Tip #5: Pre-Sliced Blade-Tenderized Ribeye Steaks
While pre-sliced ribeyes look appealing under warehouse display lighting, they represent one of the worst Costco meat cuts you can place in your shopping cart.
Under federal regulations enforced by the USDA (9 CFR § 317), retailers must explicitly label any beef cut that undergoes mechanical or blade tenderization. Costco routinely passes its pre-cut, styrofoam-tray steaks through mechanical tenderizing machines equipped with dozens of fine needles to soften muscle fibers.
This process drives surface bacteria straight into the deep internal center of the meat. Consequently, federal labeling explicitly mandates cooking blade-tenderized beef to an internal temperature of 145°F followed by a 3-minute rest period.
If you prefer your ribeyes cooked rare or medium-rare, purchasing these pre-sliced steaks poses a genuine food safety hazard unless you cook them to medium-well or prepare them using a precise sous-vide water bath.
