The COSTCO Thread

[Katy Lied]

From a reddit AMA by a Costco Meat Manager:

Find YouTube videos online on how to cut your own steaks. The meat department isn’t an actually butcher shop. We get all our stuff in what is called subprimals. They are super easy to cut into steaks, and often times sooooooo much cheaper than buying actual steaks. Every steak you see in the counter, we have the whole piece in the back in a cryovac that you can buy for basically the same price as 1 pack, but you get 3-4 times the meat. And nothing will take you more than 10 minutes to process down yourself with a basic knife. And freeze the rest.

Most of the Costcos I've been to, in multiple states, put a handful of subprimals in cryovac in the refrigerators in the meat department labeled and ready for pickup, usually divided into two sections by grade (choice and prime). If there's none out, or not what you're looking for, just ask the folks staffing the meat department for what you want, "do you have any ribeye/strip/tenderloin/brisket/tri-tip cryovacs in back?" They won't think it's weird.

[Katy Lied]

Why does Costco cut the caps off prime ribeyes just to sell them separately. I buy a choice ribeye and it will have its cap. I feel like they should be made to not call it a ribeye when they remove the cap...


Fantastic question, we do it because its something different that most places dont. Its kind of just a special thing we have done for our members. They actually tried to change it to selling just normal prime ribeyes a few months ago, because when we cut the caps off and tie them, we lose a lot more of the actual steak and make a lot less. But they did not sell nearly as well. So the decision was to go back to this way. We dont make nearly as much money on it, but its something that our members love, so its what we do.


I always tell people to buy the top sirloin cap. Probably the most tender and delicious steak/cryovac you can buy for a cheap price. Most people dont know about it in cryo form, but its stupidly simple to cut into steaks yourself. And its going to be better than most popular steaks such as the New York.

[Jeff Lebowski]

I have been buying cryovacs and cutting my own steaks for a couple of years now. The only way to go.

[BigFatMeanie]

I have been buying cryovacs and cutting my own steaks for a couple of years now. The only way to go.

Maybe one of the BBQ guys around here should do a write up with details and put it on a blog.

[Jeff Lebowski]

Maybe one of the BBQ guys around here should do a write up with details and put it on a blog.

I typically get NY strip (they call it NY loin or something in the Cryovac). You can often get it for $5.99 choice. Sometimes as low as $6.99 or $7.99 prime. I usually wait for a good deal on prime and then cut into 1.5" steaks and vacuum seal with 1-2 steaks per bag. Pop them into the sous vide right out of the freezer. Works great.

[Lost Student]

I typically get NY strip (they call it NY loin or something in the Cryovac). You can often get it for $5.99 choice. Sometimes as low as $6.99 or $7.99 prime. I usually wait for a good deal on prime and then cut into 1.5" steaks and vacuum seal with 1-2 steaks per bag. Pop them into the sous vide right out of the freezer. Works great.

Do you salt/pepper before you freeze?

[Jeff Lebowski]

Do you salt/pepper before you freeze?

Nope.

[Lost Student]

Nope.

Huh. Every time I've cooked steaks sous vide I've liberally applied salt and pepper because that's what every recipe said to do. My whole life is a lie.

They don't taste bland? Or do you just season after sous vide?

[Jeff Lebowski]

Huh. Every time I've cooked steaks sous vide I've liberally applied salt and pepper because that's what every recipe said to do. My whole life is a lie.

They don't taste bland? Or do you just season after sous vide?

After. I have done it both ways and couldn't tell much of a difference.

[old_gregg]

Huh. Every time I've cooked steaks sous vide I've liberally applied salt and pepper because that's what every recipe said to do. My whole life is a lie.

They don't taste bland? Or do you just season after sous vide?

kosher salt before sear, then hit it with some of the jacobson cherrywood smoked salt (which is basically delicious on everything) post-sear. bonus points if you're slicing before serving: you get lots of surface area for the finishing salt to adhere.

[Katy Lied]

Link please.

[old_gregg]

https://jacobsensalt.com/products/in...od-smoked-salt

[Donuthole]

If you like pickles, these are great:

[old_gregg]

the pickles dhole posted are good. we like the spicy ones.

also the kirkland perrier knockoff is delightful:

[Pelado]

If you like pickles, these are great:

Too many calories.