4 Cuts Of Steak That Are Worth Buying At Costco And 6 To Avoid

Few foods are as satiating as a mouthwatering, medium-rare steak. While there are many cooking methods that can be used to achieve a perfectly cooked steak, ultimately the flavor and texture depend on a quality cut of meat. Beef is expensive and its quality can vary widely. However, one retailer consistently ranks highly for its meat department — Costco.

Not only does Costco have a wide selection of different cuts of beef, it offers meat in whole and pre-cut portions that are packaged in bulk, so you can get a lot of quality meat for your money. Additionally, Costco often carries USDA prime beef, in addition to its premium choice options, which represents only 2% of the American meat supply and is typically reserved for sale to fine dining establishments. As a professional chef, this is something I especially value.

That said, not every cut of steak is worth investing in at Costco. Its use of a mechanical tenderization technique on its pre-cut steaks makes some cuts a poor option if you prefer consuming beef that is cooked to a medium-rare doneness. Others are a better buy when the meat is purchased in whole roasts and broken down into individual steaks at home. Read on to discover which cuts of steak you should buy and those you should avoid the next time you shop at Costco.

My primary criteria in determining which cuts of steak are worth buying and which to avoid at Costco are based on my professional experience as a chef. I ran a fine dining restaurant with a small seating capacity for nearly 18 years and sourced most of my ingredients from local farms, rather than from distributors. That said, when it came to meat, beef in particular, Costco was often a great option for high-quality meat that was cost-effective. I typically purchased choice beef, though, when available, I would opt for prime, particularly when whole roasts could be obtained and I could butcher my own steaks.

Though my go-to cuts were often the ones you most typically expect to see at a restaurant, such as a ribeye or a filet mignon, I would occasionally purchase others that are ideal for certain uses, such as a flank steak for carne asada or a beefy strip steak to be served with a simple garlic and herb butter sauce. I would typically avoid those cuts that were not suitable for cooking beyond a medium-rare doneness because of the use of the blade tenderization process by Costco on its pre-cut steaks. When it comes to cooking meat, while taste was my first priority, safety was a close second, and the steaks tenderized in this manner are not safe when served below a temperature of 145 degrees F.

If you are looking for a cut of steak that is sought after by foodies and chefs alike, search no further than the boneless USDA prime beef ribeye cap steaks available at Costco. This elusive rolled steak is a favorite, despite its premium cost. Not only is it made from USDA prime beef, which typically contains more marbling than all other grades, it is sourced from a specific part of the rib loin roast, the cap, which has a distinctive beefy flavor and intensely tender texture that has an almost buttery quality when cooked.

To produce this unusual-looking cut of steak, a skilled butcher has to break down a rib loin, removing any fat and sinew, and separating the outer rim of the roast, or cap. This thin segment is subsequently rolled and tied together with butcher twine. Because it is labor-intensive and requires sacrificing a valuable portion of a rib loin roast, you won't often find these steaks for sale and they are quite expensive.

Despite the fact that these steaks are blade tenderized, they are still worth purchasing, as they can easily be cooked to a medium doneness without sacrificing texture. The meat will remain juicy and moist, almost oozing that delicious fat as you cut into it. This cut is best suited for high-heat cooking methods, like grilling or pan-searing, where you can get a nice crust on the exterior of the steak and seal in those juices.

Filet mignon is arguably the most popular cut of beef when it comes to steak. This cut, sourced from the tenderloin of the cow, which is located along the spine of the animal, is incredibly well-marbled and melt-in-your-mouth juicy when cooked properly. While I frequently served filet mignon at my restaurant, I never purchased the pre-cut steaks at Costco. An, unlike many of the other pre-cut steaks sold by the retailer, these are typically not blade tenderized, so they can be served at a rare to medium-rare doneness.

That said, they are not a great value and the steaks are quite large, generally over 8 ounces apiece. I prefer serving a filet that is between 5 and 6 ounces, a more modest portion size that is easier to cook and can be served with a luxurious sauce and ample side dishes. And, since Costco has a strict "no custom cutting" rule, you cannot just request smaller-sized filets to accommodate your needs.

