GrillinFools
What is a chuck eye steak? It is often referred to as the poor man’s rib eye and that is for good reason. Rib eyes are cut from the 6th to the 12th rib of the cow. The chuck eye is cut off the 5th rib. Don’t confuse them with chuck steaks. This is a chuck eye steak:
There are only two chuck eye steaks per cow so they aren’t always available. But when they are, they are quite the treat at a much discounted rate from the lauded rib eye:
Editor’s Note ~ Keep in mind that this steak (and pic) were from 2013. These steaks are more way expensive, yet the rib eye, porterhouse, NY strip and filet mignon are way, WAY higher.
The chuck eye does not quite have the flavor of the rib eye, particularly the money muscle around the top, outer edge, and isn’t quite as tender, but it is darn close. And for the price difference, it’s well worth the slight downgrade.
To compensate for it not quite being a rib eye, I don’t recommend taking the chuck eye steak beyond medium.
It also marries well with a marinade prior to grilling or basting during.
I always keep my steaks below medium, and opted for the basting with some Andria’s Steak Sauce while I grilled it.
What is a Chuck Eye Steak Ingredients:
- 2 chuck eye steaks
- Salt
- Black pepper
- White pepper
- Andria’s Steak Sauce, reserved for later
No amounts here. I kept it uber simple with this one.
The chuck eye steaks out of their cellophane prison:
Time to season before we prep the grill:
Hit it with salt, black and white pepper:
How to Grill a Chuck Eye Steak
Prepare the grill for high heat, two zone grilling with coals or burners blaring hot on one side and nothing on the other side. In this case, I used the upper rack of my gas grill as the second zone.
Place the steak on the hot side of the grill and rotate after 3-4 minutes 45 degrees to get those perfect grill marks:
After another 3-4 minutes flip over and repeat on the other side:
Don’t forget the basting of Andria’s Steak Sauce after the sear and the first flip:
After it is seared, rotated and seared again on the other side (and grill marks achieved on both sides), flip over and transfer to the cool zone. In this case the top rack of my grill:
Another layer of sultry, savory deliciousness from Andria’s:
Don’t forget the other steak.
The one above was for my Father in Law who likes his steaks medium.
The one below is mine, with more great grill marks, which I cooked a bit short of medium:
How much short of medium did I go with mine?
You tell me:
And a bonus shot of that wonderful redness!
What is a Chuck Eye Steak Summary:
This steak was outstanding. It was highly equivalent to the man part of the rib eye (not the outer money muscle of the much more expensive rib eye), at a much reduced cost. It was tender, juicy and with the added Andria’s, had a ton of flavor. I will be on the look out for these in the future. I plan on stocking my freezer with them. At that price, they are the perfect steak to stock up on particularly with beef prices on the rise.
If you were lucky enough to find a chuck eye, but it’s too cold or too hot to grill outside and you still want to cook that bad boy, may I suggest butter basting the steak inside in a cast iron pan?
If you have any questions about what is a chuck eye steak or how to grill them, feel free to leave them below or shoot me an email.
Also, if you could leave us a great review with lots of stars that would be most appreciated!
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Chuck Eye Steak Recipe Card:
What is a Chuck Eye Steak?
Ingredients
- 2 chuck eye steaks
- Salt
- Black pepper
- White pepper
- Andria’s Steak Sauce reserved for later
Instructions
- Coat the steaks with with salt, black and white pepper then prepare the grill
- Set the grill for high heat, two zone grilling - blaring hot on one side and cool on the other
- Place the steaks on the hot side of the grill, sear for 3-4 minutes, rotate 45 degrees and sear for another 3-4 minutes to get great grill marks
- Flip over and repeat the searing process after slathering with Andria's Steak Sauce.
- Once the other side is seared, moved to the side with no heat, slather with Andria's and close the lid to bake until the desired doneness.
- Bake for 4 minutes to get to medium rare and 8 minutes for medium. Do not cook beyond medium
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69 comments
Chris
It is rare that I see chuck eye steaks at our stores but the next time I will give them a try, yours looks great.
Scott
Chris,
I rarely see them either, but when I do I grab all I can which is usually two!
…….Scott
BOB
Just got back from Walmart Neighborhood Market, I saw one 2 pack @ $6.79 lb.
never heard of the cut before so I left without it and came home to research it and found this site.
I’ve got my meat guy on speed dial at “Nugget Market”. He said they had five and is putting aside two for
me, but they don’t always have it.
