Good news for pot roast people. Chuck roast now costs less than it did a year ago.
By a nickel. Ground beef is still up 42 cents.
Here are the numbers from the Bureau of Labor Statistics. Boneless chuck roast averaged $9.19 a pound in September, down from $9.63 in July and $9.23 last September. All uncooked ground beef averaged $7.06 a pound, a dime less than August and still 42 cents more than a year ago.
💰 The number that matters
Ground beef is still the cheaper pound. But look at the gap.
In July, chuck roast cost $2.52 more per pound than ground beef. In September, $2.12. That is nearly 40 cents of “fine, let’s do pot roast this week” in two months.
🐄 Why the burger is stuck
Ground beef is a mix of fatty trim and lean trim. The fatty trim comes from the same cattle that become steaks, and there is plenty of it. The lean trim comes mostly from older cows and bulls, according to Ohio State University Extension, and there are not many of them going to market.
How few? USDA’s October livestock report says fewer cows have gone to slaughter so far this year than in any year since 1950 except one.
So more lean beef is coming from overseas. August imports were up 26 percent from a year ago. A new temporary import window also opened September 1, allowing up to 100,000 tons a month of lean trim for ground beef. By late September, USDA showed it just 37 percent full.
Will any of that reach your 80/20? Nobody knows yet, and we are not going to guess. We will keep watching the meat case like it owes us money.
🌮 Make one batch of shredded beef and feed the week
1. Slow cooker Mexican shredded beef
This is the choose-your-own-adventure batch we keep stocked in the freezer, and one chuck roast in the slow cooker sets up every dinner below.
Get the recipe: Slow Cooker Mexican Shredded Beef
2. Mexican shredded beef burrito bowl
Skip the takeout line when the beef is already in your fridge. Pile it on rice with whatever toppings you have, and lunch is done.
Get the recipe: Mexican Shredded Beef Burrito Bowl
3. Sheet pan Mexican shredded beef nachos
These are our down and dirty pub nachos for the laziest nights. Spread the beef over chips and cheese on one sheet pan, and you’re done.
Get the recipe: Sheet Pan Mexican Shredded Beef Nachos
4. Cheesy smothered shredded beef enchiladas
Lazy as can be, with flour tortillas, a can of your favorite enchilada sauce and a questionable amount of cheese baked over the beef.
Get the recipe: Cheesy Smothered Shredded Beef Enchiladas
5. Crispy Mexican shredded beef tacos
A skillet sear melts the cheese right into the beef for a fast weeknight dinner.
Get the recipe: Crispy Mexican Shredded Beef Tacos
Rather keep it classic? Our Dutch oven pot roast is right there.
🛒 How to shop it this weekend
These are national averages, so your store will be different. Check the price per pound on the chuck roast before you grab the ground beef. If the gap is closer to two dollars than three, bring the roast home and get four dinners out of it.
🥩 Meat Nerd Tips
- Compare the price per pound. A three pound roast always looks scarier than a one pound pack of ground beef. Per pound is the only fair fight.
- Sear before you braise. That browning is the flavor every dinner after it runs on.
- Shred it all at once. Portion the beef for tacos, nachos and enchiladas, and the cost per dinner keeps falling.
Quick Summary
Boneless chuck roast averaged $9.19 a pound in September 2026, a nickel under last year, while ground beef averaged $7.06, still 42 cents higher than a year ago. The price gap between them shrank from $2.52 a pound in July to $2.12. Ground beef stays expensive because its lean half comes mostly from older cows, and few are going to market. One braised chuck roast can cover four dinners.
❓ FAQs
A little, and not evenly. Boneless chuck roast fell to $9.19 a pound in September 2026, a nickel under September 2025, according to BLS data. Ground beef averaged $7.06, down a dime from August but 42 cents higher than a year earlier.
Ground beef mixes fatty trim with lean trim, and the lean side comes mostly from older cows. USDA reports cow slaughter from January through September 2026 was the second lowest since 1950, so lean beef is tight and imports are filling the gap.
Not per pound. In September 2026 chuck roast cost about $2.12 more per pound than ground beef, down from $2.52 in July. One braised roast can stretch across several dinners.
📚 Keep reading
- Slow Cooker Pot Roast, the zero effort version
- Smoked Chuck Roast, if the smoker is calling
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