Cheapest cuts of beef
All 28 beef cuts on the Umay chart, ranked by price at the butcher's counter, from cheapest to dearest. Offal is listed apart.
Cheap and still tender
The five cheapest cuts that score at least 3/5 for tenderness: they work in a pan or on the grill.
| Rank | Cut | Price | Tenderness | How to cook it |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Chuck eye | $7 / lb | 3/5 | Grilled, Pan-seared, Braised |
| 2 | Chuck tender | $7 / lb | 3/5 | Pan-seared, Stewed |
| 3 | Top round / inside round | $8 / lb | 3/5 | Pan-seared, Roasted, Raw |
| 4 | Sirloin tip side steak | $9 / lb | 3/5 | Pan-seared, Braised, Grilled |
| 5 | Flank steak | $11 / lb | 3/5 | Grilled, Pan-seared |
The full ranking
| Rank | Cut | Price | Tenderness | How to cook it |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Beef flank (stewing) | $5 / lb | 1/5 | Stewed, Boiled, Braised |
| 2 | Brisket | $5 / lb | 1/5 | Braised, Smoked, Boiled |
| 3 | Neck | $6 / lb | 1/5 | Stewed, Braised, Boiled |
| 4 | Short ribs | $6 / lb | 1/5 | Braised, Stewed, Boiled |
| 5 | Fore shank | $6 / lb | 1/5 | Stewed, Braised, Boiled |
| 6 | Hind shank | $6 / lb | 1/5 | Stewed, Braised, Boiled |
| 7 | Oxtail | $6 / lb | 1/5 | Stewed, Braised, Boiled |
| 8 | Chuck eye | $7 / lb | 3/5 | Grilled, Pan-seared, Braised |
| 9 | Chuck tender | $7 / lb | 3/5 | Pan-seared, Stewed |
| 10 | Shoulder clod | $7 / lb | 2/5 | Stewed, Pan-seared |
| 11 | Eye of round | $7 / lb | 2/5 | Braised, Stewed, Raw |
| 12 | Flat iron / top blade | $8 / lb | 2/5 | Braised, Stewed, Grilled |
| 13 | Silverside / bottom round | $8 / lb | 2/5 | Braised, Roasted, Stewed |
| 14 | Top round / inside round | $8 / lb | 3/5 | Pan-seared, Roasted, Raw |
| 15 | Beef cheek | $8 / lb | 1/5 | Braised, Stewed |
| 16 | Sirloin tip side steak | $9 / lb | 3/5 | Pan-seared, Braised, Grilled |
| 17 | Flank steak | $11 / lb | 3/5 | Grilled, Pan-seared |
| 18 | Skirt steak | $11 / lb | 3/5 | Grilled, Pan-seared |
| 19 | Tri-tip | $11 / lb | 3/5 | Grilled, Roasted |
| 20 | Hanger steak | $12 / lb | 4/5 | Grilled, Pan-seared |
| 21 | Rump / top sirloin | $12 / lb | 4/5 | Grilled, Pan-seared, Roasted |
| 22 | Pear cut | $13 / lb | 5/5 | Pan-seared, Grilled |
| 23 | Merlan cut | $13 / lb | 5/5 | Pan-seared, Grilled |
| 24 | Spider steak / oyster steak | $14 / lb | 4/5 | Pan-seared, Grilled |
| 25 | Ribeye steak | $15 / lb | 4/5 | Grilled, Pan-seared |
| 26 | Strip loin / New York strip | $16 / lb | 4/5 | Grilled, Pan-seared, Roasted |
| 27 | Bone-in ribeye | $17 / lb | 4/5 | Grilled, Roasted, Pan-seared |
| 28 | Tenderloin | $24 / lb | 5/5 | Pan-seared, Roasted, Grilled |
Offal
| Rank | Cut | Price | Tenderness | How to cook it |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Tripe | $4 / lb | 2/5 | Stewed, Braised |
| 2 | Beef heart | $5 / lb | 3/5 | Grilled, Pan-seared, Stewed |
| 3 | Beef kidneys | $5 / lb | 3/5 | Pan-seared, Stewed |
| 4 | Beef liver | $5 / lb | 4/5 | Pan-seared |
| 5 | Beef brain | $6 / lb | 5/5 | Poached, Pan-seared |
| 6 | Beef tongue | $7 / lb | 3/5 | Poached, Stewed |
Indicative prices from a French butcher's counter in 2026, converted to dollars per pound.