I then asked him if he could order some in the future on a days notice?
He said what he would do for me is
Scott Thomas
Bob,
Sounds like you got the hook up! I haven’t had chuck eye since I did that post and that’s a crying shame!
…….Scott
Gayle South
Don’t know if u have Publix supermarkets where ur from, but they have them on sale this week (10-20 thru 10-26). So I think this is a good time to give them a try..
Sean
Great looking steaks! Thanks for sharing this, I’d not seen the cut before and will definitely be in the lookout for them
jim brady
I live in SE Michigan – my local meijer often has CAB chuckeye roasts and steaks for under $4/lb. For my money its some of the best meat locally available (aside from more expensive cuts and down in eastern market)
furlonium
I feel like a thief every time my local grocery store has this on sale. It’s normally $6.49/lb (already a deal for how good it is) but just a few days ago had it on sale for $3.49/lb. Yes, please! I took all five packages.
I tried this cut of steak on a whim a couple years ago and fell in love with it. It’s harder to find than most. I’ve noticed that when my local grocer does a huge deal (BOGO, 50% off) on their chuck roasts then that’s when they have a ton of chuck-eye steaks and I snatch up as much as I can.
Scott Thomas: The Grillin Fool
Furlonium,
Excellent tip on when to find these as I rarely find them myself…
…….Scott
Allen Chen
I found this page from Google because I have to know how to cook
beef(from chuck part) which on grilled, while I am searching key word
“chuck eye”.
This part of beef, Chuck eye is more cheaper than
others. High oil and hard meat if cooked over, so I prefer what you said
: Beyond medium!!! Thanks.
BUT reeking of meat if too rare…><
coolbreezerooster
Stop telling the world about my secret steak!! Its all I buy. Unfortunately the prices have risen over the last year
Jacobus Maximus
I know, I feel the same way. When I ask the butcher to cut me some (if that’s an option) I lower my voice to barely-audible so no-one else will hear me :-D
tim
yeah hush hush people. where i shop for groceries, there are always chuck eye steaks but not many at anytime. the rib eye and delmontico cuts out number them 10 to 1 and are at least double the price.
KW Norton
My son in law was a meat cutter for a major grocer in the area, he turned me onto chuck eye steaks ten yrs ago, and I’ll never go back, the problem is, that the meat cutters have first pick! LOL
Scott Thomas
KW, yes they do! I rarely find them, but when I do, I buy all of them I can…
…….Scott
Eva
OMG, I love the chuck eye. I, too, buy up all the pkgs when I see them. Turned my son onto them and he turned me on to this site. Your steak looks delicious, I wanted to lick the screen. I discovered them 2 years ago and yes, the prices have risen to $6 per lb. but I wait for a sale of under $5 and stock the freezer. Thanks for the article.
Scott Thomas
Eva,
Glad to here there are other Chuck Eye enthusiasts out there. What is your favorite way to grill them?
…….Scott
Eva
Scott, many times I pan sear in a cast iron pan with steak seasoning. I also use my (don’t laugh) Nu-Wave oven which grills them perfectly. We like them really rare and this does a perfect job. Eva
Moses Tumbry
Could you give us the temperatures you are using? “High” on my old Weber was about 400°F, I have since replaced that grill with a Weber Summit S-670, and when I set the sear section to high (other zones completely off for indirect purposes) the grill generally hovers between 650°F & 675°F when lid is closed.
Best,
-=mt
Scott Thomas
Moss,
For me, high means over 500. If I can hold my hand over the grill grates (an inch or so above them) and count to more than 2 before I can’t hold my hand there anymore, then it’s not hot enough…
…….Scott
Theo
I marinade chuck eye steaks with Lowery’s Sesame Ginger 30 minute marinade for about an hour at room temperature. Then high heat (@ 450-500) on the grill, 7 minutes one side, 5-6 flipped. Let sit covered a few minutes and on serving sprinkle with pepper, phenomenal. So tender and melts in your mouth. I would easily put this up against a ribeye with this prep and challenge someone to tell the difference. And shhhh! Keep this cut off meat a secret!
Scott Thomas
Sounds amazing, Theo. I need to try that!
…….Scott
Sandy K
A local butcher turned me onto these several years ago. I look almost every time I go shopping, but rarely see them. Great idea about the BOGO or BO G 1/2 price…….will keep that in mind. Used to be a lot cheaper, but like everything else, it’s gone up. My outdoor grill no longer works, but a quick pan fry and finished in the broiler or super hot oven would be good too :) Happy I found this site.
