6 Deli Meats You Should Buy At Costco (And 3 To Avoid)

Holders of the coveted Costco membership already know that the warehouse is the most economical place to score plenty of meal staples. Whether you need some swoon-worthy desserts for your next party or you're after some quality frozen seafood, it's likely that Costco has you covered. And when it comes to certain departments, you'll have more than your fair share of options to choose from. Take Costco's plethora of deli meat, for example — with four types of turkey breast at your disposal, what should have been an easy shopping trip can turn into a decision paralysis nightmare.

If you want to avoid standing slack-jawed in front of the deli meat refrigerator trying to narrow down your purchases, you're in the right place. I tried all the deli meats I could find at my local Costco (both Kirkland and non-Kirkland brands) in the Pacific Northwest to determine which are worth some space in your cart. All in all, I'd have to say that Costco's selection of deli meat isn't too bad. Out of nine options I tried, I walked away with six I could buy again and three I wouldn't. I based my verdict primarily on the flavor, texture, and "hardiness" of each meat (whether it was easy to remove individual slices from the package), and pricing was a secondary factor. For a full rundown of my methodology, check out the end of this piece — for now, let's talk about which of Costco's deli meats should become household staples. 

Of the various ham options I tried for this tasting, my favorite was Kirkland Signature's Uncured Black Forest Ham. The above 28-ounce package only cost me $9.99 at my Costco, which I'll gladly spend again to get enough meat for a week's worth of sandwiches (depending on how many mouths I'm feeding). If you tend to buy Costco's refrigerated items because they often come in multiple packs (meaning you can throw one in the fridge and keep the rest in the freezer), know that this is a single-package offering; however, it would be easy enough to freeze individual portions in Ziploc bags if you want to lengthen their lifespan. 

The ham itself is relatively thick-cut and very flavorful, with those subtle sweet notes I look for in good ham. I could tell that it was smoked, and at the same time, it remains neutral enough to throw on a variety of sandos — whether a simple ham and cheese or a hearty Italian sub. For me, this ham is an easy choice over the other options here; it's flavorful, lacks the "wetness" of others on this list, and definitely tastes (and looks) more natural than some of the alternatives. 

Ah, prosciutto. Though a regular buy in the summer for picnic-worthy mozzarella and prosciutto sandwiches, Costco's Citterio Prosciutto di Parma might have me keeping some on hand year-round. The above cost $14.49 for two of the pictured package, so it's not necessarily the cheapest meat on this list, but that's a great price compared to what I usually buy prosciutto for when I'm shopping at Trader Joe's. 

The one downside with this prosciutto is that each slice is difficult to peel apart. They're thinner than paper (a good thing, in my opinion), and each has the lining in between that you'll typically find in a package of prosciutto, but still, separating them is definitely a chore. That said, the payoff is well worth it. This prosciutto has that full, fatty, salty umami flavor you'd expect from good prosciutto, and the slices melt in the mouth. I'd happily grab this to go on my aforementioned sandwiches, but they also make for a worthy addition to a charcuterie board or an inventive pizza. 

Onto my first "avoid" recommendation: Kirkland Signature's Meat Variety Pack. $14.99 got me the trifecta pictured above: deli-sliced chicken breast, ham, and roast beef. Of the three, I only really liked one. If you're just after an economical way to build lunchbox sandwiches for the kiddos, this might not be a bad choice, but if you're looking for something tasty to enjoy yourself on the regular, I can't recommend it. 

The only meat I liked was the roast beef — it was dry and firm, with a pleasantly mild flavor. Still, it wasn't anything special, and I'd rather get some fresh-sliced from the deli counter. The ham was my least favorite of the ones I tried. I found it slightly too salty and wet for my liking, but the undiscerning child's palate probably wouldn't notice (especially as part of a larger sandwich). I loathed the chicken breast. Not only was it impossible to peel apart, crumbling the second I started to make any progress, but it also had a strange flavor to it — perhaps due to being browned in soybean oil? And to top it all off, I got some gristle in one piece. Overall, it made for a fairly unpleasant experience. 

Salame fans, this buy is for you. For a mere $11.49, I got two packages of the above-pictured Kirkland Italian-Style Dry Salame, a total of 2 pounds of meaty goodness. I haven't come across many salames that I don't like, so it's not surprising I was a fan of this one. They're one of the best versatile deli meats to have on hand, and taste great whether you're building a Costco-laden charcuterie board or a plethora of sub sandwiches. 

Kirkland's salame is slightly more oily than I'm used to, but I hardly minded. The ample fat present just made it melt in my mouth, and I didn't have any problems with it sticking between my teeth, as I sometimes do with the deli meat. It's salty (but not overly so) and subtly flavored with black peppercorns, with a thick, meaty texture to boot. I have no issue recommending this, and best of all, you can freeze one of the packages to munch on when cravings hit.

