Where to buy Prime Beef in North Orange County

[fh211]

Does anyone know of a place to buy Prime Beef in North Orange County. I have read a number of recommendations for Hows Market, but the closest one to me is Pasadena.

[Professor Salt]

During the holiday season, Costco carries USDA Prime grade beef. What cut are you looking for, and what town in "North Orange County" do you mean?

[pharmnerd]

Costco in Cypress usually carries USDA Prime rib eye and filet. Look to the leftmost area of the meat bin. Tried the rib eye a couple times, even overcooked it, & was still clearly better (flavor, marbling, etc) than the lower grade cuts. Felt they were cut a little too thick my liking though (i.e. the rib eye), maybe 1&1/2" to nearly 2" thick. Is that normal?

[wilafur]

1.5"-2" thickness makes for an idea steak. then again i am an oinker. lols.

[sbritchky]

To cook a thick steak well, brown 30 sec./side in a really hot cast-iron skillet, then finish in a 500-degree oven, turning halfway through. If it's more than 1.5 inches thick or was refrigerator-cold at the start, set the oven to 450 degrees. Check the meat temperature with an instant-read thermometer, and remove the steak to a very warm platter about 6-8 degrees before the "done" reading. (For example, 122-124 degrees for medium-rare.) Cover lightly with foil and let rest in a warm place for 8-10 minutes -- the internal temperature will continue to rise -- while you're finishing the accompaniments. You'll have a crusty, juicy steak, assuming you started with excellent meat and don't overcook it. Whenever possible, salt and wrap loosely at least four hours in advance (a day or two, preferably) to draw water from the meat and concentrate flavors. Leave the steak outside the fridge for an hour or so before cooking unless you like your beef very rare.

[The Chowhound Team]

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[bulavinaka]

On the Costco bandwagon. Look for the steaks packed in the blue trays in either the beef section or a separate open refrigerator case at the end of an adjacent aisle. The Costco in Marina del Rey carries rib eyes and NY strips, but filet mignons can be had as well. I was at Costco a few days ago and did also see boneless prime rib roasts that were Prime. I think the NY strips are still running around $11/lb, rib eyes running a buck or two less.

Also look in the frozen meats section. The Prime grade rib eyes and NY strips usually appear to be slightly better trimmed. The filet mignon appear to be the same as the refrigerated ones. The marbling is about the same, but the amount of selection with the frozen is usually better than the refrigerated ones. The NY strips are usually about $1/lb more but are well worth it if you're stashing them away in the freezer. I haven't tried the ribeyes but the NY strips are really good. I tried both the refrigerated and the frozen side-by-side and other than the trim (as mentioned earlier), there was no difference in flavor or texture. Both were excellent for the price.

[wilafur]

thanks for the tip, never thought to look in the frozen meats section.

[jkao1817]

Costco also has Prime Grade rib roasts, both bone-in ($7.29/lb) and boneless ($7.989/lb). These were the whole roasts. They also had smaller roasts but they were about $2 more a lb.

Just got some yesterday.

[bulavinaka]

Good to know on the bone-in roasts. I started to reach for the boneless ones but pulled back at the last second. I'd appreciate an update on how it turned out... Thanks!

[jkao1817]

I seperated the whole roast in two 3 roasts. we had one last night and it was really good. We usually get the ones from How's and these tasted a little better. Same type of cooking the rib.

[bulavinaka]

Thanks - glad you enjoyed it...

[OCEllen]

I believe Pacific Ranch Market at 7540 E. Chapman in Orange may carry prime beef.

[FED]

bristol farms has some.

[Jaytizzle]

Wholefoods always has it.

[OCAnn]

Gem Meats in Fullerton/Placentia off the 57 @ Yorba Linda Blvd.

[JeffSD]

Gem Meats on Yorba Linda Blvd. in Fullerton carries prime beef. So does Pacific Ranch Market on Chapman Ave. in Orange. Orchard's Fresh Foods at 16426 E. Whittier Blvd. also carries excellent prime beef, just two blocks across the Orange County line in Whittier. Other than that, prime beef is available at Whole Foods on Jamboree Road in Tustin and Bristol Farms in Newport Beach and Mission Viejo, which aren't North Orange County.

[chowtips]

Believe it or not,, Albertsons Grocery Store, on request, carries Angus cut Prime Beef.
Call the Meat Department and you can pre-order and just pick up. I serve Prime rib
every Christmas and have tried Costco and numerous Meat Lockers. Be sure to ask
for a packet of their seasoning. (Complimentary). If in doubt, purchase a small one
to sample before holiday......

[ChinoWayne]

Would you mind clarifying your post "Angus" is not a "cut" of beef, Angus is a cattle breed, "certified angus" is more or less a marketing designation for the most prolific breed of beef sold in the U.S. Does Albertson's truly offer prime graded beef? And if so, is it aged?

[bubbles4me]

Beff Palace on Springdale and Warner in Huntington Beach