Beef Cost is Unreal!

[sandyut]

Welp, much like @mneeley490...Picked up a choice at Costco for $5.89. Couple weeks ago Primes were $5.99. Selection on the primes was rough so I waited. The Choice I found appears better, nice and bendy and not a ridiculous hard fat chunk on it. They only had 6 to choose from, 5 were like 2x4's, no bend and lots of hard fat. Get whatcha get these days.

 

[in. pred]

t bones were on sale again here for 5.99. one of these times they will go on sale when i have an extra couple c-notes. lol the 2 i bought and grilled were tasty.

 

[Gonna Smoke]

t bones were on sale again here for 5.99. one of these times they will go on sale when i have an extra couple c-notes. lol the 2 i bought and grilled were tasty.

Is that the price per pound or per steak? If that's the price per pound, that's a great deal. I've seen some steaks advertised for $7.99, but the steaks are 10oz. each so that would be $12.80/lb...

 

[KBFlyer]

Now you have to decide if you rob a bank to buy meat or just rob the butcher shop.

 

[voyager 663rd]

Is that the price per pound or per steak? If that's the price per pound, that's a great deal. I've seen some steaks advertised for $7.99, but the steaks are 10oz. each so that would be $12.80/lb...

PLUS the fact we are getting flooded with ungraded stuff.

I have to say though the Aussie meat we get "shows" ungraded BUT it is really good. They do have a grading system but it is not reflected on the meat sold here.

 

[motown45]

Right before Covid my wife and I finally decided to buy a half of a cow and a pig each year. We have three boys and are blessed to be able to afford it. Our first side of beef back then was $3.79per lb. The last one we bought in June was $5.79 per lb. We have a local butcher who has been in business for 85 years and only buys cows/pigs from small local farmers. The full pigs are typically 220 lbs but the beef sides can range from 420lbs to 475lbs. Even with the heavy up front cost of buying meat like this, I still think it costs way more in the long run buying at the store.

 

[chopsaw]

flooded with ungraded stuff.

Some processors skip the grading fee to offer cuts at a lower price .
I buy No roll beef fron GFS . You just have to look it over good before buying .
This is a no roll prime rib .

Plenty of marbling in thi sone , but I've also had one with none .

No roll strip loin ,

Another one that was not as good .

 

[KonaRich]

Same price here. I think Choice was $5.49, last time I looked. $Filled up on gas the other day; $4.99 at the cheapest Costco near me.

$5.19 Costco gas on my island. The average price in the area is $5.40. Costco prime brisket is $6.99/lb. Prime tenderloin is $23.99/lb.

"The price of paradise" concept is real in so many ways.

 

[KBFlyer]

Right before Covid my wife and I finally decided to buy a half of a cow and a pig each year. We have three boys and are blessed to be able to afford it. Our first side of beef back then was $3.79per lb. The last one we bought in June was $5.79 per lb. We have a local butcher who has been in business for 85 years and only buys cows/pigs from small local farmers. The full pigs are typically 220 lbs but the beef sides can range from 420lbs to 475lbs. Even with the heavy up front cost of buying meat like this, I still think it costs way more in the long run buying at the store.

Is that cut and wrapped price or do you need to wrap it when you get it home?

 

[motown45]

Is that cut and wrapped price or do you need to wrap it when you get it home?

That is dry aged for two weeks, cut, processed, frozen and vacum sealed. I get burger in 1.5lb blocks and 1/3 burger pattys four to a package. All I have to do is pick it up and put it in my freezer.

 

[chopsaw]

Even with the heavy up front cost of buying meat like this, I still think it costs way more in the long run buying at the store.

No doubt about that .

 

[sandyut]

Man, I wish we could get a sale on anything beef.

96% ground Kroger beef is on sale at $9.99 right now. Insanity. I havent been to Costco in a couple weeks to scope the brisket price. Last one I bought was $6 and change per pound.

 

[chopsaw]

havent been to Costco

Just joined Costco a couple months ago . I can get beef cheaper at Gordons food service . Some of the GFS stuff is no roll , which makes it cheaper .
The thing I do buy at Costco is the Kirkland chicken breast .

 

[Fueling Around]

I don't purchase much fresh meat at regular Costco. I do get a bit at the Business Center in FL.
Yesterday, I had to pass on some really nice prime strip loin as the sell by date was today. Wife's nose doesn't like over aged beef so didn't want to take the chance.
I did jump on a package of gulf shrimp yesterday. We like that so much over farm raised.