For this reason, I always opted to purchase a whole beef tenderloin, also known as a PSMO ("Peeled, Side Muscle On"), which I butchered myself. Not only is this a better value, as you can get more evenly cut filets and have any scraps left behind from the butchering process to use for stew, hamburger, or stock, but you can control the size of the filets, obtaining the perfect 5-ounce steak every time.

When it comes to luxury, Costco carries a delicacy that you probably want to take advantage of if you happen to be hosting a meal for a special occasion — Japanese Wagyu Steak. Authentic Japanese Wagyu is not something you can find on a regular basis, and Costco has obtained exclusive access to sell it at a relatively affordable price. While not every Costco carries Wagyu, it is available on its website to members only in various cuts, such as ribeyes and New York strips.

Wagyu is heralded as superior for its incredible marbling, intense beefy flavor, and texture that is melt-in-your-mouth tender every time it is prepared. The Wagyu sold at Costco comes from a southern prefecture of Japan, known as Kagoshima. This area is particularly well-suited to raising Wagyu, with much of the meat grown here receiving a coveted A5 grade. The highest grade in its class, A5 designation is assigned to those animals with the highest yield and the most intense amount of marbling.

Though cost-prohibitive for some, this beef is a value if you consider that the recommended serving size of Wagyu is a scant 1 to 2 ounces per person because it is so rich. Any more would be like eating a stick of butter. This makes its high price tag seem that much more affordable when you consider how many people you can feed off of one steak. Costco Wagyu is not blade tenderized, making it safe to eat at the recommended medium-rare doneness.

Though tremendously flavorful if properly cooked, top round steak is not something I'd recommend bringing home to slap on the grill or pan sear for dinner, especially if you are a novice cook. The top round is obtained from the highest point of the hindquarters of the cow, an area that gets quite a bit of exercise during the course of an animal's life. This meat tends to have very little intramuscular fat, making it a lean option for those watching fat intake. That said, this characteristic makes it incredibly challenging to cook so that it stays moist, making it an option that always tastes better when ordered at a restaurant and prepared by an experienced chef.

Additionally, this top round steak is blade tenderized, so even if you marinate it properly and use every other tenderizing technique available to man, you will still have to cook it way beyond the recommended medium-rare doneness to serve it safely, at which point it will be quite dry and chewy. Perhaps the one place this steak could be used effectively is for sandwiches or pot roast, though there are other cuts of beef, like the chuck roast, that are better suited to this task and equally as affordable. The bottom line: If you love a tender steak, leave this cut in the refrigerator case at Costco.

Also known by the monikers strip loin, top loin, shell steak, ambassador steak, and Omaha Strip, the New York Steak, or strip steak, is a cut that was put on the map by the celebrated Manhattan eatery Delmonico's. This steak is sourced from the loin primal of the cow, more precisely the short loin, which is located along the longissimus dorsi muscle or back of the animal, below the ribs, but in front of the hips. Though lacking in abundant marbling, this cut has an intense savory flavor-profile that makes it incredibly popular with diners.

Costco carries some beautiful, healthy-looking New York steaks with a nice fat cap that are perfect for feeding special dinner guests. The price is generally cheaper than other retailers, though still more expensive than many other cuts of beef. The one hitch in the giddy up is that these steaks are also blade tenderized, which means they require careful preparation to ensure they do not dry out as they cook.

The best way to cook a New York steak is to go high-and-hot, as opposed to low-and-slow. This is the time to employ a reverse-sear or a butter basting technique where you can get a crisp, brown crust on the exterior of the meat while sealing in those juices. If carefully cooked, this steak can withstand being prepared to a medium doneness for safety, without compromising the overall quality of the meat.

Though a popular budget-friendly cut for barbecue pitmasters and celebrity chefs alike, tri-tip steak is not necessarily the best option to purchase from Costco, even though it is one that can be challenging to find elsewhere. Costco sells its tri-tip in a pre-packaged marinade that is vacuum-sealed. The marinade comprises up to 16% of the overall weight in the packaging, meaning you are paying for a lot of flavored liquid. Additionally, you cannot control the seasoning yourself, and tri-tip is generally best prepared simply with just a dash of salt and pepper, for best results.

Another reason to skip the tri-tip is that it can be challenging to cook and carve. This lean cut, obtained from the bottom of the sirloin, has a decent amount of intramuscular fat, but lacks a substantial fat cap, making it challenging to cook without it becoming dry and rubbery. This necessitates that it be cooked to a medium-rare temperature using a two-zone grill method, which can help seal in the juices while creating a nice crust.

