Why Kirkland Beef Pot Roast Is One Of Costco's Most Versatile Hidden Gems

Among the gamut of offerings Costco provides its cardholders year-round, including extensive savings on gas and travel packages, the mega-wholesaler also has a reputation for offering quality food products at competitive prices. Truth be told, most Costco fans are loyal members due to the retailer's wide selection of in-house, private-label products.

While Costco does sell some lackluster Kirkland products with lower quality ingredients, including the brand's organic lemonade and smoked bacon, Costco's Kirkland beef pot roast is made with about three pounds of USDA choice beef and is already pre-cooked for your convenience. The best part about this versatile product is that, besides serving it as is with a side of mashed potatoes and roasted vegetables, there are more ways to incorporate this beef into a variety of subsequent meals and snacks.

Better yet, heating up Costco's Kirkland Signature Beef Pot Roast couldn't be easier. To prepare, simply heat the bagged, pre-cooked roast in a high-powered microwave for approximately 10 minutes or boil it in water for closer to 25 minutes. Then, all you need to do is shred the meat and serve.

If you're an experienced home chef, then you already know there are countless tips to follow when making pot roast at home, such as using a variety of seasonings and choosing the right braising liquid for the job. Therefore, already having a fully cooked, well-seasoned pot roast at your fingertips helps you prepare not just one but many protein-packed meals in no time (a 5-ounce serving contains 26 grams of protein, after all).

While beef pot roast is classically considered a hot, belly-warming meal, Costco's pre-cooked version is versatile enough to be a convenient, high-protein ingredient you can use to bulk up other simple dishes. Next to serving this pre-seasoned beef with homemade gravy and french fries, use it to make sheet pan nachos with black beans, shredded cheese, and five-ingredient pico de gallo.

You can also use the beef as your protein of choice for crunchy, colorful salads filled with mixed vegetables, toasted seeds, and homemade vinaigrette. Alternatively, stack the beef onto hoagie rolls with smoked provolone cheese and sliced peppers for flavorful sandwiches. Or spoon some into quesadillas with shredded Mexican cheese and canned green chilis.

Fortunately, since each package of Kirkland Signature Beef Pot Roast contains roughly three pounds of meat, you don't have to relegate every last morsel to just one easy-to-prepare meal. If you want the best of both worlds, make a traditional beef pot roast dinner and then save any leftovers to make other dishes, like savory breakfast scrambles. Or, feel free to use the remaining beef to make refrigerated high-protein snack packs for your work day. Just fill small, three-compartment containers with a portioned amount of leftover, pre-shredded beef, cubed cheddar cheese, and a handful of nuts like raw almonds. Then, when you're ready for a snack, enjoy one of these ready-made containers straight from the fridge.