By CostcoFan | Updated May 2026
Kirkland Signature Ground Beef | 10 lb Tubes | Available at Costco Business Centers and Select Costco Warehouses
- 90% Lean / 10% Fat — $4.99/lb ($49.90 per tube)
- 80% Lean / 20% Fat — $3.79/lb ($37.90 per tube)
- 73% Lean / 27% Fat — $3.49/lb ($34.90 per tube)
If you meal prep, feed a family, or just hate paying $7/lb for ground beef at the grocery store, Costco’s 10 lb ground beef tubes are one of the best deals in the warehouse. But most people don’t know they exist because they’re not sitting in the regular meat case. You have to know where to look — and which lean ratio to buy for how you cook.
Here’s everything you need to know about all 3 options.
This article contains affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate, CostcoFan earns from qualifying purchases at no additional cost to you.
Where to Find Them
This is the most common question from shoppers: “My Costco doesn’t carry these.” Here’s why.
The 10 lb ground beef tubes are primarily stocked at Costco Business Centers, not regular Costco warehouses. Business Centers carry bulk commercial-sized products aimed at restaurant owners and small businesses, but anyone with a Costco membership can shop there. If you’ve never been to a Costco Business Center, they’re a completely different experience — less browsing, more bulk buying.
Some regular Costco warehouses do carry the 10 lb tubes, but availability varies by location and isn’t guaranteed. If your regular Costco doesn’t have them in the meat case, ask the butcher. Some locations keep them in the back or can order them for you. Multiple shoppers have confirmed that asking the butcher is how they get access to the tubes at non-Business Center locations.
Availability also fluctuates with supply. At least one commenter reported that their Costco paused the 10 lb tubes temporarily due to beef sourcing issues — so if your store doesn’t have them today, check back in a few weeks.
The 3 Options Explained
Not all ground beef is the same. The lean-to-fat ratio determines how the beef cooks, tastes, and what it’s best used for. Costco sells 3 ratios in the 10 lb tube format:
90/10 — Extra Lean ($4.99/lb)
90% lean meat, 10% fat. This is the leanest option Costco carries in the tube format. It’s the healthiest choice by the numbers — lowest fat, lowest calories per serving.
Best for: Meal preppers counting macros, health-conscious cooks, chili, taco meat, meat sauces, stuffed peppers, casseroles, and any recipe where you’re draining the fat anyway.
The tradeoff: Less fat means less flavor and less moisture. Multiple experienced cooks describe 90/10 as dry and chewy compared to fattier ratios. If you’re making burgers with 90/10, you’ll notice the difference — the patties won’t be as juicy and can come out tough.
Pro tip: If you cook with 90/10 and want more moisture, add a tablespoon of olive oil or beef tallow per pound while browning. One commenter suggested adding 1.5 lbs of beef tallow to the full tube for grilling — aggressive, but it works.
80/20 — Standard ($3.79/lb)
80% lean meat, 20% fat. This is the sweet spot that most home cooks prefer. Enough fat for flavor and moisture, lean enough that you’re not swimming in grease.
Best for: Burgers (this is the classic burger ratio), meatloaf, meatballs, spaghetti sauce, and general everyday cooking. If you only buy 1 ratio, this is the versatile choice.
The tradeoff: You’ll drain more fat after browning compared to 90/10. Some cooks who are strict about fat intake find 80/20 too greasy. But for flavor, this is where most beef lovers land.
73/27 — Regular ($3.49/lb)
73% lean meat, 27% fat. The fattiest and cheapest option. This is what many restaurants use for burgers because the high fat content creates maximum flavor and juiciness.
Best for: Smash burgers, greasy diner-style burgers, ground beef tacos where you want that rich beefy flavor, and cooking for people who prioritize taste over nutrition.
The tradeoff: You’ll drain a lot of fat after cooking. Not ideal for meal prep where you want clean, lean protein. But if you’re grilling burgers for a BBQ, this ratio makes the juiciest patties.
The Price Comparison: Costco vs. Everyone Else
Here’s where the value becomes clear. Current average ground beef prices at major grocers:
For 90% lean ground beef, most grocery stores charge $6.50-8.00/lb. Walmart’s 93/7 is running close to $8/lb for the tube. Costco’s 90/10 at $4.99/lb saves you roughly $1.50-3.00 per pound, which adds up to $15-30 in savings on a single 10 lb tube.
For 80% lean, grocery stores average $5.50-7.00/lb. Costco’s $3.79/lb is a significant discount.
For 73% lean, grocery stores average $4.50-6.00/lb. Costco’s $3.49/lb is the cheapest option across the board.
One commenter compared prices at HyVee and found a 10 lb tube of 85/15 for $40 — versus Costco’s 90/10 (leaner) at $49.90. Another noted that Sam’s Club carries similar tubes but at higher prices than Costco.
The Sourcing Question
This comes up frequently. Kirkland Signature ground beef is sourced from USDA-inspected cattle, primarily from the US and Canada. Some packaging may indicate multiple countries of origin — this is standard for commercial ground beef and reflects the supply chain reality of large-scale beef processing.
