Ribeye steak substitutes

A steak from the far back of the shoulder where it meets the rib, essentially the same muscle group one rib further forward.

Best for

pan-searing, grilling, budget steak night, steak with butter and garlic

The closest thing to a ribeye at roughly a third of the price, with much of the same marbling and a similar rich beefy flavor. The catch is consistency: chuck eye carries seams of connective tissue that a ribeye does not, so one or two bites per steak can be chewy and the steak may split along a seam in the pan. Trim visible silverskin first and slice across the grain.

The steak from directly behind the rib section, with a firm grain and a fat cap along one edge.

Best for

a steak served whole on the plate, pan-searing, grilling, steak with a pan sauce

The best substitute if you want the same steakhouse experience. It is a little leaner and firmer, so it has more chew and a cleaner, slightly more mineral beef flavor rather than ribeye's buttery richness, and less fat renders into the pan. It is also less forgiving, so pull it at 130 F. Score the fat cap so the steak does not curl as it cooks.

A consistently tender, evenly shaped shoulder steak, usually one of the best-value cuts in the case.

Best for

grilling, pan-searing, sliced steak, steak salad, tacos, weeknight cooking

Remarkably tender for the price, with a faintly mineral shoulder flavor. It is much leaner than ribeye, so the mouthfeel is noticeably less rich and there is no pool of rendered fat, and it dries out faster past medium. Finish it with a knob of butter or a spoonful of chimichurri and it eats very well. It is thinner too, so cut the cooking time.

The everyday steak in every supermarket, moderately priced and reliably available.

Best for

weeknight steak, grilling, steak and potatoes, kebabs, steak salad

Considerably leaner, so it tastes cleaner and firmer and feels much less indulgent, and it will go dry if you take it past medium. It is the most reliable and cheapest of the whole-steak options. To bring it closer, baste it with butter in the pan for the last minute and let it rest under a compound butter so some fat gets back into the picture.

Two specialist cuts, one the best part of the ribeye sold separately, the other a well-marbled shoulder steak.

Best for

special occasions, grilling, rolled and skewered steak, pan-searing

The ribeye cap is the outer crescent of the ribeye and is richer and more tender than the whole steak, so if a butcher sells it, it is an upgrade rather than a compromise. Denver steak is a marbled shoulder cut that comes surprisingly close to ribeye's richness at a much lower price, though it is slightly firmer and needs careful cross-grain slicing.

The most tender cut on the animal, and the usual alternative on a restaurant menu.

Best for

special occasions, steak served with a rich sauce, guests who dislike fat

Far more tender, almost soft, but much leaner and considerably milder, so it delivers the opposite of what a ribeye lover wants: texture instead of flavor. It is usually just as expensive or more. Wrap it in bacon, sear it in butter or serve it with a peppercorn or bearnaise sauce, because on its own it can taste flat next to a ribeye.

Thin, coarse-grained, intensely beefy cuts that cost a fraction of ribeye.

Best for

tacos and fajitas, steak sandwiches, stir-fry, marinated grilled beef, steak salad

Honest limitation first: these cannot replace a thick ribeye served whole, because they are thin, chewier and only good sliced. Where the beef ends up in strips, though, they are arguably better, since skirt in particular is more intensely beefy than ribeye and takes a marinade far better. Cook two to three minutes a side and slice thin, hard across the grain.