To aid you in your fiscally responsible quest for steak, I’ve put together this guide to the best cheap steak cuts. These are the steaks I reach for when I’m trying to keep the grocery bill down.

To compare value, I’ve used the national average price for boneless ribeye from the USDA’s retail beef report, which was $15.34 per pound in late October 2025. Think of it as a baseline, not a rule, as actual prices shift week to week and vary depending on where you shop.

9 Affordable Steaks That Deliver Big on Flavor

1. Chuck eye steak (48% cheaper than ribeye)

The “poor man’s ribeye” lives up to its name. Cut from the same section, it has plenty of marbling and buttery beef flavor for about half the cost.

Grill it hot and fast over high heat, seasoned simply with coarse salt and cracked pepper. Like ribeye, it’s best cooked to medium rare and rested before slicing to keep the fat juicy and the texture tender.

This cut can be tricky to source, so we buy our chuck eye from Porter Road.

Skip the marinades and sauces for this one. Let the natural flavor do the work, or try our grilled Chuck Eye Steak recipe for a ribeye-style finish at a bargain price.

2. Tri-tip steak (45% cheaper than ribeye)

Tri-tip comes from the bottom of the sirloin, a lean, active muscle that delivers big beef flavor when cooked right. It’s tender enough for grilling but flavorful enough for smoking.

We prefer to grill or smoke it whole, then slice against the grain into steaks once it’s rested. This keeps the juices in and gives you those thick, steakhouse-style slices.

The reverse sear method works great for this cut. For a detailed guide, check out our slow-smoked and tri-tip recipe, or you could go for brisket-style sliced tri tip.

3. Flank & Skirt Steak (15–16% cheaper than ribeye)

Flank and skirt are two long, lean cuts packed with deep beef flavor. They look similar, but they come from different areas of the cow. Skirt steak is the thin, fibrous diaphragm muscle with more fat and chew, while flank comes from the lower abdomen and is slightly leaner and wider.

Great grilled hot and fast, and sliced against the grain.

Because these steaks are naturally lean, a good marinade helps add moisture and break down the fibers. A few hours is good, but overnight is better. Once ready, grill them hard and quick over high heat.

We like using flank and skirt for tacos, fajitas, and carne asada, or butterflying a flank to make our Grilled Steak Pinwheels. If you land a thick piece, you can even smoke a flank steak for extra depth.

4. Flat iron (20% cheaper than ribeye)

The flat iron used to be a budget cut full of chewy connective tissue, but a clever trimming technique developed in the early 2000s changed everything. Once that sinew is removed, you get a steak that’s tender, juicy, and full of flavor, rivaling much pricier cuts like the New York strip or even filet mignon.

Cut from the shoulder (top blade) of the steer, the flat iron comes from the chuck primal but surprises with its rich marbling. When cooked right, the fat melts through the meat, keeping it tender and flavorful.

Grill it hot and fast or reverse sear it for a perfect crust. A simple salt and pepper seasoning is all you need, but it also takes well to a dry rub for tacos or steak salads. Try our Reverse-Seared Flat Iron with Mushroom Sauce for a steakhouse-quality dinner at a weeknight price.

Serve it medium rare for the best texture, go past medium and it’ll start to lose its juicy edge.

5. Sirloin cap / Picanha (57% cheaper than ribeye)

Picanha is a favorite in Brazilian steakhouses for good reason. It’s tender like filet, rich like ribeye, and far more affordable at about half the price.

Cut from the top of the rump, this triangular steak features a thick fat cap that bastes the meat as it cooks, locking in moisture and adding deep, rich beef flavor. At $6.66 per pound, it’s one of the best-value cuts you can buy.

We like to smoke picanha whole and fat side up, either on the smoker or grill, then slice it into steaks once it rests. You can also skewer and grill it churrasco-style for that authentic Brazilian flavor.

6. Chuck steak (56% cheaper than ribeye)

Chuck steak comes from the same shoulder section as the chuck eye, but is located a little farther from the rib, which makes it leaner and slightly tougher.

What you lose in tenderness, you gain in rich, beefy flavor and value. At $6.74 per pound, it’s one of the most affordable cuts that still tastes like a premium steak when cooked right.

You can grill it hot and fast if it’s well-marbled and cut thin, but it really shines when cooked low and slow to break down the connective tissue.

Try it smoked, braised, or cubed up into Poor Man’s Burnt Ends for something that tastes far pricier than it is.

7. Petite tender (52% cheaper than ribeye)

Do you know what’s cheaper than buying a tenderloin? Grabbing a petite tender instead.

Also known as the teres major, the petite tender is one of the most overlooked value cuts in the meat case. It’s shaped like a small tenderloin and comes from the chuck, but it stays remarkably tender because the muscle sees little use.

At around $7.30 per pound, it delivers filet mignon-style tenderness for roughly half the price. Each cow only yields two petite tenders, weighing about half to one pound each, so they’re small but mighty when it comes to flavor.

We reverse-seared this grilled teres major and served it with a garlic herb compound butter.

You could also keep your petite tender whole and roast it to a medium-rare before finishing it with a quick sear.

8. Top Sirloin Steak (35% cheaper than ribeye)

Top sirloin is one of the best all-rounders in the meat case. It’s leaner than ribeye but still has solid marbling and plenty of beef flavor, making it a great balance between tenderness, price, and versatility.

Cut from the sirloin primal just behind the short loin, this steak doesn’t have the heavy fat cap or intense marbling of pricier cuts, but when cooked right it’s juicy, flavorful, and easy to slice. At around $10.00 per pound, it’s roughly a third cheaper than ribeye and a reliable option for everyday grilling.

We like to grill it hot and fast over high heat with a simple salt and pepper rub, then let it rest for a few minutes before slicing. It also works great marinated for steak kebabs, stir fries, or steak sandwiches.

Try our Grilled Top Sirloin Steak recipe for an easy, affordable steak dinner that doesn’t skimp on flavor.

9. Denver steak (45% cheaper than ribeye)

The Denver steak is one of the best-kept secrets in the meat case. Cut from the chuck underblade, it comes from a part of the shoulder that doesn’t see much movement, which makes it surprisingly tender for such an affordable cut.

At around $8.50 per pound, the Denver is about 45% cheaper than ribeye yet ranks among the most tender cuts on the entire steer. It’s well-marbled, rich, and full of that classic beef flavor usually reserved for more expensive steaks.

We like to reverse sear or sous vide it to render the fat and keep the interior juicy, then finish with a quick sear over high heat for a crisp crust. Keep the seasoning simple: coarse salt, pepper, and maybe a touch of garlic butter.

If you can find it, order from Porter Road, or check local butchers that carry specialty chuck cuts. The Denver steak is proof you don’t need ribeye prices to get ribeye tenderness.

How to make cheap steak taste expensive

So there you have it! A whole selection of cut-price beef that’ll grace your palate with rich flavors and delicate textures (and still leave you able to afford dessert).

Looking for advice on how to cook the perfect steak? Check out our guides to grilling steak on a charcoal grill, steak doneness and how to reverse sear a steak.

If you need help finding these value cuts, check out our guide on the best websites to order steak online.