The Simple Tip For Getting Cheaper Ground Beef At Costco
If you want to buy quality meat at discount prices, it's hard to find a better retailer than Costco. The big-box store delivers when it comes to buying fresh and USDA Prime and Choice cut meats in bulk at a lower price per pound. However, as many long-time Costco members and bargain-hounds know, sometimes to truly get the best deals you have to do a little digging. If you want a cheaper, leaner selection of ground beef, simply ask the meat cutter or butcher for a 10-pound chub — ground meat packaged in a tube or cylindrical shape like a sausage.
According to a Costco employee on Reddit, regular ground beef is sold at the store for around $3.49 per pound and is 88% lean and 12% fat. Meanwhile, Costco's chubs, made by mixing ground beef with the fat trimmings from cutting steak, cost just $2.99 per pound, keeping in mind the prices vary per location. They are also significantly leaner at around 5 to 8% fat.
How to buy a chub and benefits of buying meat in bulk
If you want to take advantage of the lower price tag and leaner, healthier ground beef, you'll have to make a special request for the 10-pound chub of ground beef since they aren't generally found on the meat displays. It doesn't hurt to call the meat department ahead of your Costco trip to ensure the 10-pound chub is available for purchase at that location. The chubs of beef are also typically not organic or grass-fed, so you will have to stick to the shelves if that's a deal breaker for you.
Keep in mind, when you're buying meat in bulk, you might cringe at the price at the checkout but it will pay off in the long run. Plus, you'll have loads of fresh meat in your freezer, saving you from having to make frequent trips to the grocery store or butcher. Insider tips for deals on meat aren't just limited to ground beef; for serious savings on steak at Costco, you can buy a whole roast instead of pre-cut steaks to save around $3 per pound, depending on location. You can easily split up the meat yourself at home into several freezer bags, making it easy to store and grab for meals.