I Tried And Ranked Trader Joe's Marinated Beef Items

Trader Joe's marinated meats make meal planning so easy. If you're looking to make beef the centerpiece of your repast, you've got plenty of options, and since the meat is already packed with flavor, you'll save time and prep, too. With the price of beef sky-high these days, steaks and roasts may be more for special occasions than everyday meals. When that's the case, you want to make sure you're not throwing money away on subpar meat.

That's where this ranking comes in. I purchased, prepared, and tasted five Trader Joe's marinated beef offerings to find out which of these packaged meats are worth the splurge, and which ones you're better off skipping. These five contenders all looked and sounded promising, each with its own unique flavor profile, but how did they stack up? Read on to find out my rankings from least to most delicious.

I was always taught that if you don't have anything nice to say, you shouldn't say anything at all. Unfortunately, I don't have that option in this case. Trader Joe's Sesame Teriyaki Skirt Steak was so flavorless, I had to make sure my taste buds were still functioning by eating other food. The issue was not my palate, it turns out. I've had other Trader Joe's teriyaki products — in fact, Trader Joe's Teriyaki Chicken Meatballs topped my list of the store's chicken products. My suggestion is to get those instead.

Per the instructions, I cooked the steak for a few minutes per side on a hot cast iron grill pan. This created a nice char while keeping the interior juicy, after which I pulled the meat off to check its temperature and let it rest. The skirt steak itself, USDA Choice Angus beef weighing in at 1.3 pounds, was easy to slice and had a promising meaty aroma. I couldn't detect any other smells, though, and that lack followed through as I took my first bite. Where was the teriyaki flavor? Where was the umami? I could taste a tiny bit of honeyed sweetness, but that's it. A few of the pieces were also quite gristly and impossible to chew. This is shockingly the most expensive piece of beef on this list, priced much higher per pound than any of the rest. It is a hands-down last-place skip.

Everything that was missing from the sesame teriyaki steak showed up in Trader Joe's Bool Kogi, boneless beef ribs marinated with Korean flavors. It's a play on the classic dish bulgogi. I was yearning for some intense umami after the disappointing lack of it in that previous steak, and these ribs delivered from the second I opened the package, and the aromas of soy sauce and sesame oil filled the air. The rib pieces here are nice and thin, so they cook up in a flash, making this a great protein to have on hand when you're short on time.

After just a few moments on the grill and a few moments resting, this meat was tender, hot, and ready to go. Each bite had a pleasantly light, springy texture. Some of the thicker bits were a tad too chewy for my taste, but those were not the norm. I thoroughly enjoyed this meat on its own, but it really popped when I served it with blistered garliciky green beans. I could see it shining with rice, noodles, eggs, and any kind of stir-fry dish. The reasons it sits towards the tail-end of this ranking are two: First, it's one of the pricier options, and second, it's a little on the salty side. While I love a well-seasoned piece of beef, this one was just slightly over the edge. Still, I wouldn't hesitate to get this again.

Another conveniently quick-cooking protein, Trader Joe's Carne Asada Autentica consists of trimmed, butterflied sirloin pieces marinated in a blend of citrus and spices. Of all the items tested, this carne asada had the most intensely flavorful seasoning, with zesty orange and lime along with a spicy chili kick and lots of peppery and savory dimensions. Even steak experts like Sean Thompson, who almost always prefer a simple dry brine for beef, make an exception for carne asada. It grilled up fairly quickly, though the pieces weren't at all uniform, so it did take some futzing around to make sure nothing ended up too under- or overdone.

The sirloin's satisfying meaty flavor was the perfect complement to the strong level of seasoning. Once it was sliced, it made an excellent filling for simple street tacos. This carne asada is undeniably tasty and versatile, and one of the cheaper options when it comes to Trader Joe's beef. My only beef with it (pun intended, sorry) was the difficulty in getting the differently sized pieces cooked properly. Some of the small pieces almost burned to a crisp before the larger ones had even gotten a bit of a sear. That made it just a little more challenging to cook than some of the others. 

If you prefer your beef to be melt-in-your-mouth tender, this is the Trader Joe's item for you: Balsamic Rosemary Steak Tips. They take a little longer to cook than some of the other options listed here, but that's because they're meaty little morsels of beef goodness that have a bit more thickness to them. Still, these tips have enough size to comfortably cook on a grill grate without falling through the cracks into the flames — though you can pan-fry them or broil them, too, if you prefer.

The marinade for these tips is beautifully balanced, with a subtle vinegar tang and woodsy herbaceous high note. There's just enough sweetness to complement the beef without making it seem candied, and that's also balanced by a strong savory element from ingredients like porcini mushrooms and soy sauce. The complexity of this marinade is lovely, and the meat was so tender and juicy and mouth-watering that my family finished the entire package in one sitting — the only item on this list that took that distinction. I only wish it had a touch more salt to bring out the flavors even more. I served it with potato gnocchi, which was wonderful. I'd love to try it with polenta or pasta, too. I just recommend keeping a little salt on hand in case you need it.

Here's the number one big boy: Trader Joe's Santa Maria-Inspired Tri-Tip Roast. This baby bordered on 2 pounds and took the longest to cook. It also boasted the shortest ingredient list, the most bang-for-your-buck by volume and flavor, and was the unanimous choice amongst my family members for first place. This thick, beefy roast lasted us several days, and never got tough even when it was reheated.

The seasoning mixture used to flavor this tri-tip roast is warming, a touch pungent, and pleasantly herbaceous, with just a hint of a chili kick along with cumin and black pepper to bring the heat. Dried herbs, including marjoram and thyme, along with garlic, add dimension. Even though this roast is thick, the flavors make it through to every bite. While I probably could have used a lesson in how to slice a tri-tip properly — shameful, really, considering I'm a native Californian and this is considered California's cut — the meat was incredibly tender and juicy. It maintained a textural bite while also becoming meltingly soft once your teeth sank into it. I couldn't find a flaw in this piece of meat, so it easily took the top spot. I'm looking forward to grilling this tri-tip all summer long, and beyond.

For each marinated beef item, I chose a cooking method from the options listed on the packaging. To keep things as close as possible, I went with a grilling method for all of them — either on a charcoal outdoor grill, or indoors on a cast-iron grill pan. I followed the time, temperature, and resting recommendations for each to ensure the meats were prepared in the optimal way. 

I tasted each piece of beef as soon as it was rested and ready to get my initial impressions on flavor and texture. I then used each as part of a larger meal in ways people are likely to enjoy them — the sesame teriyaki steak with scallion rice, the carne asada as taco filling, for example. I ranked each based primarily on taste and texture, while also taking into account versatility and value.