Cooking up a delicious steak is about more than just knowing the right way to cook it. Whether you’re opting for a reverse sear to deliver a caramelized crust, or you want the flavor that a sous vide can deliver, the first thing you’ll want to consider is what cut is right for you.
While certain cuts including filet mignon and ribeye grab the spotlight, lesser-known beef cuts offer equally full flavor when cooked correctly. We consulted with butchers and beef experts to pinpoint the best affordable steaks that deliver a rich, satisfying taste without the premium price.
Keep enjoying incredible steak and save your grocery money by exploring these overlooked, high-value options.
Don’t miss any of our unbiased tech content and lab-based reviews. Add CNET as a preferred Google source.
Ribeye is great but you’ll pay for it
Flat iron steak has the required marbling to match the grill’s intensity.
If you’re craving the tenderness of ribeye, Jerome suggests the flat iron steak as a worthy alternative. “The flat iron steak is the second most tender cut of beef, behind the beef tenderloin,” he said. While beef tenderloin is generally not recommended for high-heat grilling because of its delicate nature, the flat iron has the required marbling to match the grill’s intensity. “These steaks are known for their rich beef flavor and are well-marbled,” he said. “That makes this cut stand out above others and it can be used in a variety of ways.”
2. Strip steak
Sirloin steaks are a tasty, budget-friendly option.
Sirloin is a primal cut, further down toward the rump of the animal from the rib. Steaks cut from muscles get more work than ribeye, which also makes them a leaner choice for grilling. “Sirloin steaks are a great budget-friendly option chock-full of flavor,” said Jerome, who also suggests cutting sirloin steaks into smaller pieces for another budget-stretching, grill preparation: kabobs. “Top sirloin steaks are a great option to have something lean but also tender and flavorful for your beef kabobs.”
Dommen also mentions another cut from the sirloin to consider for your barbecue. “The cut is what Brazilians call the picanha,” he said. It’s instantly recognizable as a frequently skewered cut served in Brazilian churrasco. “The picanha comes from the sirloin cap at the rear of the animal. The muscles get more work and have more flavor but also need to be cut with care against the grain,” he said.
4. Flank steak
Short ribs are most commonly braised but you can grill them too.
“Short ribs are known for being braised but they can also be grilled,” said Dommen. “Short ribs have a lot of marbling, which makes them great for grilling.”
Short ribs come from an area near the prime rib, coming from the chuck, not actually from the rib as the name suggests. (This is why beef requires experts.) While rib eye comes from the top of the animal, short ribs are closer to the belly. Short ribs for braising are typically sold bone-in and in shorter pieces, but you can ask your butcher for boneless short ribs that are cut in longer pieces for steak.
“Short ribs should be grilled to medium rare with a nice sear to make sure all the intermuscular fat is warmed,” advised Dommen. “I grill short ribs to an internal temperature of 115 Fahrenheit and it will carry over another 10 degrees while resting.”
6. Chuck eye steaks