I was very torn about whether to recommend this ham or not. At the end of the day, though I still prefer Kirkland's above-mentioned Uncured Black Forest Ham, I can't deny that its Extra Lean Uncured Ham is the more economical buy. Just under a dollar more ($10.49) bought me nearly twice as much product (two of the package pictured above), and while I was slightly turned off by its unnatural rectangular shape, it definitely isn't the worst of the hams featured here.

This ham is slightly sweeter than the Black Forest package, which I found somewhat endearing. That said, it's also a bit wetter, which didn't appeal to me in the slightest — I even noticed some juices sitting at the bottom of the package. Texturally, it was firm and easy to separate, making it suitable for building sandwiches. Because it's about half the price of my favored one, I can recommend it to those who need their dollar to go a bit further. 

I'm generally a fan of sliced turkey meat, which may also mean that I have relatively high standards for the deli staple. Still, you can definitely do better than Kirkland's Oven Roasted Turkey Breast, even if you're insistent on getting your sliced turkey at Costco. The price difference between this and the following choice is negligible enough not to sway me (or most consumers) one way or the other — you'll spend just over $1 more for 7 ounces extra here.

I didn't have much of an issue with the flavor of Kirkland's sliced turkey breast — the slight smokiness from being oven-roasted comes through well, and it doesn't face any egregious missteps in the flavor department. I took more issue texturally. Not only was this the wettest package of turkey meat I tried for this tasting, but I also yet again had a slice with a gristle-esque spot in the middle of it. Getting a little crunch when chewing on some turkey breast isn't the greatest experience. Given that two other sliced turkey packages on this list are actually good, you should leave this one on the shelf. 

Hillshire Farm is a hallmark name in the pre-packaged deli meat business, and it's nearly always a safe buy whenever I don't want to get risky with my lunch meat. Costco sells a 33-ounce package of Hillshire Farm's Slow-Roasted Turkey Breast for just under $13 at my store. Better yet, the meat is divided into three separate plastic pouches on the inside, so you don't need to worry about using one giant opened package before it goes bad. 

I'll admit that, visually, Hillshire Farm's turkey meat pales in comparison to the Kirkland's previously-mentioned offering. But, as they say, you should never judge a book by its cover — a missive which definitely applies here. This turkey breast was way more flavorful than Kirkland's, and even though each slice is smaller, they're texturally superior. They aren't too wet and are fairly easy to pull apart, with a nice bite to them and none of the off-putting, gristly I suffered with the last one. There's still one more turkey breast that blew both of these out of the water, but if you need a plethora of lunch meat for an undiscerning crowd, this would be a safe no-brainer choice. 

Who doesn't love a deliciously-herbed turkey when Thanksgiving season rolls around? Come to think about it, is there ever a wrong time of year to indulge in the festive poultry? Not according to Cooper Farms, whose Herb-Roasted Turkey Breast can be found in Costco's refrigerated section. This was by far the best turkey of the bunch in every regard, and it was only marginally more expensive than the aforementioned, at $14.99 for 2 pounds.

In my humble opinion, this is a clear upgrade from the other options, and it's well worth the extra few bucks. You'll know you're in for a treat from the moment you open the package. A strong herbaceous scent made itself known the instant I peeled back the cover, and fortunately, the flavor delivered. I got abundant notes of parsley and paprika, which gave the turkey slices a smoky, earthy quality that was very welcome, especially in the face of the other sliced turkey I tried. It could be the star of the show on its own, and wouldn't need much dressing up to make for a flavorful sandwich. Moreover, it was texturally lovely — relatively thick, dry slices had a firm texture with no inconsistencies noticed throughout. 

Last but certainly not least, the other turkey breast meat I'd recommend you avoid comes from Dietz & Watson. The brand's Organic Roasted Turkey Breast is not only the most expensive on this list ($17.99 for 27 ounces), but it's also the most underwhelming, perhaps because of its high price point in comparison to the other available options. Given the "organic" label, I suppose I'm not surprised about the price point; still, I can't say this turkey is worth it.

The only brownie point I'll give to this sliced turkey is that it's thicker than the others on this list (Cooper Farms included). Other than that, there's nothing notable to say. Its flavor is fine and there's a very slight smokiness to it, but it's also wetter than all the other packaged turkey meats on this list. If you're particular about your turkey being organic and you don't need your deli meat to carry the flavor of your sandwich, this may be the only option available to you — however, if you could grab turkey from either Hillshire Farm or Cooper Farms instead, I'd recommend sticking to those brands. 

I expected more even results than a six-three split in this deli meat, so it was a pleasant surprise to find that I'd buy most of these again. To do this taste test, I simply grabbed one of each sliced deli meat I could find at my local Costco, and product availability may vary depending on location.

 I tried them and compared each against comparable versions on this list, as well as versions of the deli meat I've had before. I tried not to be too picky, but was especially discerning if there was more than one option of a particular type of deli meat available. For example, because I tried four different turkey options, the competition was a bit stiffer there than with some other deli meats.