How to Cook the Beef Loin Tenderloin Steak from Costco

We were gifted a package of Beef Tenderloin Steaks from Costco as a Thank You for doing a little puppy sitting.  The steaks weighed about 1/2 pound each and came in a two pound package.

We cooked these up and all agreed that these were some of the best steaks we have ever gotten from Costco!

Package of Prime Beef Tenderloin from Costco

Seared Beef Tenderloin Steak from Costco

Perfect Costco Beef Tenderloin Steaks

David
Beef Tenderloin Steaks from Costco are pan seared to perfection in cast iron.
Prep Time 1 hour
Cook Time 12 minutes
Total Time 1 hour 12 minutes
Course Main Course
Cuisine American
Servings 4
Calories 315 kcal

Equipment

  • 1 Cast Iron Skillet

Ingredients
  

  • 4 Beef Tenderloin Steaks 1/2 pound each
  • 4 tbsp Salt
  • 2 tbsp Peanut Oil
  • 3 tsp Black Pepper
  • 3 tbsp Melted Butter

Instructions
 

  • Season the steaks with salt only.
  • Let the steaks rest at room temperature for one hour.
  • Heat a cast iron pan over high heat.
  • Add 2 tablespoon of oil (peanut or canola).
  • Place the steaks in the pan and sear for 1 minute.
  • Flip the steaks over and sear the other side for 1 minute.
  • Continue to flip the steaks every minute until an internal temperature of 130-135F is reached. This will take about 12 minutes.
  • Remove the steak from the skillet and let rest for 5 minutes.
  • Baste the steak with melted butter and season with black pepper.
  • Serve with sides of choice
Keyword Costco Beef Tenderloin

 

Prime vs Choice

These filets were Prime Grade which is the highest quality rating available from the USDA.  The USDA grading scale goes from:

  • Select (lowest quality)
  • Choice (medium quality)
  • Prime (highest quality)

The USDA grading scale is based upon how much marbling (intramuscular fat content) is present in the ribeye of the steer and is then applied to the whole animal.  In general, the assumption is made that as the amount of marbling increases the meat is more tender and flavorful.

But here is the catch….

The tenderloin is almost always an extremely tender cut of beef because of its location on the steer.  There is a reason that this cut has “tender” in its name!   Additionally, the tenderloin is almost always a very lean cut of beef and has minimal marbling, even in Prime graded beef.

The end result is that, while a Prime graded tenderloin will be incredibly tender and flavorful, so will a Choice graded tenderloin. You will pay a premium price for a Prime filet mignon but it is going to taste just about identical to the less expensive Choice grade.

If your Costco is selling both Prime and Choice filets then don’t be afraid to buy the cheaper Choice steaks and save yourself some money.

Check out the marbling in these Prime filets below.  You can see that some is present but it is nothing to get excited about.

Marbling in the Filets

The Steaks are Not Blade Tenderized

Costco has the unfortunate policy of blade tenderizing most of the steaks they sell and even some of their roasts like Tri Tip.  Blade tenderizing involves punching the steak with a bunch of needles to break up the muscle fibers.

While blade tenderizing works to make meat more tender it also increase the chance for bacterial contamination within the meat. Because Costco potentially introduces bacteria they include a warning on the label that the meat has been blade tenderized and must be cooked to an internal temperature of 165F.

Cooking a steak to 165F is in the “Well Done and Almost Burnt” range which is a crime against nature.

The great news is that the filets are already so incredibly tender that Costco does NOT blade tenderize these steaks.  As a result you can cook them to a much lower temperature.  Costco recommends an internal temperature of 145F but I much prefer 135F.

Price of Beef Tenderloin at Costco

Cooking Instructions

There are lots of ways of cooking these steaks but my two favorite methods are:

  • Low and Slow with Sous Vide
  • Hot and Fast with Cast Iron

Sous Vide Method

The sous vide method is the best way to cook a filet mignon but I sometimes skip this route because I just can’t be bothered to set up a water bath.  To cook the steaks by sous vide you need to:

  • Season the steaks with salt and pepper
  • Seal the steaks in a food safe plastic bag with a Foodsaver.
  • Use an Anova Sous Vide Immersion Heater to heat a water bath to 130F.
  • Place the bag into the water bath and let the steaks cook for two hours.
  • Remove the steaks from the bag and pat dry with a paper towel.
  • Heat a cast iron skillet over high heat.
  • Sear the steaks on both side for two minutes per side.

This will produce a perfectly cooked Medium Rare steak with a beautiful crust.

Cast Iron Method

  • Season the steaks with salt only.
  • Let the steaks rest at room temperature for one hour.
  • Heat a cast iron pan over high heat.
  • Add 1 tablespoon of oil (peanut or canola).
  • Place the steaks in the pan and sear for 1 minute.
  • Flip the steaks over and sear the other side for 1 minute.
  • Continue to flip the steaks every minute until an internal temperature of 130-135F is reached.
  • This will take about 12 minutes.
  • Remove the steak from the skillet and let rest for 5 minutes.
  • Baste the steak with melted butter and season with black pepper.

This will produce a steak with an intensely flavored crust and a perfectly cooked center.

Letting the steak warm for one hour before it hits the cast iron is an important step for even cooking.  Do not season the steak with pepper before cooking as the pepper will scorch and turn bitter during the 12 minutes of searing.

Seared Beef Tenderloin Steak from Costco

Price of Beef Tenderloin at Costco

Beef prices are bouncing all over the place these days so don’t hold me to these exact numbers but instead just keep these trends in mind. (Here is a full guide to the price of Filet Mignon and Tenderloin Steaks at Costco.)

These steaks were priced at $24.99 per pound and came in a two pound package.  This made the cost of the steaks around $50.

In general the tenderloin is going to cost you about twice as much, on a per pound basis, as the ribeye.

David

Good morning and welcome to the site dedicated to helping you find great products at Costco and other stores! My name is David Somerville and these are hands on reviews of products that I have bought and used or am seriously considering purchasing. I do most of my shopping at the Costco in Baton Rouge, Louisiana but will check out any other Costco warehouses I find while travelling. Please get in touch with any questions and let me know of any great products that deserved to be featured in this blog!

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