7 Costco Meats You Should Buy And 5 You Should Avoid

Shopping at Costco can be a daylong adventure. There are all kinds of things to discover, from the ridiculously rare and expensive — like the $40,000 four-pack of vintage wine that gave customers some serious sticker shock — to the arrival of a new and delicious chocolate chip cookie. But there's a downside to shopping at Costco: Since you're buying a lot of things in bulk, it can be tough to decide whether or not you want to lay out some serious cash for a bulk buy that you may or may not like.

That's especially true for things like meat and seafood. Sure, you can order four A5 Grade Wagyu steaks from Costco's website, but should you? Is it really worth the $469.99 price tag (at the time of this writing)? While we're not going to tell you to go out and spend that, we can tell you what the experiences of other customers have been.

So, that's where we went to put together our recommendations on Costco's meat. One person's experiences don't really give the whole picture, after all, so we checked out a ton of online reviews and scoured a ton of social media posts and threads to find out what people are saying about Costco's meats. That's the good, the bad, and the outraged — and, we looked at some of the rarer items that you might miss, because they're online-only. And some of those you should definitely try.

When we here at The Takeout took a long, hard look at Costco's USDA Prime Beef, we found that it's a pretty big deal. Why? For a few reasons, including the fact that on-site meat cutters make sure Costco customers are getting the biggest bang for their buck, and that Costco doesn't practice the controversial (but ultimately harmless) practice that involves using carbon monoxide in packaging meats. While you might be paying a little more than if you're getting the lower-graded USDA Choice, it might be worth it for those who are really serious about their meats.

Costco, in fact, gets a shout-out from numerous professional chefs and butchers as being a great place to go for great USDA Prime steaks, with one of the reasons being that the chain's buying power makes it possible for them to buy a ton of stock at great prices that then get passed along to the customer. While you might be able to get smaller quantities at some stores or butchers, you might be paying more per pound.

The downside is that stock seems to vary. Your best bet is weekend shopping, and although you might have to fight the crowds, that's also when you're more likely to find items like USDA Prime cuts of sirloin. Pro tip? Buy in bulk and make the most of your freezer, but avoid common mistakes people make when freezing steak. (Like forgetting to properly portion those steaks, or leaving air in the packaging.

Buying steaks at Costco comes with one big caveat. If you check the labels of Costco's steaks, you'll find that some say they've been blade tenderized. There's a lot of chatter on forums like Reddit on whether or not there are any risks inherent in this process, or if it makes the steaks any better (or worse). What do the professionals have to say? It all comes down to how you like to cook and eat your steak.

If you prefer steak on the rare side, you should definitely skip those that are prepared this way. Why? It's generally fine to cook and eat steaks rare, because any potentially dangerous bacteria remains on the outside and is killed when it's seared. Blade tenderizing pushes that bacteria into the inside of the meat, and there have been E. coli outbreaks linked to meat treated with this process. 

While blade tenderized steaks can be cooked to be perfectly safe, that might not be your preference. And steak is one of those things where preference is important, so it might mean skipping Costco's offerings.

These options are incredibly pricey, but if you can split the cost with a few friends or family members, you'll get a delicious product at an ultimately decent price. There's a few different meats we're talking about here, and we'll start with the Jamon Serrano bone-in ham leg that we here at The Takeout called a deal that's too good to pass up. That's a holiday buy that's historically been offered for around $100, and it's a 14-pound ham leg imported from Spain. 

Costco also has an online only offer of a D'Artagnan 18-month Aged Boneless Spanish Serrano Ham for $249.99. Customers love it, and as of this writing, it has a 4.5 out of 5 stars with more than 1500 reviews. The feedback is pretty clear: If you're looking for the centerpiece of a charcuterie board or something that'll wow at your next gathering, this is it.

Costco also has an online only Covap Jamon Iberico Bellota Ham Leg, which includes the stand and carving knife. This is a little pricier — at the time of this writing, the 15.4-pound leg is $649.99. Iberico pigs are raised in the same place with the same diet that they have been since the beginning of recorded history. Reviews say that it's well worth it: Not only does the thinly-sliced ham go a long way, but it's delicious, authentic, and some Spanish natives even chimed in to say that it reminded them of home.

Costco's boneless pork shoulder might seem like a great idea, especially if you're looking forward to whipping up enough pulled pork that you have multiple meals of nachos, sandwiches, and pulled pork grilled cheese. If you're serious about your pulled pork, though, you might want to think twice about this one. Why? Experts say that the best way to get really, really delicious smoked pork is to opt for a cut that still has the bone intact. Sure, it'll be a little more work, but that bone means the meat is going to be much more flavorful. (Plus, it's not a waste: That bone can be used to make some incredible stock or broth.) 