Just joined Costco a couple months ago . I can get beef cheaper at Gordons food service . Some of the GFS stuff is no roll , which makes it cheaper .
The thing I do buy at Costco is the Kirkland chicken breast .

That Kirkland fresh chicken is my wife's favorite.
I have looked at the chuck rolls at Costco. Don't remember if they are no roll. Does your Costco carry them? Not sure if it's worth my time.

 

[ajbert]

I just picked up some big rib eyes with bone for $12.99/lb today. Well marbled and big enough that one steak will be more than enough for the wife and I. Ended up with 3 packs/2 steaks per so that is 6 meals for us. Lowest I've seen rib eyes in a long while.

 

[chopsaw]

That Kirkland fresh chicken is my wife's favorite.

Yup . Nice clean poultry at a good price , and the vac packed portions make freezing easy .
So many uses too .

I have looked at the chuck rolls at Costco. Don't remember if they are no roll. Does your Costco carry them?

I'm not sure , but being that it's branded as Kirkland , I would say they only sell graded beef .
The one I got at GFS was select . Just looked at Costco's site . They list select as well .
Could be because of all the different muscle groups .

 

[sandyut]

Just joined Costco a couple months ago . I can get beef cheaper at Gordons food service . Some of the GFS stuff is no roll , which makes it cheaper .
The thing I do buy at Costco is the Kirkland chicken breast .

We have the executive membership. Last few years the 2% back was greater than the cost of the membership.

The Costco nearest us sells beer, wine and booze too. Their chicken is a great deal, buy lots of that. Also the party wings are great. Beef is just spendy everywhere, so Costco gets my business for the 2% back.

The cost for basics are the Kroger has gone up so much, I buy as much as possible at Costco. I take the big cooler and make the 40 minute dirve.

 

[chopsaw]

the party wings are great.

Yup . Agree . We've had those . My Daughter is the one that goes . Buys all the paper products there .
Some other things .

We have the executive membership. Last few years the 2% back was greater than the cost of the membership.

I just got the regular one . Went for the first time to look at meat . 9:00 . They wouldn't let me in . Had to wait until 10 . Only fancy people get in at 9 . Lol .
My bank credit card gives 6% back on a choosen catagory for the first year , then 3% after that .
2% on grocery and wholesale club , and 1% on all other purchases . So I'm getting the cash back with that . Last month I stashed $258.00 in cash rewards .

Just got back from A GFS run . Brisket was $5.49 . Two bucks higher than normal . Don't even think about any of the other beef . Insanity .

My normal run from a couple years ago looked like this ,

My run today looks like this .


14 pound boneless shoulder . Biggest I've seen .
Should stock my sausages back up . $1.89 a pound . I can deal with that .

 

[mneeley490]

I just got the regular one . Went for the first time to look at meat . 9:00 . They wouldn't let me in . Had to wait until 10 . Only fancy people get in at 9 . Lol .

Yep. Executive membership or senior citizens can get in at 9.

I live alone now, and have limited freezer space, so I've been passing on most of the beef at Costco. When I do clear out some freezer space, I might go by the business Costco. Their prices are usually a little less than the regular stores, and I don't mind doing a little home butchering.

 

[KonaRich]

Yep. Executive membership or senior citizens can get in at 9.

I live alone now, and have limited freezer space, so I've been passing on most of the beef at Costco. When I do clear out some freezer space, I might go by the business Costco. Their prices are usually a little less than the regular stores, and I don't mind doing a little home butchering.

Two things you should get along with a Costco membership: a chest freezer and a vacuum pack food saver.

We (2 oldies) usually buy huge hunks of prime beef and cut our own steaks, then vac bag them in "meals for 2", tag them, and into the chest freezer they go. We do the same with pork or prime beef tenderloin. Buy a whole one, then cut, bag, tag, and freeze.

Similar with Costco's 2-pack of St. Louis style ribs. Cook them both, eat off the bone for 1 or 2 meals, debone the rest of the meat, vac bag it into "meals for 2" packages, and into the freezer.

We just had a smoked rib dinner recently from ribs cooked 7 months ago. Two dinner packs left before we need to buy another 2-pack from Costco.