You’re Buying The Wrong Beef—These 7 Cheap Beef Cuts Give You More Flavor For Less Money

Yes—you can eat better beef meals AND save money when you shop smart and cook smart with our recipes

In August 2026, beef prices in the U.S. hit an all-time high: ground beef prices rose to $7.15 per pound, and steaks averaged $12.81 per pound. Cattle herds have been shrinking since 1951, and as demand for beef remains steady, market watchers expect beef prices to continue rising.

What’s a red-blooded American beef lover to do? Buy cheap beef cuts! The good news is that some of the least expensive cuts of beef are also the most flavorful. That’s because these cuts come from the hardest-working muscles on the animal—the shoulders, chest, hips, and legs. Retail cuts from these areas—like chuck steak and bottom round—are tougher and require slow cooking like slow-roasting, smoking, braising, and stewing to become tender. Because of that, they tend to cost less per pound than quicker-cooking steaks from the loin or rib. Learn more about beef cuts here.

Smart cooks know their way around the cheap beef cuts at the butcher case. And we’ve got loads of fantastic recipes using cheaper cuts of beef in amazing dishes your whole family will love. Explore the recipes and feed your family for less money today!

Cheap Beef Cuts At A Glance

Here’s a quick look so you can start buying inexpensive cuts of beef and saving money on family meals tonight.

Chuck Steak / Chuck Roast

From the shoulder. Flavorful, marbled, great for roasting slow or fast with or without smoke. Chuck steak is shown in the photo here. Try Meathead’s Grilled Chuck Steak with Red Wine Marinade, a great alternative for those who love grilled ribeye steaks. The larger chuck roast is especially good for slicing for brisket vibes, as in Clint’s Slow-Smoked Chuck Roast.

Beef Shank

From the leg. Very tough, but excellent for slow smoking, especially in dishes like “Big Poppa Sterling Ball’s recipe for Thor’s Hammer Beef Shank Tacos (page 000).

Brisket

From the chest. Tough as nails but gets tender with low-and-slow smoking and/or braising. That’s a brisket flat shown in the photo above (click here to read more about brisket cuts). Flats have gotten expensive recently, and you can save some money per pound by buying a whole packer brisket instead. Lots of possibilities for recipes. Feast on Authentic Texas-Style Smoke Brisket (with tips on how to trim a whole packer brisket), Brisket Burnt Ends, or try your hand at making your own Pastrami for a New York-Style Reuben Sandwich.

Beef Cheeks

From the facial muscles. Cattle chew all day long, so beef cheeks develop tons of flavor. Like brisket, they are full of tough connective tissue and best cooked low and slow, preferably with some moisture. Beef cheeks are often braised, but you can smoke them at a low temp and use the Texas Crutch to barbecue them like brisket. As brisket continues to rise in price, barbecue joints are starting to offer beef cheeks as an lower-priced alternative. Use our Texas-style brisket recipe for the basic cooking and flavoring techniques, but keep an eye on the internal doneness temp: Beef cheeks are smaller and thinner, averaging just under a pound a piece, so they’ll be done much sooner than brisket.

Short Ribs

From the plate. Can be cheaper than back ribs. Best when braised or smoked. Try Texas-Style Smoked Beef Ribs, Korean-Style BBQ Short Ribs (Galbi), or Provencal smoked and Braised Beef Short Ribs.

Round (Top Round, Bottom Round, Eye of Round, Rump Roast)

From the rear leg. Lean and inexpensive, though less tender—good for roasts, deli-style slicing, and roast beef sandwiches. That’s bottom round in the photo, which tends to be tougher and more flavorful than top round. Have a taste of a Classic Chicago Italian Beef Sandwich, the kind made famous in Hulu’s TV series, The Bear. Or grab a kaiser roll packed with Baltimore Pit Roast Beef. Clint’s recipe for Mouthwateringly Tender Beef Bottom Round Roast also gets a boost from the sous-vide que method. Or try Meathead’s classic Grilled London Broil made from top round.

Ground Beef

Good ol’ ground chuck is often the most affordable way to buy beef. Go for higher-fat blends (70/30 or 80/20) for the most flavor. Enjoy in Griddled Meatball Sliders from the Flat Top King; Grilled Meatloaf from Meathead himself; a classic Beef Chili recipe from former first lady, Lady Bird Johnson; Savory Classic Salisbury Steak with Mushrooms; or an easy appetizer of MOINK Balls. Of course, burgers are the go-to. We’ve got dozens of hamburger recipes to choose from here.

There’s no reason to give up beef when prices are high! Just shop smart, buy cheap beef cuts, and use our creative recipes to keep those great-tasting family meals flowing on your table.