Those over at our sister site, Tasting Table, agree that Costco's pork shoulder is one of those products you should skip. They found that in addition to the lacking flavor that comes with a boneless option, you're not getting the savings that you might expect from Costco. Pork shoulders are widely available at other grocers, butchers, and through online subscription boxes, and they're often available at a price point cheaper than what Costco has them priced at. That's all food for thought.

In case you've ever wondered what goes into a $6,000 burger, part of the answer is wagyu beef. Costco's wagyu beef isn't going to set you back that much, it is expensive. However, customers have taken to Reddit to say that it's absolutely worth the price. The trick, many say, is to take boneless wagyu and turn it into delicately-sliced strips instead of serving as a typical steak. Some Redditors practically plead with those looking for advice, stressing that small portions are key to enjoying this incredibly rich meat. That means your purchase might go much farther than you think, and it's worth it for an extra-special meal.

Costco also has online only offers, like the D'Artagnan Extreme American Wagyu Burger Lovers Bundle, which includes 12 burgers for $174.99 (at the time of this writing). It has hundreds of 5-star reviews, with customers lauding the pack for flavor and texture, while noting they're not your typical burgers. That's sourced from American wagyu, but there's Japanese wagyu that's highly-rated, too. Costco's A5 Japanese Wagyu Striploin Roast is 6 pounds and $569.99, but customers say that when it's prepared right, it'll go a long way and is totally worth the price.

Really looking to celebrate that special anniversary, birthday, graduation, holiday, or life milestone? Costco also has a pack of four A5 Grade Japanese Wagyu Center Cut New York Strip Steaks for $469.99, and customers say that even if this is a once-in-a-lifetime experience, it's one that you shouldn't miss.

There's a lot of debate when it comes to ground beef, particular about which blend is perfect for which applications. Some chefs say that the perfect meatloaf requires an 80/20 blend, and that's the general rule for burgers, too. You might, however, want a 70/30 blend for an ultra-juicy burger, and it's the fat content that's generally responsible for making those apple butter cheddar burgers come out perfectly. Opt for Costco's 93/7 ground beef, and while you'll get a very lean product, that's going to make for a very dry burger. 

It's also not going to be great in things like meatballs or meatloaf, and Redditors have taken to the social media site to say that even 90/10 is too lean for a juicy finished product — at least without adding some other kind of fat into the mix. Some swear by it, but there's a good chance that you might not.

Other Redditors have voiced concerns over Costco's ground beef for other reasons, with many noting that it's a widely available type of meat that's often much cheaper elsewhere. Others have reported getting ground beef that tastes unusual, off, or that it has a slimy texture, and while others swear by the ground-fresh quality meat, it seems to be a very polarizing thing.

Lamb is wildly popular in Mediterranean countries and in Australia, and here's a fascinating tidbit: One of the world's oldest recipes is for a lamb stew. It's been popular for a long time in and in many places, but not so much in America. Fortunately for Americans, Costco has some brilliant offers on lamb that make it easy to give this particular meat a try, and it might just become a new favorite. Costco is regularly lauded for its lamb chops, and customers have taken to Reddit to share thoughts about the chain's deals on leg of lamb, with some saying that this purchase is one of the best food-related decisions they ever made. 

You don't even need to go on a treasure hunt at your local Costco, either. Check the website for some highly-rated offerings, like a 10-pound pack of Swift All Natural Lamb Loin Chops. Those are $179.99 at the time of this writing, and reviews are favorable. Consisting of 10 individually wrapped chops, they're flavorful, tender, juicy, and as a bonus, they're guaranteed to be humanely raised.

Interested in trying a variety of different cuts without making a major investment on any one? That's a great way to sample lamb, and customers say that Costco's Grass Fed New Zealand Lamb Premium Selection Box (currently priced at $169.99) is a great way to do that. It includes loin chops, leg of lamb, and four Frenched racks, all of which gets an enthusiastic thumbs up from customers.

If you love chicken wings, you're definitely not alone. (Back in 2021, the rising popularity of wings led us here at The Takeout to ask, "Who the hell is ordering all these chicken wings?") The right chicken wing has a lot of meat, a crispy exterior, and a juicy interior, but unfortunately, tons of customers have taken to Reddit to complain that Costco's Kirkland Signature wings don't deliver on any front.

