15 Best Costco Meats to Throw on the Grill This Summer

Costco’s meat case is the unsung hero of summer. Here are the 15 cuts longtime members load into their cart every June — beef, pork, chicken, seafood and the occasional ready-to-grill kit — with how to cook each one and whether it earns a permanent spot in your warehouse rotation.

1. Swift All Natural Lamb Loin Chops — approx. $14.99/lb

Costco’s Swift lamb chops have been called the best meat deal in the warehouse by longtime members. Rub with rosemary, garlic and olive oil two hours ahead, grill over high heat for 3 minutes a side. Pull at 130F internal for medium-rare. A small-format luxury cookout that does not feed an army. BUY for a date-night grill.

2. Kirkland Signature Parmesan & Black Pepper Chicken Sausage — approx. $13.99 for 18

Eighteen sausages, gluten-free, pre-cooked, ready in about 10 minutes on the grill. The parmesan and pepper combination is more interesting than the usual sweet Italian. Slice them on the bias for a quick pasta toss after dinner so the leftovers do not go to waste. BUY for weeknight ease.

3. American BBQ Company Santa Maria Tri-Tip (Pre-Seasoned) — approx. $9.99/lb

Already rubbed, already trimmed, already napped with the right amount of salt and garlic. This is what to grab on a Friday afternoon if the in-laws just texted that they are coming for dinner. Reverse-sear and slice thin. Saves you the spice cabinet shuffle. BUY when you want zero prep.

4. Beef Sirloin Cap (Picanha) — approx. $7.99/lb

If you have ever eaten Brazilian steakhouse, the picanha is the cut on the skewer. Costco stocks it as a whole top sirloin cap with the fat cap intact. Slice into thick C-shaped steaks, salt heavily, grill over high heat fat-side first. Big flavor for half the price of ribeye. BUY if you have never tried it — it will become your default.

5. Kirkland Signature Wagyu Ground Beef — approx. $11.99/lb

If you have been splitting hairs about 80/20 vs 85/15, the Wagyu blend ends the debate. Hand-form 6-ounce pucks, smash them once on a grate-set cast-iron, and the rendered fat does the rest. Tastes more like steakhouse burger than backyard burger. BUY if you only grill burgers a few times a year and want them to count.

6. The Falafel Company Beef Kebabs — approx. $24.99 for 4 lb tray

Pre-skewered, pre-seasoned with garlic and paprika, and labeled with grill times right on the tray. Six minutes a side over direct heat. Serve over rice with cucumber-yogurt sauce and a stack of pita. The lazy person’s path to a Mediterranean-style cookout. BUY when you do not want to think.

7. Kirkland Signature Raw Sea Scallops — approx. $25.99/lb

Costco’s wild scallops are large enough that they will not slip through the grates. Pat them very dry, brush with oil, salt them just before they hit the grill, and pull them at 90 seconds a side. Wrap in bacon if you want to impress someone at a Saturday cookout. Pricey but worth it. BUY.

8. Kirkland Signature Fresh Chicken Drumsticks — approx. $9.99 for 5 lbs

Twenty drumsticks for under ten dollars is the kind of math that makes Costco worth the membership. Dry-rub them with garlic powder, paprika and a little salt, grill over medium for 25 minutes with the lid closed, and finish with barbecue sauce. Kids inhale them. BUY every time you see them.

9. USDA Choice Boneless Beef Ribeye Steak — approx. $14.99/lb

The pre-cut Choice ribeyes in the open meat case are pre-tenderized and marbled enough to forgive a distracted grill cook. Salt them an hour ahead, reverse-sear over indirect heat, then crust over the coals for 60 seconds a side. They eat like a steakhouse cut for grocery-store money. BUY.

10. Trident Seafoods Wild Pacific Salmon Burgers — approx. $19.99 for 12

Twelve patties, 20 grams of protein each, no fillers in the ingredient list. Grill them from frozen on a clean grate brushed with oil — about 5 minutes a side. Serve on a brioche with arugula and dill mayo. The freezer staple that turns into dinner when you did not plan one. MAYBE if you do not love salmon, otherwise BUY.

11. Kirkland Signature Fresh Wild King Salmon Fillet — approx. $19.99/lb

Costco’s troll-caught King is the rare grocery salmon that lives up to its price tag — boneless, skin-on, ready for a hot grate. Slide it skin-down over medium-high, brush with olive oil and a pinch of dill, and pull it at 125F. The skin protects the flesh from the flames. BUY for any cookout where you want a non-red-meat centerpiece.

12. Kirkland Signature Bratwurst (14-Count) — approx. $13.99 for 14

Under a dollar per brat, and the casings actually snap. Costco’s 14-pack feeds a small block party with hot dog rolls and yellow mustard. Grill them over medium for 12 minutes, turning often, then finish with a slow-simmered onion topper. The reliable workhorse of summer cookouts. BUY.

13. Swift St. Louis Style Pork Spareribs (3-Pack) — approx. $3.99/lb

Costco’s St. Louis ribs come trimmed tighter than the grocery-store racks, with uniform sizing across all three slabs. Rub with brown sugar, salt and smoked paprika the night before, then run them 3 hours at 250F with a final 15-minute glaze. Forgiving even if you have never smoked ribs before. BUY.

14. Kirkland Signature Beef Tri-Tip — approx. $7.99/lb

The Santa Maria classic. Costco’s tri-tip is trimmed lean enough that you can rub it straight from the package and throw it on the grill. Reverse-sear to 130F internal, let it rest 15 minutes, slice against the grain. Feeds 6 people for about 25 dollars. BUY weekly through July.

15. Kirkland Signature Wild Caught Mahi Mahi (3 lb bag) — approx. $22.99 for 3 lbs

About $7.63 per pound is some of the cheapest decent fish in the warehouse. The mahi thaws in a bowl of cold water in 20 minutes and grills up moist and flaky in 6. Brush with melted butter and Old Bay; serve with grilled lemon halves. Mild enough for non-fish-eaters. BUY.

Pair any of these with the rotisserie chicken and a sleeve of dinner rolls and you have a Sunday cookout for the price of one restaurant entree. Pricing varies by warehouse and may have shifted slightly since this writing.