Most tender cuts of beef
All 28 beef cuts on the Umay chart, ranked by tenderness; at equal tenderness, the cheaper cut comes first.
Tender without the tenderloin price
The five cheapest cuts that score at least 4/5 for tenderness.
| Rank | Cut | Tenderness | Price | How to cook it |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Hanger steak | 4/5 | $12 / lb | Grilled, Pan-seared |
| 2 | Rump / top sirloin | 4/5 | $12 / lb | Grilled, Pan-seared, Roasted |
| 3 | Pear cut | 5/5 | $13 / lb | Pan-seared, Grilled |
| 4 | Merlan cut | 5/5 | $13 / lb | Pan-seared, Grilled |
| 5 | Spider steak / oyster steak | 4/5 | $14 / lb | Pan-seared, Grilled |
The full ranking
| Rank | Cut | Tenderness | Price | How to cook it |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Pear cut | 5/5 | $13 / lb | Pan-seared, Grilled |
| 2 | Merlan cut | 5/5 | $13 / lb | Pan-seared, Grilled |
| 3 | Tenderloin | 5/5 | $24 / lb | Pan-seared, Roasted, Grilled |
| 4 | Hanger steak | 4/5 | $12 / lb | Grilled, Pan-seared |
| 5 | Rump / top sirloin | 4/5 | $12 / lb | Grilled, Pan-seared, Roasted |
| 6 | Spider steak / oyster steak | 4/5 | $14 / lb | Pan-seared, Grilled |
| 7 | Ribeye steak | 4/5 | $15 / lb | Grilled, Pan-seared |
| 8 | Strip loin / New York strip | 4/5 | $16 / lb | Grilled, Pan-seared, Roasted |
| 9 | Bone-in ribeye | 4/5 | $17 / lb | Grilled, Roasted, Pan-seared |
| 10 | Chuck eye | 3/5 | $7 / lb | Grilled, Pan-seared, Braised |
| 11 | Chuck tender | 3/5 | $7 / lb | Pan-seared, Stewed |
| 12 | Top round / inside round | 3/5 | $8 / lb | Pan-seared, Roasted, Raw |
| 13 | Sirloin tip side steak | 3/5 | $9 / lb | Pan-seared, Braised, Grilled |
| 14 | Flank steak | 3/5 | $11 / lb | Grilled, Pan-seared |
| 15 | Skirt steak | 3/5 | $11 / lb | Grilled, Pan-seared |
| 16 | Tri-tip | 3/5 | $11 / lb | Grilled, Roasted |
| 17 | Shoulder clod | 2/5 | $7 / lb | Stewed, Pan-seared |
| 18 | Eye of round | 2/5 | $7 / lb | Braised, Stewed, Raw |
| 19 | Flat iron / top blade | 2/5 | $8 / lb | Braised, Stewed, Grilled |
| 20 | Silverside / bottom round | 2/5 | $8 / lb | Braised, Roasted, Stewed |
| 21 | Beef flank (stewing) | 1/5 | $5 / lb | Stewed, Boiled, Braised |
| 22 | Brisket | 1/5 | $5 / lb | Braised, Smoked, Boiled |
| 23 | Neck | 1/5 | $6 / lb | Stewed, Braised, Boiled |
| 24 | Short ribs | 1/5 | $6 / lb | Braised, Stewed, Boiled |
| 25 | Fore shank | 1/5 | $6 / lb | Stewed, Braised, Boiled |
| 26 | Hind shank | 1/5 | $6 / lb | Stewed, Braised, Boiled |
| 27 | Oxtail | 1/5 | $6 / lb | Stewed, Braised, Boiled |
| 28 | Beef cheek | 1/5 | $8 / lb | Braised, Stewed |
Indicative prices from a French butcher's counter in 2026, converted to dollars per pound.