Some comment that sure, the wings are a great price, but they're so bad that they're not even worth it with the affordability factored in. One of the biggest complaints — particularly about the party-sized pack — is that many of the wings still had the feathers attached, and that's just something you don't want to deal with. Others say there was hardly any meat on the bones, while others had experiences with brittle bones snapping and breaking as they tried to eat them. Again, not ideal. 

Some suggest it's user error, but with the number of people saying that they've ended up with chicken wings that aren't crispy, are tough and chewy, and even have a slimy texture are too many to ignore — especially when there are so many places you can get great wings.

It's no secret that Costco's rotisserie chickens are a major reason to spring for that annual membership. Yes, Costco did change the packaging of its chickens to be more environmentally friendly, but it's still the same delicious bird that helped the chain build its cult following.

One of the best things about these chickens isn't just that they're affordable and tasty, but that you can definitely pick one up for a quick dinner after shopping all day, and then pick up another one to break down for future meals. The only thing we love more than a delicious meal is an easy one, and there are all kinds of hacks for getting a surprising amount out of these reasonably-sized birds — and that includes saving the carcass for making your own broth. 

As for the chicken, both the white and dark meat makes an excellent addition to everything from pasta to quesadillas, baked potatoes to nachos. There are countless fans of Costco's rotisserie chickens, and that's no secret. Add in the fact that the chickens sourced by Costco have a reputation for being larger than those found at other stores, and there's no way to go wrong.

Yes, dark meat chicken really does taste better than white meat, and that's because these parts of the chicken tend to be fatter and juicier. Unfortunately for those who love chicken thighs, there's bad news about Costco's: There are a ton of customers who have taken to social media with all kinds of complaints, starting with claims that they've gotten thighs that have spoiled well before the expiration date. Although others point out that you're probably freezing a good part of the bag, there are apparently a lot of people this has happened to. 

Is that enough to be worthy of a skip? Possibly, especially considering that this has been a common complaint for years. Sure, you can take advantage of Costco's generous return policy to get your money back, but who wants to go stand in line in a busy store more often than needed? Others complain about a funky smell to the liquid they're sealed with, and many say that they simply stopped buying them.

Just like you might not be buying lamb regularly, you might not be buying game meats that often, either. Costco is a great way to try more unusual types of meat, including elk and bison. According to customers, you should definitely do so.

Let's take a few examples, like Costco's online only offer of a 30-pack of Northfork Elk Burgers for $119.99. They're widely lauded for being juicy without being greasy, and for being so flavorful that there was no need to add extra spices or seasonings. Similar comments were made about Costco's Northfork Bison Burgers (pictured), which come in a 30-pack for $149.99.

There are a lot of health benefits to opting for meats like elf and bison as well. In addition to being high in things like iron, zinc, vitamin B12, and selenium, they're also naturally lean. Love a juicy burger, but wish you could get rid of that greasy texture? These are absolutely for you. Costco also offers bison and elk steaks and medallions, and they have a few venison products, too. They're all highly reviewed by customers, who are quick to stress that if you think of these meats as having a "gamey" taste, it's time to try them again.

Getting anyone to agree on anything on the internet is a bit like trying to light a match in a hurricane, only slightly more annoying. When around 1,700 customers give Costco's ahi tuna a 4- or 5-star rating, you know you're onto something good. Opt for the online only Ahi Tuna Individual Vacuum Packed Portion case, and you'll get 10 pounds of tuna for $149.99 (at the time of this writing). It's wild-caught, boneless, and comes already portioned and frozen, so there's no worries about waste.

Customers say that they've thawed and enjoyed it raw, added to their own poke bowls, and that they're so good — and come seasoned — so that there's no marinated required before grilling them up to perfection. They're described as firm, flavorful, and everything you'd hope for in a truly stellar tuna steak.

Some also note that although the price might seem high, the steaks are such a good size that if you're using them for something like poke bowls, one steak will be more than enough for two or three bowls. Others stress that the steaks were consistently delicious and high-quality throughout the case, which is exactly what you'd hope to hear.

In order to bring you some recommendations on what to buy and what to skip when it comes to Costco's meats, we did a few things. We started with some personal experience, and then headed to social media to see if others agreed with the experiences and opinions we had. We also scoured the internet for customers' thoughts on some of the products that we haven't tried, and while there are, of course, always some varying opinions, we selected those in which the overwhelming majority of people agreed. 

Finally, we also wanted to introduce you to some offers that you might miss if you only shop in-store, so we also hit Costco's website to see what people were saying about the online only offers. And some are not to be missed!