All Kirkland ground beef is processed in USDA-inspected facilities with an establishment number printed on the packaging. It’s real beef from real cattle — Angus, Hereford, and other standard beef breeds. Despite what some skeptics claim, it is not lab-grown, artificial, or mystery meat.
Is it the same as buying a whole chuck roll from a local butcher and grinding it yourself? No. But for the price, convenience, and quality control, Kirkland ground beef holds up well against any comparable product at this price point.
Why It’s on a Shelf (Not Refrigerated)
If you’ve seen the 10 lb tubes at a Costco Business Center, you may have noticed they’re sitting on open shelves in a temperature-controlled room — not in a traditional refrigerated case. This confuses a lot of people.
Business Centers keep their meat department in a walk-in cold room that’s maintained at refrigerator temperature (typically 33-38°F). The entire room is the refrigerator. So even though the tubes appear to be sitting on regular shelving, they’re fully refrigerated. If you’re shopping in that section and it feels like you need a jacket, that’s by design.
How to Store and Portion a 10 lb Tube
Buying 10 lbs of ground beef at once only makes sense if you have a plan. Here’s the most efficient approach:
Step 1: Bring the tube home and open it immediately. Don’t let 10 lbs of ground beef sit in your fridge for a week — portion it the same day you buy it.
Step 2: Portion into 1-2 lb sections depending on your household size and typical recipe needs. For a family of 3-4, 1 lb portions work well for most meals. For meal prep or larger batches, 2 lb portions save time.
Step 3: Vacuum seal or wrap tightly. Vacuum sealing is the gold standard — it prevents freezer burn and keeps the beef fresh for 6-12 months. If you don’t have a vacuum sealer, double-wrap in plastic wrap and then place in freezer-safe Ziploc bags, pressing out as much air as possible.
Step 4: Label each package with the date and weight. You’ll thank yourself in 3 months when you’re pulling packages out of the freezer.
Step 5: Freeze flat. Lay the packages flat in your freezer so they stack efficiently and thaw faster when you need them.
One smart commenter suggested an even simpler approach: instead of portioning into bags, slice the tube into patty-sized rounds before freezing. Each round becomes a ready-made burger patty — no thawing a whole pound when you just want 2 burgers.
The Lean Ratio Debate: What Real Buyers Say
This is the most debated topic among ground beef buyers, and opinions are strong:
Team 90/10 argues it’s the healthiest option and works great for any recipe where you’re seasoning heavily (tacos, chili, pasta sauce). The leanness is an advantage when you don’t want to drain fat.
Team 80/20 calls it the all-purpose king. Best flavor-to-health balance. The only ratio you need if you’re buying just one.
Team 73/27 and 75/25 insists fatter is better for flavor and that lean beef tastes like “shoe leather.” For burgers specifically, higher fat content is objectively juicier.
There’s no wrong answer — it depends on how you cook. If you meal prep lean protein for the week, buy 90/10. If you grill burgers on weekends, buy 73/27 or 80/20. If you want 1 ratio for everything, 80/20 is the safe choice.
Do You Need a Chest Freezer?
If you’re buying 10 lb tubes regularly, the answer is probably yes. A dedicated chest freezer ($180-250 at Costco) pays for itself quickly when you’re buying beef in bulk at $3.49-4.99/lb instead of $7+/lb at the grocery store.
We reviewed the Frigidaire 7 cu ft Chest Freezer at Costco for $189.99 — it’s garage-ready and holds enough for several bulk purchases. If you’re serious about bulk buying at Costco, a chest freezer is the investment that makes everything else work.
The Bottom Line
Costco’s 10 lb ground beef tubes are one of the best meat values in the warehouse — if you know where to find them and how to store them. At $3.49-4.99/lb depending on the lean ratio, you’re saving $1.50-3.00 per pound compared to grocery store prices. Over a year of regular beef purchases, that’s hundreds of dollars back in your pocket.
Buy the ratio that matches how you cook. Portion and freeze it the day you bring it home. And if your regular Costco doesn’t carry the tubes, ask the butcher or visit a Costco Business Center — it’s worth the trip.
Meal Prep Essentials on Amazon
If you’re buying beef in bulk, you need the right tools to portion and store it:
FoodSaver Vacuum Sealer Machine on Amazon → The easiest way to prevent freezer burn and keep your beef fresh for months. Vacuum-sealed ground beef lasts 6-12 months in the freezer vs. 3-4 months in regular bags.
FoodSaver Custom Length Vacuum Sealer Bags Multipack on Amazon → BPA-free, commercial grade bags that work with any vacuum sealer. Perfect for portioning 1-2 lb ground beef packages.
Oxo Good Grips Food Scale on Amazon → For accurate portioning. Weigh out exact 1 lb or 2 lb portions so every package is consistent.
(As an Amazon Associate, CostcoFan earns from qualifying purchases.)
Follow CostcoFan for more Costco finds:
This article contains affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate, CostcoFan earns from qualifying purchases at no additional cost to you. CostcoFan is not affiliated with Costco Wholesale Corporation.
Related Posts:
Hello
Hello! Do you buy the 90/10 or 80/20 or 73/27? We buy 1 tube every once in a while and portion it into freezer bags for the week.