8 Meats You Should And Shouldn't Buy At Costco

When it's time to re-up on food in the most massive way you can imagine, there's one spot that certainly leaps to the front of customers' minds – Costco. Anyone who's ever been inside a Costco knows just how overwhelmingly large the place is. You can get lost for hours perusing all the aisles and fighting the constant temptation to spend money on things you don't really need, but hey, you're at Costco so you might as well go big or go home. Costco certainly does.

Costco has a huge variety of pretty much anything your home needs, and that includes a ton of food to stock those cabinets and refrigerators to the brim. And, if meat is your thing, you'd be doing yourself a huge favor stocking up on some of the delicious options Costco offers. Of course, with a variety so vast, not every item can be a gold-medal winner. Some of the stuff there is definitely not worth your time and money, so keep this list in mind if you're heading out the door to scoop up some meat at the nearest Costco.

When it comes to A5 Wagyu, you normally eat it in small amounts simply because the intense marbling makes every bite super rich. But, that doesn't mean you can't fork over the money to get a huge slab of the stuff. Costco, being the come-here-for-huge-amounts-of-stuff kinda place, offers an 11-pound Japanese Wagyu New York Strip Loin Roast for anyone who needs a boatload of Wagyu beef in their life. One look at this chunk of meat tells you you're in for a fabulously rich steak dinner with all the run-down-your-chin juices you can picture.

While this slab of meat doesn't come cheap — just a single pound is around 90 bucks — the majority of customers who ordered it were more than satisfied. It holds almost a five-star rating on the Costco website, with customers saying things like, "Each bite does melt in your mouth and the flavor is so intense and rich," and, "No regrets. Completely satisfied." Whether you're a Wagyu connoisseur or someone who simply wants to have a mind-blowing meal, this might just be the beef play for you.

If there's one cut of steak that could intimidate every other cut, it's without a doubt the tomahawk steak. These things literally look like weapons, hence their name, and they could easily instill fear in the hearts of every other cut of beef. A tomahawk steak means business, and Costco offers customers Rastelli Market Fresh Tomahawk Steaks to all those looking for an aggressively meaty way to quell their appetites. And, quell them they certainly do.

These steaks are made using USDA Choice Black Angus Beef, so you know you're getting quality meat. There's a solid amount of marbling that runs through each steak, and that means all that flavor-packed fat is going to seep deep into the steak while it cooks to make each bite super tender. Each tomahawk steak runs anywhere from 38 to 42-ounces, so these things are huge. Tons of Costco shoppers who made this purchase were absolutely delighted, calling the quality of the meat "superb," and one person saying they were the "best steaks we ever had so far."

If you're in the mood for steak and want something that makes you feel a bit bougier than normal, enjoying a filet mignon is certainly one way to do it. Filet mignons are little beefy medallions of glistening goodness that are always recognizable by their round petite shape. Well, if the time for feeling fancy is falling upon you, Costco sells packages of Kansas City Steak Company Filet Mignon steaks, and these are totally worth your appetite's time.

Filet mignon is known for being incredibly tender, with an almost butter-like consistency. However, keep in mind that it doesn't have anywhere near the kind of marbling you find in other cuts like ribeye or tomahawk. However, that doesn't take away from these steaks at all. Every filet is aged up to 28 days for additional tenderness you can practically cut through with a fork. At the time of this writing, the overall rating for these steaks is a perfect five out of five stars, so you know these medallions are ready to hit your stomach with some savory force.

When a meal is able to balance a sweet profile alongside a savory one, your palate is gonna feel grateful. Mixing and matching certain tastes can truly elevate food to a whole new level of flavors, and if you're looking for a great sweet and savory option while perusing the aisles of Costco, you should definitely seek out the Fully Cooked Roasted Duck with Orange Sauce. This is a fantastically balanced meal that hits all the right spots on your tongue.

