The Underrated Affordable Costco Meat Cut That Deserves A Spot On Your Grill (And It's Not Beef)

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Costco gets a lot of love (especially for its devour-worthy food court hot dogs), but it's also the absolute best store to buy meat from, especially if you're cooking for a crowd or want to stock up your freezer. From steaks and ground beef to chicken breasts and thighs, Costco has a lot of options, all of which are grill-worthy. But have you considered saving a little money, going a little lighter on the red meat, and sourcing a pork loin from this warehouse chain for your next outdoor cookout?

Underrated but incredibly affordable, the Kirkland Signature boneless pork loin costs just over $2 per pound. In comparison, the whole beef loin will set you back about $10.40 per pound. The pork loins tend to clock in at around 9 pounds, so you'll pay about $22 total. And if you find meat with a mislabeled price? Grab it.

If you are really looking to save money, we recommend buying and butchering your own pork loin over getting Costco's already-cut loin chops (which can cost between $2.49 and $4.08 per pound). Then, all you have to do is choose how thick you want your pork chops to be and cut them up at home. We recommend making them at least an inch thick for the grill. 

One of the reasons we recommend sourcing your pork loin from Costco (aside from how inexpensive it is) is that you can control how thick the chops are, which comes in handy when you're grilling. Too-thin chops are prone to overcooking, which yields dry meat. To ensure extra tenderness (and flavor), though, you can always marinate them for up to 24 hours before grilling. Mixtures with soy sauce, Worcestershire sauce, and brown sugar are popular; just make sure your marinade has an acid to help tenderize the meat. Pro tip: Because you're buying pork in bulk from Costco, you might not want to cook it all at once. You can marinate all of it, then freeze a portion of it for later. Once it's defrosted, it's ready to go right on the grill. Just make sure to use Bobby Flay's lid tip to avoid burnt food while grilling.

Also, you don't want to blast the chops on high heat — a good medium will work just fine, around 375 degrees Fahrenheit. Start out grilling your pork loin chops for about six minutes on each side if they're around a half-inch thick. You might want to increase the time to about eight minutes on each side if they're closer to an inch or more thick. Above all, though, make sure to check the internal temperature with a digital meat thermometer, like this one from Ultrean. The thickest part of the chop should read at minimum 145 degrees Fahrenheit in order to be considered safe to consume.