Scott Zukowski
Hey Scott: Great job. I used to live in Chicago but now, live and work in the Grand Canyon National Park. Since the closest town for shopping here is Flagstaff (an hour and a half drive away), most of us employees here are ‘captive’ (lol) to shopping at the one and only small, local market here. Yet, we have a great butcher (George), who recently began offering these Chuck-Eye steaks (@ $9.69 a pound), in comparison to his rib-eye’s at about $15-16 a pound! Though I had never heard of the cut, thought I try it since although I wanted to ‘reward’ myself with a rare, quality steak dinner, I found the cost of rib-eye shocking. Got the Chuck-eye instead which our butcher George recently began offering. Yet, even being a very experienced griller, I was not exactly sure how to handle it. I am so glad I found your site. EVERYTHING you wrote about the cut, how to handle it and, to cook it, was dead spot on. It takes a bit more knowledge and work to prepare correctly, but you are right, at the cost of beef no day’s (insane), it pay’s to learn. Again, thanks for the great info.
Scott Thomas
Thanks, Scott! I appreciate that review and I’m glad you now know what the elusive chuck eye is. I would suggest stocking up and throwing them in the freezer. Hard to find them on a consistent basis…
…….Scott
Glomeaux
We get fresh beef from our 4H friend, Lisa. This chuck eye was in the packages and thought what is this? Quickly searched the internet and found this site. Cooking/grilling tonight and can hardly wait after reading all the tips and info. Thank you Scott!
Scott Thomas
Happy to help, Glomeaux. Let me know how they come out!
david touchet
This is the most under rated cut of beef. It’s beefy juicy if cooked rare. (If your eating steak cooked more then rare you shouldn’t be eating steak). It’s cheap and cooks easy and fast put a little oil in a pan out it on high salt and pepper and throw in the pan turn it down to medium hight after a minute and a half great sear great crust pull out kinish with garlic powder or garlic butter if preferred.
david touchet
Here in Texas Walmart keeps them in good quantities if you can’t find at a butcher or better quality supermarket. But they taste just as good to me. And I’m picky.
Ray Bruce
I am an avid chuck eye steak freak…… I am very traditional though. NO Sauces NO Marinades. I had found that a good salt and peppering along with a bit of garlic powder on one side makes a wonderful and flavorful piece of meat. it is very true about cooking either low medium or high rare is the best way to enjoy this delectable piece of cow flesh. there are usually 4 or 6 of these steaks available whenever I go shopping and I buy all they have. call me greedy but I know what I like.
Scott Thomas
Ray,
You must live near me because I can never find these things. I’m guessing you bought them all!
…….Scott
Johnny Santana
Scott Thomas,
Your website has given me much inspiration to cook a steak tonight. However, it’s too cold outside to grill and I do have a Cast Iron pan. I just wanted to know what is a good surface temperature to sear the meat? I have been struggling with this for a while. Sometimes the meat comes out burnt or undercooked. I personally enjoy my meat just like the picture you posted. Medium rare?
Scott Thomas
Johnny, the best way to cook it inside is on medium to medium low heat and butter baste that bad boy. Luckily, I’ve been doing more stuff inside and just did this a month or so ago and documented it. Best steak I’ve ever cooked:
https://grillinfools.com/blog/2016/01/26/butter-basted-cowboy-rib-eye/
Rob
My dad was a mear cutter and I grww up with this being a mainstay. So good.
I actually think is has MORE flavor than the ribeye. Less fat savory flavor, but more plain beefy flavor. So given the choice I’d actually pick it over the ribeye, even if they were at the same price point. Then again I’ve never been gaga over ribeye, prefering Strip steak the best.
But it is hard to find. Much different than when my dad wold hoard the stuff in the freezer. Now the meat cutters where I shop are hoarding them all for there families, leaving none for us… :(
Scott Thomas
Rob,
I wrote that piece a couple years ago and have never seen a chuck eye since. Never…
…….Scott
Rooter Guy
We just nabbed all the chuck eyes at Hitchcock’s here in Interlachen, Fl tonight. They were awesome….especially at $5.50 a lb!!
Scott Thomas
You lucky bastard! Nice score, Rooter Guy!
bill
Ive got the hookup i guess according to everyones posts. Local store meat manager calls me everytime they get chuck eye steaks in i go and buy the whole shipment(ussually around 25) about once every two weeks.