Additionally, like with any steak, the tri-tip should be sliced against the grain to ensure the best texture of the meat. Unfortunately, this cut has two segments that each have different grain directions. Figuring out where the segments start and stop, and ensuring you are carving against the grain, can be a challenge with this cut, making this a steak best left to professional chefs or avid barbecue enthusiasts.

Among the most affordable cuts of steak that you should be adding to your Costco shopping cart is flank steak. The flank steak, or London broil, is sourced from the abdomen of the cow, just behind the plate and in front of the shank. The lengthy, flat piece of meat is extremely lean and has a notable grain that can make it toothsome if overcooked. That said, if treated delicately, it can be a delicious cut that is ideal for a number of recipes, ranging from tacos to Asian-inspired stir fries. Because this cut is not blade tenderized you can cook it to an appropriate medium-rare doneness without concern.

The key to using this cut of meat is to marinate it appropriately before cooking it over high heat. Unfortunately, there is a common mistake that can ruin flank steak, which involves over-marinating it. Because flank steak is such a thin cut of meat, the acid in a marinade can easily denature the proteins to the point that they are nothing but a pile of goo. The sweet spot is between one and three hours, though certain recipes will recommend going as long as 24 hours. Additionally, monitor the salt content of marinades to ensure the flank steak doesn't dehydrate in the process, which can further toughen meat, rather than make it juicy.

Skirt steak is another generally affordable cut of beef that can be a great addition to your routine menu. This cut, which is the go-to for recipes like carne asada, is sourced from the plate of the cow, the area of the belly where the diaphragm is located. Skirt steak comes in two types, the "inside skirt" and the "outside skirt." Though these are generally sold and used interchangeably, they are actually quite distinct in morphology.

The outside skirt is usually wider, more evenly-shaped, and more supple, while the inside skirt has an asymmetrical shape that makes it harder to cook and therefore prone to being less juicy. Regardless of which you cook, both types should be prepared over high-heat to guarantee the best results and should be cut against the grain. For this cut of meat, the grain is unusual in that it runs vertically along the length of the skirt steak, rather than horizontally, giving it a pleated look, for which it is named.

While all of this sounds promising, the skirt steak sold at Costco is of the inside type and comes pre-packaged in a marinade. Since we know the outer skirt is the one that is easier to cook and will remain more tender, this is less desirable. I also tend to shy away from pre-marinated meat, as most of these are overly salty and I prefer to use my own seasonings. For these reasons, I'd skip the skirt steak at Costco.

While there is no denying that a ribeye is one of the best steaks to grill and is a favorite among meat lovers, the precut ones from Costco may not be the best option to stock up on. The ribeye is unique because it has a decent amount of intramuscular fat, yet isn't overly greasy. It also has an even shape, making it easy to cook evenly to the desired doneness, which for many is medium-rare. Since the ribeyes from Costco are blade-tenderized, enjoying them to a medium-rare doneness is not advisable.

Furthermore, Costco sells whole, boneless rib roasts. These are a great value and you can easily cut your own ribeye steaks to the exact thickness you prefer, which for my taste is generally between ½- to ¾-inch. Though this may yield more meat than you need for a weeknight dinner, you can easily freeze these steaks, making the whole rib roast the best route to go when searching for cuts of steak at Costco.

Top sirloins often get a bad rap because they have a tendency to turn out dry and chewy when cooked improperly. This is a direct result of the fact that this cut is sourced from the hip region of the cow, an area that gets a lot of exercise, which yields meat that is quite lean as it lacks that intramuscular fat that makes a filet or ribeye so juicy. Though a top sirloin can be delectable if cooked over high heat to a medium-rare doneness, this takes finesse and some expertise, which makes it a cut that may be best reserved for restaurant chefs or avid grill cooks.

Additionally, the top sirloin sold at Costco is blade tenderized, which, as we have already noted, makes serving this meat at a medium-rare doneness unsafe. Even if subjected to a good marinade for a decent amount of time, cooking top sirloin to 145 degrees F will yield a tough piece of meat that makes this cut from Costco a poor value to load up on.