Denver Steak substitute

Best substitute

Flat iron steak (top blade)

Use the same amount by weight as the denver steak you are replacing

Best for grilling

Close match

Flat iron steak is the closest swap because it comes from the same shoulder area with the same generous marbling, and it grills the same way at 1:1. Chuck eye steak is the easiest supermarket stand-in and is nearly as good if you slice it across the grain. If neither is available, sirloin or flank steak will do the job but they are leaner and chewier, so marinate them and cut them thin. Whatever you use, the Denver's whole point is fat inside a firm-grained muscle, so pick something marbled rather than something lean.

Other denver steak substitutes

Ranked, with the exact amount to use

2Chuck eye steak
Close match
Use the same amount by weight
Often called the poor man's ribeye, it is beefier and slightly looser-grained than a Denver, with pockets of soft fat that render fast and taste rich.
What changes
Best for
grilling, pan-searing, quick weeknight steak
Chuck eye has more internal seams and a little more sinew than a Denver, so slice it across the grain in thin strips rather than serving it as a whole steak. It also benefits from being cooked no further than medium, since the connective tissue firms up past that instead of melting.
3Flank steak or skirt steak
Taste and texture differ
Use the same amount by weight
Much leaner and openly chewy with a stronger mineral, almost livery beefiness, so a Denver-style steak dinner becomes something closer to fajitas.
What changes
Best for
fajitas, steak tacos, stir-fry, marinated grilling, steak sandwiches
These need help the Denver does not. Marinate for 30 minutes to 4 hours in something acidic and salty, cook fast and hot to no more than medium-rare, rest, then slice thinly against the very obvious grain. Cut with the grain and it will be genuinely tough. Skirt is fattier and more flavourful than flank; flank is thicker and easier to cook evenly.
4Top sirloin steak
Different texture
Use the same amount by weight
Leaner and drier than a Denver, with a cleaner and less buttery beef flavour, so you notice the missing fat rather than the missing tenderness.
What changes
Best for
grilling, steak salad, steak bowls, leaner meals
Sirloin has almost no intramuscular fat, which means it is less forgiving. Salt it 40 minutes ahead, cook to 125F to 130F and not a degree more, and finish with butter or a compound butter in the pan to replace what the Denver would have supplied on its own.
5Ribeye or boneless ribeye
Close match
Use the same amount by weight
A straight upgrade rather than a compromise, richer and softer with more melting fat, though you lose the firm, slightly springy bite that makes a Denver interesting.
What changes
Best for
grilling, special occasion steak, reverse sear
Costs roughly two to three times as much per pound, which defeats the reason most people buy a Denver in the first place. Ribeye also flares up more on a grill because of the extra fat, so keep a cooler zone available.
6Chuck roast cut into steaks yourself
Different texture
Use the same amount by weight
A whole chuck roast contains the same muscle group a Denver comes from, so if you slice a 1.5-inch steak off the flattest, most marbled part of the roast you get something genuinely close for a fraction of the price.
What changes
Best for
grilling on a budget, steak for a crowd, marinated steak
This is only worth it if you look at the cut end and pick your steak from a section without thick seams of white gristle. The seamy parts should go into a braise instead, because gristle that would melt over three hours in a stew stays rubbery in eight minutes on a grill.

What is Denver Steak?

Denver Steak is Denver steak, also sold as the Denver cut, chuck under blade steak or zabuton, is a well-marbled steak butchered from the serratus ventralis muscle underneath the shoulder blade, which makes it one of the few genuinely tender steaks that comes out of the cheap chuck end of the cow.

Cooking tips

A Denver's grain runs clearly in one direction and it is a firm-textured muscle even when tender, so slicing across the grain is not optional. Cut it into pencil-thick slices at an angle after resting and it eats like a much more expensive steak. Serve it as an uncut slab and the same meat feels chewy.
Cook it hot and fast, and stop at medium-rare. Between 125F and 135F the fat inside the muscle has softened but the meat is still juicy. Past about 140F a Denver tightens noticeably and starts eating dry, which is a bigger drop-off than you get with a fatty ribeye.
Because it is a chuck cut, a Denver holds up well to bold marinades and rubs that would overwhelm a tenderloin. Soy sauce, garlic, black pepper and a little sugar is a classic treatment, and the sugar helps it colour quickly in a hot pan.
Denver steaks are usually sold thick, around an inch or more, which makes them ideal for a reverse sear: 250F oven until the centre hits 115F, then 60 to 90 seconds a side in a screaming hot pan. This also works for the flat iron and chuck eye substitutes.
If you are buying at a counter that does not use the name Denver, ask for chuck under blade or zabuton. Some markets label the same muscle a Sierra steak or a boneless chuck short rib, and any of those will be the meat you are looking for.

Frequently asked questions

Can I just leave the Denver steak out?

Not really, since in almost every recipe it is the main event. But you can absolutely change the dish rather than the steak. If your grilling recipe calls for Denver steaks and none are available, cooking a whole tri-tip or top sirloin and slicing it thin for the same sauce and sides gets you to the same dinner.

Is Denver steak a tough cut?

No, and this surprises people because it comes from the chuck. The serratus ventralis is one of the most tender muscles in the shoulder, tender enough that it is regularly ranked just behind the tenderloin and ribeye in tenderness testing. The catch is that its grain is coarse, so it feels tougher than it is unless you slice it across the grain.

What is the difference between Denver steak and flat iron steak?

They are neighbours. The flat iron comes from the top of the shoulder blade and the Denver from underneath it. The flat iron is thinner and more uniform, the Denver thicker and a bit more marbled. Cooked the same way and sliced the same way, most people would not be able to tell them apart in a blind taste, which is exactly why the flat iron is the best substitute.

Is Denver steak the same as zabuton?

Yes. Zabuton is the Japanese name for the same muscle, used on wagyu and Japanese barbecue menus because the marbled cut looks like the flat floor cushion of that name. If you see zabuton on a butcher's list or in a Japanese recipe, a Denver steak is what to buy, and vice versa.

Can I braise a Denver steak instead of grilling it?

You can, but you are wasting money on the wrong quality. Denver steaks are priced for their tenderness. If you want a braise, buy plain chuck roast, which is cheaper and has more connective tissue to melt into the sauce. Save the Denver for high, fast heat.

Related substitutes

More meat & protein substitutes

Denver Steak substitute

Other denver steak substitutes

2Chuck eye steak

3Flank steak or skirt steak

4Top sirloin steak

5Ribeye or boneless ribeye

6Chuck roast cut into steaks yourself