Davenport ia
Franklin
Excellent website! Thanks for the tips on how to grill Chuckeye steaks. I just purchased a couple at Harris-Teeter, not knowing anything about them, but the price difference compared to the other options ($5.29) looked like a good bet. I’ll be trying your method tomorrow night and will let you know how they turn out.
Thanks for no-nonsense, practical, readable advice and great pics that have my mouth watering! Grill on!
Scott Thomas
Franklin,
Thank you for the kind words. How did the steaks come out?
…….Scott
Chuck
Just stumbled on to these chuck eye steaks at the local grocery. Found your site on how to cook them . They were great. I keep my freezer pretty full, but I went back and bought all I could fit into my freezer at $2.99 / lb. I will keep an eye out for these. Thanks
Scott
I’ve been cutting meat for 15+years. When I cut one chuck, usually weighing 20lbs I generally create only 2lbs or so of chuck eye. The secret is finding a store that has bnls chuck pot roast or bnls chuck steaks on the front page of their flyer. They are at a reduced price and very plentiful those weeks. Avoid places like Walmart with pre cut meat because they don’t generate the extra chuck eyes.
Nancy Tyrrell
I found three packs of Chuck Eye Steaks at Walmart marked down for quick sale because no one bought them. Marked down to $4.75/lb!! I came home and found this site. Plan to try this out tonight.
Scott Thomas
SCORE! I literally haven’t had them since I wrote this article until last week. Found them for $7/per pound. Got 4 of them for something like $12. FOUR! My oldest and I already polished off 2 of them…
…….Scott
Rose
I overheard a man talking about chuck ribeye steAk that was available At our local market.thought I would give it a try.best steak I ever ate,I would put it up against a ribeye or filet anytime. Now I’ve let the secret out.try these they are delish!
Robert Macconnell
Picked up 2 Chuck eye steaks at Walmart excellent price 5.63 TP 5.86 lb grilled one last night awesome steak having the other tonight.
Brandon
I found this article because I was researching the Chuck Eye cut. Is it crazy that we like it better than ribeye? the price on these seems to be going up though.
Bill Martin
Great info! Glad I went ahead and put in the basket. Some good day after Thsnksgiving markdowns in the meat area, so got 1.5 pounds for $4.10, 50% off regular price of $8.21. Woo-hoo!
Justin
Where I live we have a food depot right beside where I work and these steaks are always on sale. I just picked up three packs with four steaks a piece in them for under ten dollars!!! Never tried grilling but they do make a mean roast in the crock pot. Thanks for all the great grilling advice going to put it to use this weekend…Happy grilling from Warner Robins, Georgia!!!!
Kristi Walliser
I just found your site while looking up how to cook them! Funny story is that I ordered from Walmart Grocery, the pick up service, and they gave me Chuck Eye instead of rump roast. I was bummed that I didn’t get what I wanted but after reading this site, I am excited to try it!!! Sounds yummy!
Kim Rojas
my husband works in a grocery store and we get 8 to 10 of these steaks every 2 weeks. It’s great!!! Honestly they are now my favorite steak. We season and grill them and we are very spoiled to have them often.
Brett
Scott I’m going to try to reverse sear a couple tonight, any suggestions on seasoning? I’m going to smoke them until they hit 115 and then throw them on the grill grates at 500 for 45 seconds each side twice to get those grill marks
Scott Thomas
Sorry, Brett, just saw this. How did they come out? What did you use?
…….Scott
Chuck
Scott, great website and perfect instructions for the chuck eye. I leave in western pa and have known about the chuck eye steak for about 10 years. My buddies and I are amazed how many folks don’t know about the chuck eye and watch people pass them up for a far worse steak. Then I swoop in behind and purchase all the chuck eyes available.
Dwayne
With only two per cow, was hoping this little secret would keep flying under the radar. Dad introduced me to these about 20 years ago. Cooked properly(Med Rare) Oh my!
Brian Alexander
Meijer in Detroit metro area has them for 2.99 a lb right now.
rodney iverson
I am lucky that my local Safeway has chuck eye steaks most days. They make two eight ounce packages. Sometimes the have one package and sometimes two. I love chuck eye steaks.
Michelle
Love the steaks
My local supermarket butcher got me hooked
Too bad he told so many people…
Hard to find… Only when the chuck roast are on sale..
U grab all I can when I see them
Also no sauce or marinades for me.
