Stop Overlooking This Steak Cut For Tender Meat On A Budget

Just hearing the word "steak" might bring to mind the thought of a luxurious dinner. Served alongside a loaded baked potato with some creamed corn or steamed broccoli, and you have a classic steakhouse meal. That said, not all steaks are created equal. Depending on factors like texture, marbling, and thickness, some cuts are more forgiving than others. One steak that's hard to find and often passed over for being tricky to master is the flat iron (also known as a boneless top chuck or butler steak). It overcooks easily and can turn into a chewy nightmare, but in the right hands, it becomes a deliciously beefy flavor blast.

For starters, it's one of several flavorful cuts of steak that won't break the budget. You can purchase a flat iron at your local grocery store for somewhere around $10 to $13 per pound, depending on where you live. Seasoned generously and cooked to medium rare, this cut can really shine. Because of its considerable marbling, you can cook a flat iron in a variety of ways, but grilling is one of the most popular methods. For added flavor and tenderness, you can use a marinade that includes some form of acid, fat, seasonings, and aromatics, or try a dry rub with a balanced mix of herbs and spices. Throw the beef on a hot grill, and within minutes (say, four on each side) you'll have the perfectly charred, juicy steak with bold flavor.

If you don't have a grill (or you'd just prefer to stay inside), there are still plenty of other ways to prepare a flat iron. Cook it in a piping-hot cast-iron skillet with a high-smoke-point oil (like avocado) by searing it for a few minutes on each side, then baste with butter and garlic to finish. The result will be juicy beef with a fantastic crust that can't be replicated on the grill. Broiling also works. Just be sure to keep your eye on the meat as it cooks and don't let the broiler incinerate this delicious, undersung cut.

Flat iron also has famous fans. Two popular YouTube food influencers — Andrew Rea of the Babish Culinary Universe and Max the Meat Guy – tasted 12 different steak cuts and ranked them all. The flat iron scored a 9.5 out of 10, good enough for a second-place tie, beating out more popular cuts like the New York strip, flank, filet mignon, and porterhouse. However, even the YouTubers admitted that it can be a tough cut to source. So, if you're thinking about giving flat iron steak a try, be prepared to potentially have to hunt it down. You can also look into placing a special order at your grocery store's meat counter or your local butcher; thanks to its tenderness and inexpensive cost, you may find it's well worth the extra effort.