The Costco Meat I Always Buy To Feed a Crowd for Cheap

Whenever I shop at my local Costco for milk, I usually end up leaving with a cart big enough to qualify for its own zip code. Somewhere between the pallet of paper towels and a container of muffins the size of my head, I find the real reason my wife still allows me to shop here. This particular cut of meat feeds my family for days, including my two boys who treat our kitchen like a bat signal for food. And, dare I say, it’s an even better deal than that $5 chicken.

My Favorite Meat To Buy at Costco

No, it’s not the rotisserie chicken, impressive as that bird may be. The crowd-pleaser in question is pork shoulder, also called Boston butt (yes, the name still makes my kids laugh). This cut comes from the top of the shoulder of the pig. The marbling means juicy, shreddable results, and the price sits among the lowest per pound in the meat case.

At Costco you will usually see pork shoulder sold in vacuum-sealed twin packs, often boneless, with a combined weight that can run into the teens. That means one package becomes many, many meals.

How I Cook Pork Shoulder

Cooking pork butt couldn’t be any easier, even on a weeknight when chaos reigns. Trim the thick exterior caps and any large seams before cooking, so you don’t end up skimming a lake of oil off the top later. Season generously with salt, pepper, garlic powder, and brown sugar and then choose your cooking path.

If you have time, use the overnight roast: Set the oven to 250 degrees F, place the shoulder in a roasting pan, and let it go until fork-tender, about 6-8 hours. Your house will smell like a barbecue joint by sunrise, and suddenly your neighbors will appear, needing to “borrow sugar.”

I like fast-forward that process with the pressure cook function on my InstantPot. Cut the shoulder into a large chunks, season it heavily with your favorite rub (this is mine), add about a cup of broth and the juice of an orange, and pressure cook on the highest setting until tender. This typically takes about about an hour for a 4 to 6-pound pork shoulder. At times, I’ve decided to make pulled pork an hour before dinner, and yes, this method works! The boys now think magic is real.

A few bonus tips for pork shoulder:

• Trim any excess fat off the pork shoulder before cooking for cleaner juices. You can also chill the cooking liquid to lift off solidified fat (trust me, it’s super satisfying). 
• Season early and salt generously.
• Sear the pork chunks or the entire butt before cooking it for deeper flavor.

If you’re looking to make weeknights even easier, your freezer’s about to get a promotion. Once the meat is tender, shred it while warm, then divide it into quart bags with a splash of the cooking juices. Lay the bags flat and freeze. These packs—or “flavor bombs” as I call them—are perfect for fast dinners when homework, soccer practice, and “Dad, I promised three friends we had food” all collide. Reheat gently with a little broth, and I promise it’ll taste like you cooked all day.

But usually, this is how it goes down in my house. On night one, I pile the pork onto soft rolls with barbecue sauce and a quick slaw. Night two, I warm leftovers and mix them in salsa verde, then tuck into tortillas with onions and cilantro for instant tacos. Night three, well, that’s when you can get creative. You can crisp a layer in a non-stick skillet to mimic carnitas, fold the pork into fried rice with peas and eggs, or even load it onto mac and cheese for a dish that makes grown adults emotional. Ask me how I know.

Budget cut, big flavor, and a happy crowd. My Costco milk run never stood a chance.