If you want a budget-friendly steak that tastes as good as a higher-priced one, then look no further than a chuck steak. This tender beef steak recipe will delight your taste buds with melt-in-your-mouth flavorful steak. This recipe is such an easy way to make a delicious dinner tonight.
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Beef chuck steak is cut from the shoulder area which is known for its rich, beefy flavor. You are most likely familiar with a slowed roasted chuck such as in this fan-favorite oven-baked chuck roast or faster cooking with this Instant Pot pot roast. But unlike the roast, the steaks are cooked much more quickly and well suited to the grill, stovetop, and oven.
Steaks that come from the shoulder are found in the grocery store under names such as chuck steak, beef chuck eye steak (Delmonico), chuck center steak, London broil, shoulder steak, flat iron steak, top blade steak, and top chuck. If you are unsure, be sure to check with the butcher before buying.
Chuck Steak vs Chuck Roast
Chuck is a beef cut that comes from the shoulder section as shown in the diagram above.
Chuck roast is a larger cut and is great for slow cooking in the oven, in a slow cooker, or in a Dutch oven on top of the stove. You will also find it gr,ound or cut into cubes for beef stew.
Chuck Steak is cut from the shoulder area into thin steaks. This thin cut of steak is a cheaper alternative to a more expensive cut. It is often referred to as poor man's ribeye.
⭐Why Chuck Steak Is a Great Choice
Less-expensive cut. When you are in the mood for a good steak, you owe it to yourself to try chuck steak and opt out of the more expensive steak.
Great flavor. This delicious cut of beef comes from the shoulder area of the cow which is known for cuts that have a rich, beefy flavor. If you love using chuck roast for your favorite pot roast recipe, you will also love this flavorful cut.
Quick. The cooking time is very quick in a hot cast iron pan and then finished up in the oven.
Easy. The prepping, seasoning and cooking are all fuss-free. No grilling, no marinating, and no rubbing make this chuck steak recipe so simple.
The good news is that you can have a restaurant-quality steak dinner at home with an inexpensive cut of beef when you use the right recipe.
🥘 Ingredients
Chuck steaks. For two people, you will want about a pound of steak. The steak will lose about 25 percent of its weight in cooking, so you will have about 6 ounces of steak per serving. The steaks should be about ¾ to 1 inch thick.
Butter is not only great for sauteing but basting the steak with the butter during cooking adds incredible flavor.
Oil. I like to use neutral-tasting oil such as vegetable, canola, or grapeseed. If you prefer, you can use olive oil to sizzle your steaks.
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper. Simple is better when seasoning chuck steak and salt and pepper are all you need for this richly flavored cut. I highly recommend using coarse-grained salt such as kosher salt instead of table salt.
Have a timer on hand ready to use. The cooking steps happen quickly and timing is key to cooking the best steak.
🔪 How To Cook Chuck Steak
- Remove the steaks from the refrigerator and pat dry with a paper towel. Place them on more paper and let them stand until they are at room temperature. This should take about 15 minutes and can be done while prepping your skillet and oven.
- Add the oil to a cast iron skillet and place it on a center rack in the oven. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.
- Set a stove top burner to medium-high heat. Remove the hot skillet from the oven, swirl the oil over the bottom of the skillet, and place it on the burner. Add the butter and heat until the butter is melted and bubbling.
- Meanwhile, pat the steaks dry one more time and season both sides with salt and pepper.
- Add the steaks to the skillet and cook for 1 to 2 minutes or until nicely seared. Then, flip the steak over and cook until you have a nice sear on the other side.
- Place the skillet in the preheated oven and bake it for 6 to 8 minutes or until an instant-read thermometer inserted horizontally into the thickest part of the steak registers 140 °F for medium doneness.
- Remove the skillet from the oven and let the steaks stand for 5 minutes before serving. For added flavor, spoon the butter over the steaks while they are resting.
The USDA recommends 145 degrees Fahrenheit as a safe internal temperature for steak. Use an instant-read meat thermometer and remove the steaks 5 degrees before the desired temperature.
The experts at Certified Angus Beef have more visuals showing you additional doneness levels if want different degrees of doneness.
💭 Tips for Best Results
Pat the steaks dry using paper towel before adding to the skillet.
Make sure the skillet is hot before adding the steaks.
Let the steaks rest for 5 minutes before serving for the best way to get tender steak.
🥗 Serving Suggestions
Top with steak butter. This compound butter is an easy recipe to make just like the beef chuck steak and just as fast. That extra finish is what the secret ingredient that a restaurant will use to melt on you steak on the way to your table.
- Ingredients: ¼ cup softened butter, 1 teaspoon chopped fresh parsley, ¼ teaspoon minced garlic (½ of a clove), a couple of drops of lemon juice, kosher salt, and freshly ground black pepper to taste.
- Method: Mix all of the ingredients in a small bowl and refrigerate until ready to use. Serve 1 tablespoon of butter on top of each steak. Alternatively, you can roll the butter up in a piece of parchment paper, refrigerate it, and cut it into coins when ready to use.
These steps will give you about twice the herb butter that you need for your two steaks. I doubled the recipe so you can enjoy spreading extra garlic butter on a slice of warm bread or serving on top of potatoes or a vegetable. You can cut the recipe in half if you prefer. Use the garlic butter within 2 days.
Serve with a green salad, easy sauteed green beans, or sauteed broccoli. I like to keep my side dishes simple to highlight the fabulous taste of this delicious recipe.
🥡 Storage & Leftovers
Store leftover steak in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 3 to 5 days. To reheat, wrap the steak in foil and heat in a 225 f oven for 5 to 10 minutes or until warmed through.
Make steak sandwiches using thin slices of steak. Sauté onions and bell peppers in a skillet and add the thinner pieces of meat to heat through. Serve on a toasted bun with your favorite condiments.
Easy steak tacos are another great way to use up leftover steak. Place the beef slices in a warmed tortilla and top with salsa and cheese.
📋 Recipe
Tender Beef Chuck Steak Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 pound boneless chuck steaks about ¾ to 1 inch thick
- ¼ cup butter
- 1 tablespoon neutral oil such as vegetable or grapeseed
- Kosher salt
- Freshly ground black pepper
Instructions
- Remove the steaks from the refrigerator and pat dry with a paper towel. Place them on more paper and let them stand until they are at room temperature. This should take about 15 minutes and can be done while prepping your skillet and oven.
- Add the oil to a cast iron skillet and place it in the oven on a center rack. Preheat the oven to 400°.
- Set a stovetop burner to medium-high heat. Remove the hot skillet from the oven, swirl the oil over the bottom of the skillet, and place it on the burner. Add the butter and heat until the butter is melted and bubbling
- Meanwhile, pat the steaks dry one more time and season both sides with salt and pepper.
- Add the steaks to the skillet and cook for 1 to 3 minutes or until nicely seared. Turn the steaks over and repeat searing on the other side. For added flavor, spoon the butter over the steaks while they are cooking.
- Place the skillet in the oven and bake for 6 to 8 minutes or until an instant-read thermometer inserted horizontally into the thickest part of the steak registers 140 °F for medium doneness. (see Cooks Tip) Remove from the oven and let stand 5 minutes before serving.
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