Ingredients Beef Affordable Cuts of Beef An artisanal butcher explains why his favorite cuts from the chuck are just as delicious as pricey premium steaks. By Daniel Gritzer Daniel Gritzer Title: Associate Food Editor At Food & Wine since: 2010 Born and Raised: Brooklyn, NY background: I grew up in a family where tongue sandwiches were often packed for lunch, and bone marrow spread on toast was a popular predinner snack. When I was 13, I opted for dinner at Chanterelle over a bar mitzvah (/sites/default/files/here wasn't really much deliberation on that one), met David Waltuck and took him up on the invitation to stage there, which I did throughout high school and college. Later, I worked for several years as a line cook and sous chef for chefs, including Cesare Casella (Beppe) and Didier Virot (Aix). Between gigs, I worked on farms in Europe, including shepherding in the mountains of central Italy, harvesting Dolcetto and Barbera grapes in Piedmont, shaking almonds from trees in Andalucia, and making charcuterie in southwestern France. Before F&W, I was the restaurant and bars staff writer at Time Out New York. What I Do at Food & Wine: I edit recipes to ensure they make sense, and walk down the corridor to the test kitchen so many times each day that I often find myself wishing I could fly there head first, nose leading the way. Strangest Food Memory: I was once sitting at a bonfire on a remote Pacific beach in Colombia when a wild rat scurried past. Not missing a beat, the local guys there chased it down and whacked it on the head with a stick. We skinned it, gutted it, dipped it in the sea (for salt) and roasted it over the fire. I ate a hind leg. Food & Wine's Editorial Guidelines Updated on June 26, 2017 Share Tweet Pin Email In this Article: If you've never heard of beef cuts like teres major, much less bought and cooked them, there are excellent reasons to seek them out: They are now available at artisanal butcher shops as alternatives to the most expensive cuts. Only a skilled butcher working with whole animals can remove these cuts, a task industrial meat cutters almost never undertake. "A butcher like me can't sell just tenderloins; There are only two of those per animal," says Jeremy Stanton, owner of The Meat Market in Great Barrington, Massachusetts. Stanton is a fan of the chuck, or shoulder portion. "Chuck has the stigma of being tough," he says, adding that supermarkets often sell it ground or as stew meat. "But it has some very flavorful steaks if you take the time to cut them out carefully—that's where the real artistry of being a butcher begins." Here, Stanton shares recipes for three cuts from the chuck: tenderloin-like teres major; grill-friendly flat iron steak; and chuck eye roast, which comes from the same muscle as rib eye. Best Steak Recipes Affordable Cuts of Beef: Chuck The Best Cuts of Beef: Learning to Love Chuck "The chuck has a lot of connective tissue, and many different muscle groups that are all intertwined," says Stanton. For the most tenderness, he suggests asking the butcher for chuck that's been dry-aged for at least 21 days. "I'm surprised by how many people ask for odd bits; it's a pleasure when customers buy cuts I didn't think we'd sell," Stanton says. Teres Major This ultra-lean steak, sometimes referred to as the mock tender, sits on the shoulder blade. Its similarity to the tenderloin makes it a great substitute for filet mignon. Chuck Eye Roast This 2- to 4-pound roast comes from the chuck portion of the rib eye muscle. Ask the butcher to trim connective tissue and tie the meat for uniform cooking. Flat Iron Steak Great for marinating and grilling, the flat iron sits on the shoulder blade next to the teres major—in fact, it's known as a blade steak when sliced against the grain. Lemon-and-Garlic-Marinated Flat Iron Steak Photos © John Kernick. Great New Butchers Local butchers share their favorite cuts of beef. Photo © Tim Newman. Berkeley: The Local Butcher Shop For bespoke cuts of meat and cooking advice. thelocalbutchershop.com. Chicago: Publican Quality Meats Chef Paul Kahan's grocery features sustainable meats, prepared foods, wine and beer. publicanqualitymeats.com. Great Barrington, MA: The Meat Market Jeremy Stanton's shop sells local meat and house-made charcuterie. themeatmarketgb.com. New York City: Fleisher’s Brooklyn Known for its butchering classes, this upstate company has a new Park Slope, Brooklyn, location. fleishers.com. More Recipes for Different Cuts of Beef Was this page helpful? Thanks for your feedback! Tell us why! Other Submit