The Bougie Cut Of Meat You Should Start Buying From Costco

Walking into a Costco feels like stepping into a grocery wonderland with bulk goods as far as the eye can see. Even if the majority of your grocery list is made up of necessities, you should still consider picking up a little treat — just head to the meat section! At Costco, you can get a great deal on USDA Prime cuts of steak. While they will still cost you more than a budget cut, for a date night or special occasion, they are definitely worth it.

Availability and pricing will vary depending on region, store, and supply, so your best bet is to keep an eye on what is available at your local Costco. Compared to lower graded Choice cuts, expect to pay somewhere between $3 and $10 more per pound. Costco Business Centers provide another shopping option, but these stores sometimes focus on Select and Choice cuts over Prime.

The reasons Costco is able to offer more affordable pricing even on luxurious items are the very same that allow you to get massive amounts of toilet paper and a bounty of packaged snacks — minimal spend on advertising, limited product offerings, ordering in bulk, and slimmer profit margins. Those savings get passed on to you, the consumer, with a low sticker price on items like Prime New York strips, ribeye steaks, and sirloins.

The Prime designation is one of three quality grades that the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) gives to cuts of beef based on how tender, juicy, and flavorful they are. But how can an inspector know what the cooked steak will taste like without sampling it? Well, the visual cues from the raw meat are most helpful. The amount of marbling in a given cut is the key distinguisher between the designations, with Prime having the most and Select having the least — Choice falls in the middle. The age and sex of the cow as well as the firmness of the meat also contribute to the final grade.

Marbling refers to the ribbons and flecks of white fat that run through the red muscle. If you hold up a package of Prime grade steaks next to Choice ones, you will be able to see a visible difference, too. That high presence of fat in the meat largely comes from feeding cows a grain-based diet. The one caveat with highly marbled beef is the flavor. Some folks find that they miss some of that beefy savoriness, but the texture is undeniably more tender in most cases.

To make sure not an ounce of beef bought in bulk goes to waste, consider setting aside what you plan to cook immediately and freezing the rest. Wrap each steak very tightly in plastic wrap, and then place them in an airtight container or freezer bag. When stored properly in the freezer, they will stay fresh for around three months.

As for the rest, your best bet is to keep it simple. Because you are investing in a high quality cut, you really want the fatty richness and flavor to shine. Season them simply but liberally with salt and pepper for at least an hour or up to 24 hours before cooking. Allow the steak to come to room temperature, and then throw it down in a ripping hot cast iron pan or on the grill. You can tell your steak is perfectly cooked to medium-rare when a meat thermometer reads between 130 and 135 degrees Fahrenheit.

Before you slice and serve your steak with sides like the fluffiest mashed potatoes or an elegant citrus salad with arugula and ricotta salata, you absolutely must let it rest. This is the most crucial step for perfect steak, according to Anthony Bourdain, because it allows all those delicious juices and melted marbled fat to redistribute into the muscle. With a little patience and care, dining on a Costco Prime steak will make you feel like you are eating at a fancy restaurant.