The ducks used here are White Pekin ducks, and not only are they humanely raised, according to Costco, but they adhere strictly to the Maple Leaf Farms Trident Stewardship Duck Wellbeing Guidelines, so you know you won't ingest a boatload of hormones. The orange sauce is a thick rich glaze full of sweet citrusy flavors that pair so well with the rich juicy meat of the duck. The duck is fully cooked so you don't have to worry about that aspect of the meal, and at 19 grams of protein per serving, you get a hearty and super tasty meal. The 7-pound duck is pricey at around $190, so maybe save this buy for a special occasion with a large group.

While a straight-up beef meatball is awesome in itself, sometimes you have to kick things up a notch and start mixing and matching different ingredients in the meat so you get a truly amazing meatball experience. This is exactly the case with the Amylu Cranberry and Jalapeno Chicken Meatballs at Costco. Amylu looked at the standard meatball and thought, "Let's crank in something sweet and something spicy to air with the richness of the chicken." And boy, does it work.

The cranberry and jalapenos are distributed really well in each meatball, so you never get one that's way too sweet or much too spicy. It's a triple threat of sweet, spicy, and meaty that really hits the palate right. The chicken used is raised without antibiotics, and with only eight grams of fat per four meatballs, you won't have to feel guilty that you're packing in unhealthy stuff. As one Costco shopper put it, a little goat cheese really puts these meatballs over the top.

Lamb is one of those meats that taste so good, but a lot of people don't pencil it into their weekly eating schedules too often. Lamb has a gamier flavor than a lot of other varieties of meat, but that robustness is what makes it special. If you find yourself in need of some lamb in your life, Costco sells Rastelli Grass Fed Frenched Lamb Racks. The lamb meat comes from Australia, and the fact that they're Frenched makes them look extra fancy when you meticulously lay them on the plate.

With reviews that tout praises like, "At rare or medium rare, these racks lead to a new taste dimension," and, "The meat quality is what you'd expect at a fine dining restaurant," you can feel confident you're investing in great lamb meat. There are a ton of different ways to cook lamb, so snag yourself some of these Frenched racks and explore the wonderful world of lamb.

With a name like Holy Grail, you can safely assume whatever product the company is slinging is worth seeking out. Well, that's exactly what their Tajima Wagyu Short Rib/Brisket Burgers are: meat totally worth making a trip to Costco for. In reality, any time the word "Wagyu" is thrown in, you know it's going to be something your mouth will remember for a while after you finish. So, if you're feeling like you deserve something special (and you do), you won't regret scooping up a package of these pristine patties.

The particular cattle used for these burgers are direct descendants of Japanese cattle that were imported from Kobe, Japan, a few decades ago. They're humanely raised in the Midwest on a super strict diet so their meat is astoundingly tender and buttery, which is exactly why people clamor over Wagyu. These patties offer a melt-in-your-mouth experience that doesn't require any additional condiments to enhance the experience.

So, you're throwing a huge dinner party for some friends and family and you find yourself in a big conundrum. Some of the people attending love chicken, others love turkey, and there are a few who are passionate about all things duck. Well, lucky for you, a little thing called a turducken exists, and it packs in the flavor of all three birds so everyone can enjoy the winged animal they prefer. And, Costco sells a Bacon-Wrapped Turducken for anyone craving four animals on one. Let's be honest: Everything is better when it's wrapped in bacon, especially this turducken. 

The bacon wrapping truly elevates all of the flavors in this to an epic degree. It gives every bite that little punch of salty umami flavoring that keeps you wanting more. There's even ground Italian sausage stuffed in the very center, so if a rich and hearty meal is what you're looking for, this checks off every box. One customer raved about her experience, saying, "Incredibly wonderful! Our first Turducken. We loved it! So moist & succulent. The flavor of all the ingredients was amazing! Thank you Costco for carrying this masterpiece!!!" When it comes time to host a party, don't settle for anything less than a masterpiece.