5 Budget Cuts of Beef You Should Be Buying, According to a Butcher

What should you be buying from your butcher? Theo Weening, the global meat buyer for Whole Foods, shares his favorite budget-friendly cuts of meat.

Why? They’re like steak, but a lot cheaper and really hard to screw up.

First of all, I like the flavor profile. Short ribs are tender and have a lot more flavor than some other cuts. It has the bone in it, so when you serve it, it has a nice look to it. It looks really substantial. Short ribs are like a steak, but the price point is a lot cheaper. They’re easy to put together — when you cook short ribs, it’s really hard to screw them up.

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Why? It’s a better rib-eye — and about half the price.

They call chuck-eye the butcher’s secret because the price point is about half that of a rib-eye, but it is a rib-eye. They’re the same thing, but it’s cut a little thinner — about an inch and a quarter — because the butcher tries to get two out of them.

I cook it just like a ribeye — quick on a hot grill. I try to be plain with the seasoning. Since it already has such good flavor, you don’t have to add a lot of stuff to it.

Why? It’s like a flank cut of beef, but about 30 percent cheaper.

Flat-iron, which is from the shoulder, is a very flavorful cut. I like the flat-iron a lot when I’m entertaining a crowd. I season it with salt and pepper, grill it, slice it into pieces, put it on top of mixed greens, and serve it like that.

Try this: Flat-Iron Steak with Salsa Verde

Why? It’s like a tenderloin cut of beef, but about 50 percent cheaper.

The hanger steak “hangs” from the diaphragm of the heifer or steer, near the animal’s kidney. It’s not a muscle that is used, which is why it’s tender. I usually get three of them, take off the membrane (you can ask your butcher to do this), clean them up nice, tie them together, and cook them. Then I cut them in small little medallions. A buddy of mine came over and said, “That’s the best little fillet mignon I’ve ever had!”

Why? The combo is better than ground beef, and about 10 to 15 percent cheaper than buying the meat whole.

I really like using ground brisket and ground short ribs and cooking it like a hamburger patty. Compared to ground beef, the brisket/short rib combination adds more flavor and texture.

Read more: 5 Things Your Butcher Can Do for You