Trader Joe's Serves 2026 Barbecue Picks With $11.99 Carne Asada
Trader Joe's barbecue season picks for 2026 include Carne Asada Ranchera at $11.99 per pound, with Tasting Table calling out several new May 2026 products and seasonal items for cookout menus. Shoppers planning a grill lineup get a short list of ready-to-cook meats and fully cooked options before some spring and summer items disappear come autumn.
May 2026 Trader Joe's picks
$11.99 per pound is the price on Trader Joe's Carne Asada Ranchera, a well-marbled beef sirloin flap seasoned with a citrus juice marinade. That puts it at the top of the roundup by price among the featured barbecue cuts, and it is the clearest signal that the chain is leaning into higher-appeal grilling items for the 2026 season.
$6.99 per pound is the cost of Trader Joe's Pollo Asado Chicken Thighs, another ready-for-the-grill option in the lineup. The mix of beef and chicken gives shoppers a simple way to split a barbecue menu across different budgets without leaving the same store.
Budget items at Trader Joe's
$2.99 is the price of Trader Joe's Soy Chorizo, one of the lowest-priced items in the group. At that level, it serves as a filler for tacos, sides, or mixed grill plates when the rest of the spread is built around more expensive meats.
$6.49 per pound covers Trader Joe's Al Pastor Diced Pork Shoulder, while the fully cooked Buffalo Style Chicken Meatballs cost $4.29. The meatballs use chicken breast meat mixed with Monterey Jack cheese and buffalo seasoning, which gives shoppers a heat-and-serve option when the grill is already crowded or the rest of the meal needs a quick protein add-on.
Seasonal Trader Joe's supply
2026 is the frame for the roundup, and several of the featured products are described as all-new for May 2026. Tasting Table also says some spring and summer seasonal items may disappear come autumn, which makes the timing part of the shopping decision rather than just the recipe list.
Autumn is the cutoff mentioned for those seasonal items, so the practical move is to buy the specific products now if they fit a Memorial Day or broader barbecue plan. The store list is narrow, the prices are fixed, and the window on some items is limited.
