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Cosco Ribs Cooking Instructions

Costco Ribs Cooking Instructions: Complete Guide

Last Updated on March 18, 2024 by Shari Mason

Whenever I go to Costco, I always make sure to grab their ribs because they are already prepared and save you the hassle of doing it yourself. These ribs from Costco can be cooked in three ways – in the oven, on the grill, or using a Traeger.

If you want to achieve savory meat that comes off the bone easily, I will share with you the proper Costco ribs cooking instructions you must follow for an ideal bbq celebration.  

6 Steps To Cook Costco Ribs

Costco St.Louis style ribs

1. Preheat the Oven

First, preheat the oven and grill to 350 degrees F (180 degrees C) for about 5 minutes. If you’re using Traeger, preheat it to 275 degrees F (135 degrees C). 

Read:

2. Place Meat Upside Down In A Pan

Whenever I cook Costco ribs, I place the pre-cooked ribs facing down in your grill or baking pan. Put the pan on the rack and allow it to sit over a layer of water. 
Read: How Long Do Cooked Ribs Last In The Fridge?

3. Cover With Foil and Bake  

Now, you can take the seasoned ribs off the grill or baking dish and cover the ribs with aluminum foil. 

If you’re using a grill, up-fold the sides of the foil. When I cook Costco Ribs, I pour apple juice on top before I wrap it tightly with foil.

Ensure you wrap it thoroughly to avoid the juice spilling from the meat. Put back the wrapped ribs on the rack for the main roasting or grilling time. 

Read: Costco Bacon-Wrapped Chicken Cooking Instructions

4. Remove Juices and Fats

You may want to remove the juices or fats as you cook (for health-conscious peeps). 

“A recipe has no soul. You, as the cook, must bring soul to the recipe.”

— Thomas Keller, Restaurateur/American Chef/Cookbook Author

But to get the best juicy and tasty results, instead of removing the juices and fats, you can brush the ribs with sauce and safflower oil or add your favorite seasonings like black pepper to enhance the taste. 

However, this should be done a little later.   

Read: Costco Chicken Pot Review

5. Raise Temperature to 350-375 F

After the pre-seasoned ribs have been set, raise your oven’s temperature to 350-375 degrees F.

If you’re using the grill, you’ll need to reduce the temperature to 275 degrees F after 30 minutes. 

When I use Traeger to cook the ribs, I maintain the heat at 275 degrees F and let it smoke for 2 hours. 

6. Roast Until It Reaches 190-195 Internal Temperature

Lastly, roast or grill the Costco ribs for about 2 hours or until you get an internal temperature of 195 degrees F. We always recommend using a meat thermometer [1] in this case. 

Alternatively, you can tell that the ribs in the oven, grill, or Traeger are almost ready when it’s already tender that the meat easily separates from the bone. 

Once the internal temperature is achieved, you can now get the ribs from the covered roasting pan or foil. 

Now is the time to brush the ribs off with BBQ sauce and other seasonings and flavorings. 

For oven-cooking: Brush the ribs with barbecue sauce and put the ribs back in your oven for another 20-25 minutes. 

For grilling: Brush each meat side with BBQ sauce every 5 minutes for another 30-minute grilling time or until you reach the 190 degrees F internal temperature. 

For Traeger-grilling: Cook each side and flip every 25 minutes. Brush the ribs’ sides with barbecue sauce and apple cider vinegar, then smoke the cooked pork ribs for another 25 minutes. 

Note: Let the cooked ribs cool down a bit before you eat or slice them into serving size [2]. 

How Long Will It Cook? 

oven cooked ribs

Oven

In my experience, frozen Costco ribs in the oven can take 2 to 2.5 hours to cook at 375 degrees F or until the internal temp reaches 190 degrees F. 

Grill

On the grill, I noticed that the cooking time could take around 2 hours to cook ribs at 375 degrees temp or until it reaches 190 degrees F internal temp. 

Make sure to cover the roasting pan to retain the medium-high heat inside. 

Traeger Grills

When cooking in Traeger grills, the Costco pre-seasoned ribs will take about 2-3 hours to cook. It should maintain the 275 degrees F temp and 190 degrees F internal temp. 

What Are The Ribs That Costco Sells? 

On my last trip to Costco Port Chester, I discovered they sell different ribs. Here’s what I found:

  1. Kirkland Signature Seasoned Pork Baby Back Ribs
  2. Kirkland Signature St Louis Pork Spare Ribs
  3. Boneless Kirkland Signature Pork Shoulder Country Style Ribs
  4. Swift Premium Pork Loin Back ribs
  5. Swift Premium Pork St. ribs

How to Cook Costco Ribs in Traeger?

Preheat your Traeger to 275 degrees, then add the Costco ribs with apple cider vinegar. Make sure that the meat side is facing upwards.

When I cooked the ribs in my Traeger, I smoked it for two hours, then brushed the ribs with BBQ sauce and apple cider vinegar. Smoke it for another 25 minutes, then flip it over. Wait for another 25 minutes until it reaches 190F internal temperature.

How To Store & Reheat Costco Ribs 

Storage

When grilled or oven-cooked, cooked pork ribs can last in your fridge for about 3 to 4 days. Make sure to refrigerate your cooked pork ribs from Costco, stored in shallow airtight containers. 

Also, you can wrap the ribs tightly using heavy-duty aluminum foil or plastic wrap. 

Reheat

When I refrigerate or freeze Costco ribs, I usually reheat the ribs in the oven. To reheat it, cover the baby back ribs in aluminum foil [3] and reheat for 15 minutes at 375 degrees F.  

FAQs

u003cstrongu003eHow do you know if Costco ribs are cooked? u003c/strongu003e

To know if the Costco ribs in the oven are cooked, use a meat thermometer to verify if it reaches the ideal internal temperature of 190 degrees F. Also, when you see the ribs’ flesh coming off easily, then it’s almost ready.  

u003cstrongu003eShould you cook Costco ribs with foil? u003c/strongu003e

You should Costco ribs with foil as it helps trap moisture and heat inside, allowing the ribs to cook faster. You can also use parchment paper to wrap the ribs as an alternative. 

u003cstrongu003eWhat seasonings are in Costco ribs?u003c/strongu003e

Costco Ribs are seasoned with sugar, salt, black pepper, red bell pepper, chili pepper, safflower oil, onion, and garlic.

u003cstrongu003eAre Costco ribs pre-cooked?u003c/strongu003e

No, Costco ribs are not pre-cooked. It will take you around two to three hours to cook the ribs. However, it is pre-seasoned, so you don’t need to wait longer to marinate the meat.

Final Thoughts 

Following the steps above, you’ll be a BBQ master in no time that will surely excite your guests or husband’s appetite with your mouth-watering recipe. 

Costco is one of the top choices when buying ribs, as it’s already pre-cooked [4] and seasoned. But, of course, you’ll need to cook the ribs again at home to follow your recipe and enhance their taste.

If you want it slightly sweet, you can add some sweet sauce halfway, or if you want it slightly spicy, you can rib rub some chili pepper or simply mix red bell pepper on the side, along with the sauce or mashed potatoes. 

References:

  1. https://www.nytimes.com/wirecutter/reviews/the-best-instant-read-thermometer/ 
  2. https://www.fda.gov/food/new-nutrition-facts-label/serving-size-new-nutrition-facts-label 
  3. https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/aluminum-foil-cooking 
  4. https://www.sciencedirect.com/topics/food-science/precooked-food 
Shari Mason

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