raised my curiosity. As such, I called the Costco Corporate office and inquired about the blade tenderized meat. I was told that if you do not want blade tenderized meat, simply ask someone in the back for meat that has not been blade tenderized or to call ahead and Costco would happily oblige. This seems to solve the dilemma of locations that only have the tenderized meat in the case. 

    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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  • Lit
    Lit Posts: 9,053
    @SGH I have tried to get them to package me 2 ribeye caps when they only have packages of 4 and they told me they couldn't. I am going to try and see if they will get me some that are not tenderized and see how far I get. 
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  • SGH
    SGH Posts: 28,989
    edited February 2017
    @Lit
    Try calling ahead like the fellow suggested to me and see what they say. He seemed sure that it would not be an issue. 

    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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  • DaveRichardson
    DaveRichardson Posts: 2,324

    @Lit - call ahead and tell them you want the 4-pack broken down into two 2-packs.  That sounds like it'd be something easy for them to do; its just 2 cryovacs......

    LBGE since 2014

    Griffin, GA 

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  • Lit
    Lit Posts: 9,053
    DaveRichardson said:

    @Lit - call ahead and tell them you want the 4-pack broken down into two 2-packs.  That sounds like it'd be something easy for them to do; its just 2 cryovacs......

    They usually have 2 packs in my store. I am going to try calling tomorrow and see if they will do the non blade tenderized thing. As much as I like Costco their meat department has not been helpful at all in the past they will not split things like publix will. That's based on the stores I have been to.
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  • Sea2Ski
    Sea2Ski Posts: 4,131
    I second what @lit said - cuts are tenderized as SOP at my local Costco. I inquired about obtaining a non-tenderized eyeroast for bresola. They would do it if I was there in person and waited. That means I had to be there when the cutters were there.  That means in the morning. That means that since I am at work by 6:30, I have to get creative. I book a meeting with myself and duck out of work for a bit. I talk to myself in the car, so it is kinda legit....
    --------------------------------------------------
    Burning lump in Downingtown, PA or diesel in Cape May, NJ.
    ....just look for the smoke!
    Large and MiniMax
    --------------------------------------------------

    Caliking said:   Meat in bung is my favorite. 
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  • EggMcMic
    EggMcMic Posts: 340
    From experience, the one cryoed sub-primal I purchased at our Costco was not blade tenderized.
    EggMcMcc
    Central Illinois
    First L BGE July 2016, RecTec, Traeger, Weber, Campchef
    Second BGE, a MMX, February 2017
    Third BGE, another large, May, 2017
    Added another griddle (BassPro) December 2017
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  • Teefus
    Teefus Posts: 1,259
    The Choice NY Strips SWMBO and I have had every Friday for the last couple months have been blade tenderized. No complaints here as they are melt in your mouth tender. They're so well marbled I don't know why they're not prime.
    Michiana, South of the border.
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  • Legume
    Legume Posts: 15,936
    I thought you were all about going big @Lit, buy all four.
    THANK YOU FOR YOUR ATTENTION TO THIS MATTER
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  • Lit
    Lit Posts: 9,053
    Legume said:
    I thought you were all about going big @Lit, buy all four.
    My wife is vegan so I really don't need 4 steaks for myself. Plus the 4 packs are usually around $80 and I'm poor.
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  • Toxarch
    Toxarch Posts: 1,900
    Over here, everything not in cryovac is blade tenderized. I've asked the butcher if it was possible to get some that was not blade tenderized and he said it was company policy that they had to do it. It is Prime and Choice grade ribeye. That really doesn't need any tenderizing. Who cooks ribeye to 160 degrees like you are supposed to for blade tenderized meats?
    I've tried to email Costco corporate a couple of times about it but they don't respond. 
    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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  • HeavyG
    HeavyG Posts: 10,380
    Toxarch said:
    Over here, everything not in cryovac is blade tenderized. I've asked the butcher if it was possible to get some that was not blade tenderized and he said it was company policy that they had to do it. It is Prime and Choice grade ribeye. That really doesn't need any tenderizing. Who cooks ribeye to 160 degrees like you are supposed to for blade tenderized meats?
    I've tried to email Costco corporate a couple of times about it but they don't respond. 
    145°F is the new 160°F. :)


    “Reality is that which, when you stop believing in it, doesn't go away.” ― Philip K. Diçk




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  • Carolina Q
    Carolina Q Posts: 14,831
    Cool! So now beef is safe to eat when it's only 20+° overcooked!

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

    Michael 
    Central Connecticut 

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  • Lit
    Lit Posts: 9,053
    I have been eating the tenderized meat from Costco for years and no issues. I pull my steaks around 125. 
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  • pgprescott
    pgprescott Posts: 14,544
    HeavyG said:
    Toxarch said:
    Over here, everything not in cryovac is blade tenderized. I've asked the butcher if it was possible to get some that was not blade tenderized and he said it was company policy that they had to do it. It is Prime and Choice grade ribeye. That really doesn't need any tenderizing. Who cooks ribeye to 160 degrees like you are supposed to for blade tenderized meats?
    I've tried to email Costco corporate a couple of times about it but they don't respond. 
    145°F is the new 160°F. :)


    Yeah, but 145 is too high for me 
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  • Lit
    Lit Posts: 9,053
    That's funny it says 1 in 6 get a food born illness every year but I don't think I have ever had one much less from something I made and I eat pretty rare meat. I need to get a lotto ticket.
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  • Tony_T
    Tony_T Posts: 303
    Would Costco open a cryovac and cut and repackage (and not blade tenderize)?
    I ask because my local Stew Leonards does this while-you-wait, but they usually have Choice, not Prime.
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  • Eggcelsior
    Eggcelsior Posts: 14,414
    Lit said:
    That's funny it says 1 in 6 get a food born illness every year but I don't think I have ever had one much less from something I made and I eat pretty rare meat. I need to get a lotto ticket.
    Itchy palms, huh? No hair growth, I hope.
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  • HeavyG
    HeavyG Posts: 10,380
    pgprescott said:
    HeavyG said:
    Toxarch said:
    Over here, everything not in cryovac is blade tenderized. I've asked the butcher if it was possible to get some that was not blade tenderized and he said it was company policy that they had to do it. It is Prime and Choice grade ribeye. That really doesn't need any tenderizing. Who cooks ribeye to 160 degrees like you are supposed to for blade tenderized meats?
    I've tried to email Costco corporate a couple of times about it but they don't respond. 
    145°F is the new 160°F. :)


    Yeah, but 145 is too high for me 
    Clearly you're a man that likes to live dangerously!
    “Reality is that which, when you stop believing in it, doesn't go away.” ― Philip K. Diçk




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  • Judy Mayberry
    Judy Mayberry Posts: 2,015
    My Costco in San Diego has two big signs over the beef section, Prime and Choice. I have yet to see any Prime out there. Everything is Choice. Also, for beef everything packaged says "tenderized" on the label. I get fabulous Prime ribeye at the special meat case at Kroger (Ralphs in San Diego). And I don't have to buy two or three in one package, either.
    Judy in San Diego
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  • Austin Egghead
    Austin Egghead Posts: 3,966
    At our Costco, Choice beef products, if cut by the butcher,  are labeled blade tenderized. If they are sold in the cyrovac they are not tenderized.  There are exceptions, so if blade tenderized is not for you, read the label.  
    Large, small and mini now Egging in Rowlett Tx
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