Known among chefs as “the poor man’s ribeye,” chuck steak is common and incredibly inexpensive. 

While chuck is often purchased as a roast—destined to cook for hours in a slow cooker to become tender enough to enjoy—what many home cooks don’t know is that in steak form, chuck holds the potential to be one of the most succulent cuts you’ll ever cook.

In other words, you can serve what tastes like a luxurious steak dinner at a fraction of the cost if you opt for chuck-eye. A few details of this recipe are key to your steak’s success; for one, salting the beef and letting it rest uncovered in the fridge draws moisture from the surface of the meat, which will allow you to achieve an incredible crispy sear. Your next essential step is basting. Home cooks often overlook this technique; however, continually spooning that rich mixture of the steak’s drippings, melted butter, and aromatics over the beef is crucial to yielding a tender, juicy steak. Finally, be sure to allow your steaks a full 5 minutes to rest (yes, this will test the boundaries of your self-control) before thinly slicing against the grain.  

Directions