The Expensive Meat That You Can Find For Cheap At Costco

To many Americans, lamb seems a luxurious, expensive red meat that's reserved for celebrations and holidays such as Easter. There are several reasons why this is. Lambs are much smaller than cows, meaning butchers procure less meat from them. There is also less demand for lamb in the United States in comparison to beef, so it's also not as widely available, driving up the cost. But, buying lamb isn't an unattainable goal, especially if you have a Costco membership. In fact, given the prices Costco sells its lamb at, this meat might become your next protein of choice. That's why it's one of the seven meats we always recommend buying from Costco.

At the time of writing, my local Costco in northern Alabama was selling lamb loin chops for $8.18 per pound; this is generally much lower than what other large supermarket chains charge for lamb loin chops. That being said, you should always do your own research to see what the best offer is in your area; during my price search, the same pack of lamb chops was selling for $9.35 per pound in Southern California. So, for people living here, a different cut might be more economically viable.  

Interestingly, several people have posted online saying they found lamb chops at Costco for as low as $5.99 per pound. Thanks to Costco selling lamb at these low prices, now is a great time to grab a package or two of lamb and find out how versatile and delicious this meat really is.

Aside from the loin chops, Costco also sells racks of lamb (which are excellent when cooked in a smoker). These are a bit more expensive than the chops. The chain also sells leg of lamb. With a leg of lamb, you get much more meat, but the cut requires a longer cooking method; it responds well to roasting or braising. In addition, and although they aren't currently available at my nearest Costco, I've often purchased packs of ground lamb which are wonderful in Greek lamb bowls. I make white rice flavored with lemon zest and parsley and top it with browned ground lamb, tzatziki sauce, and a cherry tomato relish that's flavored with olive oil, red wine vinegar, red onion, and garlic.

If you are struggling for recipe inspiration, remember that lamb is extraordinarily popular in Mediterranean, Middle Eastern, North African, and Indian cuisines. So, look at cookbooks or food blogs that specialize in these cuisines for inspiration. For a very basic option, remember that Costco's lamb chops are excellent for pan frying or grilling, just don't overcook them which is the biggest mistake beginners make when cooking lamb chops.

We're not saying that lamb is the cheapest meat on the market. Far from it, in fact. Chicken, pork, and even several cuts and grinds of beef come at a lower per pound price than lamb. But, if you fancy cooking lamb, you now know where to get this wonderful meat for less.