Course salt, fresh ground pepper
Onto a hit grill… Turn for grill marks
Wait a bit flip.. Sear more marks… Wait a bit
Pull off.. .Eat & enjoy the best steak ever
I think that these are extremely tender…
Only wish I could find some lately.. I have none left…. Sigh
Kevin Kelsey
Great Poem on the carnivore side of an omnivore’s life.
Tim
Look for when Chuck Roasts are on sale. This is usually when you will find them easier.
Terrie
I just paid $9.99 a pound for the chuck eye steak in Nebraska , Because they looked really good. I do not have a grill so going to have to do it in my oven, don’t even have a old iron pan! Any advise for the oven grill? I had a Genaire grill, but recently moved and now I don’t have any grill except the oven.
Greg Thomas
Terrie I’ve never cooked one in the oven. You could skillet cook it on the stovetop while basting with butter. If you choose to bake in the oven please just cook to temperature of the meat-possibly switch to broil at the end. It could also be broiled entirely being sure to flip for even cooking.
Theo
Terrie, season your steaks to taste, Olive oil, salt and pepper, or marinade them. Set your oven to broil and move a rack to the highest spot. Run your pan with evoo. Once your oven is up to tempature put the steaks in and trust me on this, seen my mom do this all the time, leave the oven door slightly open with the oven still on broil. 6 minutes one side, flip, 5 minutes the other. Trust me, they’ll turn out fantastic.
Sarah
My husband’s co-worker recently turned us on to Chuck Eye steaks and we are SOLD! Luckily, here in South Florida (Publix/ Wal-Mart neighborhood market, etc.) we’ve always been able to find them. After reading the previous posts it seems like they are a rarity in some places. Bought a 2-pack yesterday @ $5.86 per lb… We use kosher salt, fresh ground pepper and Dale’s marinade. Found your website browsing around for grilling tip. Great info! Thanks
mary
finally, an article extolling the deliciousness of chuck eye! i was googling it just to find where on the cow it comes from and why it’s hard to find in the store. now i know it’s because there’s only 2 per cow! i’m glad this cut is a not well known, since it would be impossible to find if we share it too much, lol. i pan fry mine with pepper, garlic, soy sauce and paprika, well-done. yum!!
Kurt R Kluge
6 1/2 years later. I found Chuck Eye steaks for $3.49, and then I found this page after searching how to cook. Very, very delicious after only salt, pepper, and the prescribed cooking times. It is a mix between a steak and a roast. So much flavor!
Brad Munch
I’ll bet anyone, if I cooked you a thin-cut of Chuck-Eye steak, you’d would believe me if I told you it was a Rib-Eye! NEVER, NEVER, and NEVER, cook a Chuck-Eye slowly, it will be TOUGH! And NEVER more than a half-inch thick steak, about (5″X6″) because it will take too long to cook it medium rare. Put salt and pepper on steak before cooking, Them put .50 size of olive oil in a regular teflon pan, and heat pan to medium heat, then drop that steak in there. I buy these wonderful 1/4″ of what I call breakfast steaks, (5″X6″) and they cook wonderfully tender in about 4-5minues. The flavor is almost the same a Rib-Eye. And about $5 cheaper a pound! I used to always buy Rib-Eye, no doubt the best tasting steak in my opinion. But for the money the Chuck-Eye is closest enough for me. And most people cannot tell it isn’t a Rib-Eye if I don’t tell them. Which I do not!
Darlene
My local butcher at PW about 2-3 yrs ago turned me on to chuck eyes and they are the best. They are usually $7 a lb and $10 every where else. I don’t know about anybody else but, rib eye has nothing on chuck eye. Chuck eyes are so much more tender, juicy and tasty. I’d like to know how many people agree? I tried for years to get a steak tender and it wasn’t until I grilled a chuck eye and realized my search was over. I just massage my room temp steak with eco, garlic salt, bp, greek seasoning and grill it high over charcoal until med rare. I also saw on another site to coat the steak thoroughly on both sides with salt and pepper, then let it sit uncovered in the fridge for two hours until a crust develops on the meat. This draws moisture to the surface of the meat and allows for a crispy sear, accentuating the flavor. Finally, I always have a great steak to look forward to.
Meathead
My local butcher recently turned me on to chuck eye steaks. I like to marinade mine in Worcestershire sauce overnight and grill 6-8 minutes per side over charcoal with plenty of butter. My butcher cuts them about an inch thick so they come out just north of rare. Chuck eyes are tender, fatty, taste amazing. New favorite steak. I agree with Darlene – ribeye has nothing on a good chuck eye.