'I thought the redder the better': Expert shows how you’re probably choosing your Costco steak wrong

Photo byBrett Hondow/Shutterstock @knottywoodbbq/TikTok

Choosing a truly good steak at the grocery store can be difficult for the uninitiated, as grocers utilize many tricks to make their meat-based merchandise look better at the butcher counter than it actually is.

A barbecue guru, who acts as a spokesperson for Knotty Wood BBQ (@knottywoodbbq on TikTok), has started sharing a fast guide on selecting top-quality steak at Costco and various supermarkets on TikTok.

According to common knowledge and the strategies employed by certain supermarkets and butchers, some customers might not be selecting the finest steak available in the store, he mentions.

“We’re at Costco and we’re just checking meat out, and check out all these different New Yorks,” he says in the video. “But all of them are not created equal. I would not be going for these ones here that are the darker color. That’s an indication that they were stressed when they were killed and blood retained in the meat. So there’s a lot more retention in there. What comes with that is adrenaline, which makes it tough and a little more gamey. You’re also looking for, obviously, marbling and connective tissue.”

Customers ought to seek out fattier cuts of meat with reduced amount of connective tissue and ample marbling, he advises.

“These look great,” he says. “You’re going to want to go for these because they’re big and they’re thick and they look good, but they’ve got a lot of connective tissue in them, so I would stay away from those. These ones here that I would gravitate to here: good marbling, fairly clean, nice and trimmed on the outside, nice clean pieces of meat, with the exception of this guy here. Might have a little bit of connective [tissue], but this is the pack I would go for, or this, or that one back there, but that’s got some connective [tissue] in it, or these here if you like ’em smaller.”

Selecting a more substantial steak can give a home cook more power over the cooking process, he explains.

“These here are nice steak. I like the way they’ve cut them, inch and a half thick so you can really grill them, keep them nice and rare in the middle, and eat them,” he says. “Happy grilling.”

Why should I look for marbling in my steak? Is it not the same as connective tissue?

Marbling refers to the fat deposits seen as stripes of white or cream throughout the steak, whereas connective tissue is a transparent ligament, tendon or collagen fiber that holds the meat together. Similar, but different.

Connective tissue can affect the texture of the meat, while marbling impacts flavor. Meat that is more heavily marbled usually tastes better because the fat liquefies during cooking and seeps into the meat.

Certain supermarkets employ techniques in cutting steak to make it seem like shoppers are receiving a more advantageous price for their steak than they actually are. For example, some have been noted as providing cuts of steak that have more fat on them that is normally trimmed off, increasing the weight of the steak but ultimately reducing its value, as the fat will cook off.

Meat available on shelves at the grocery store is also often injected with saline, water and other fluids to increase juiciness and improve appearance, increasing the weight of the packaged meat and reducing the value to customers, who then receive less meat per pound than if they were to buy meat that was not injected.

Many viewers reported that they frequently received straightforward advice on selecting a steak, often based on its color or other characteristics not highlighted in the poster, although not all of them concurred.

“Good to know, as I always thought the redder the better,” one commenter wrote.

“Nothing to do with age,” another commenter wrote. “They are grown and processed roughly same age for retail. The color actually has to do with how long it is direct exposure to fluorescent lighting. Been in meat 15 yrs.”

“I’ll take them darker ones. no stress hung on the hook longer before cut,” a commenter wrote. “Darker = aged.”

Some even took issue with the poster’s handling of the steaks, touching them over the plastic wrap.

“I can’t stand people walking into stores and pushing and touching all the meat… like why?!” one commenter wrote.

“So why you are there poke holes in the wrapping while you’re touching all of them,” another commenter wrote. “good job!!”

“Now that you’ve poked every package!” a commenter wrote.