{"id":1864,"date":"2026-01-24T21:43:43","date_gmt":"2026-01-24T21:43:43","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/cupcake.website\/?p=1864"},"modified":"2026-01-24T21:43:43","modified_gmt":"2026-01-24T21:43:43","slug":"5-ways-to-save-money-on-beef-according-to-a-meat-expert","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/cupcake.website\/?p=1864","title":{"rendered":"5 Ways To Save Money on Beef, According to a Meat Expert"},"content":{"rendered":"


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Beef prices rose nearly 15 percent in 2025, according to Consumer Price Index data<\/a> from last year. That means ribeyes, strips, and tenderloins aren\u2019t exactly easy on the grocery budget these days. But don\u2019t walk past the butcher case just yet. There are plenty of flavorful, affordable beef cuts that deliver big taste for a fraction of the price\u2014you just need to know what to look for.\n<\/p>\n

To help you seek out lesser-known (but no less delicious) cuts, we consulted someone who knows their meat: Michele Thorne, a small-scale livestock producer and permaculture farmer in Southern Oregon. Thorne is also the executive director of Good Meat Project<\/a>, a nonprofit dedicated to building an ethical meat supply chain by connecting farmers, ranchers, and butchers with chefs and home cooks. Here is her best advice.\n<\/p>\n

Sirloin is a steal. <\/span> <\/h3>\n

Sirloin tends to fly under the radar, but it\u2019s one of the best budget-friendly steaks you can buy.\u00a0<\/p>\n

\u201cEveryone has heard of sirloin but not everyone knows what it is, where it comes from, or how to prepare it,\u201d Thorne says. \u201cSirloin is a cut of beef or pork that comes from the rear back portion of the animal. In beef, it\u2019s located on the top side of the animal, towards the hindquarters, behind the short loin where the beloved tenderloin and strip steaks are found.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n

The lean cut has a robust flavor profile and holds up well on the grill or stovetop. For extra tenderness, give it a quick marinade before cooking, then slice it against the grain.\u00a0<\/p>\n

\u201cWhen cooked properly, sirloin steaks and roasts can be incredibly tender and juicy, and often come at a much lower price point compared to other premium cuts from the same animal,\u201d Thorne says.\u00a0\n<\/p>\n

Embrace tough cuts. <\/span> <\/h3>\n

Roasts and other \u201cworking-muscle\u201d cuts such as round, chuck, shank, and short ribs are much cheaper than premium steaks. They\u2019re also full of rich, beefy flavor.\u00a0<\/p>\n

\u201cThese higher working areas of the carcass have stronger structures in place to meet the demands put on them,\u201d Thorne says. \u201cThus, in order to fully enjoy the potential for flavor in these working-muscle cuts, we must utilize cooking methods that convert these tough structures to tender bites.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n

The trick is to cook them low and slow\u2014think pot roast, braises, or slow-cooker meals. With a little time, these tougher cuts become melt-in-your-mouth tender and perfect for cozy dinners. One of Thorne’s favorite meals is slow-braised grass-fed short ribs.\n<\/p>\n

Don\u2019t skip the bones and off-cuts. <\/span> <\/h3>\n

Bones, fat, and organ meats (also known as offal) are some of the most underused\u2014and underpriced\u2014ingredients at the butcher counter. \u201cPurchasing lesser-known or underutilized cuts is an underrated way to support local farms and butcher shops,\u201d Thorne says. \u201cBones, offal, and off-cuts are often harder for farmers and butchers to sell, but they are packed with nutrients and can be used in both everyday and fancier dishes.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n

Use bones for broth, slow-cook beef cheeks in a ragu or taco recipe, or whip up a batch of soup with oxtails. \u201c[Buying these] cuts also help reduce food waste and support the whole-animal philosophy many small farms and butchers embrace,\u201d she says.\n<\/p>\n

Look for value-added products. <\/span> <\/h3>\n

Your butcher might have budget-friendly ready-to-cook items like house-made sausages, marinated skewers, or ground beef blends that use flavorful cuts in creative ways. These \u201cvalue-added\u201d products are often made from more affordable parts of the animal and can save you prep time in the kitchen. Don\u2019t be afraid to ask for recommendations.\n<\/p>\n

Consider buying larger cuts to break down at home. <\/span> <\/h3>\n

You don\u2019t have to invest in a whole cow to save on beef. But if you\u2019re comfortable with a knife and want to stretch your budget, try buying larger cuts\u2014like a whole beef tenderloin or rib roast\u2014and portioning them yourself. It\u2019s a little more effort up front, but it can save you money and give you more control over the portions and prep. For example, picking up a whole beef tenderloin gives you the chance to slice it into whatever cuts you like, whether that\u2019s 2-inch steaks or thin carpaccio.<\/p>\n

Thorne also notes that buying meat directly from a farmer can sometimes be cheaper than getting it at big-box grocery stores. \u201cDirect-from-farmer isn\u2019t always more expensive,\u201d she says. \u201cSometimes it can even save you money, especially when buying in bulk.\u201d\n<\/p>\n

If you need help finding a place to buy ethically farmed meat, the Good Meat Finder<\/a> is a good resource. The nationwide directory lists farms, ranches, butcher shops, restaurants, and retail stores that meet Good Meat Project\u2019s transparency standards.\u00a0\n<\/p>\n

The Bottom Line <\/span> <\/h3>\n

Affordable beef is still out there\u2014you just need to know where (and how) to look. Talk to your butcher, try something new, and don\u2019t underestimate the flavor potential of the cuts that often get passed by. \u201cAsk questions, read labels, and learn as you go,\u201d Thorne says.\n<\/p>\n<\/div>\n


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Beef prices rose nearly 15 percent in 2025, according to Consumer Price Index data from last year. That means ribeyes, strips, and tenderloins aren\u2019t exactly easy on the grocery budget these days. But don\u2019t walk past the butcher case just yet. There are plenty of flavorful, affordable beef cuts that […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":1865,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[23],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-1864","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-kitchen-tips"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/cupcake.website\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1864","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/cupcake.website\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/cupcake.website\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/cupcake.website\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/cupcake.website\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=1864"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/cupcake.website\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1864\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/cupcake.website\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/1865"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/cupcake.website\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=1864"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/cupcake.website\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=1864"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/cupcake.website\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=1864"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}