The secret’s out: chuck eye steak, a.k.a. the poor man’s ribeye, is your ticket to a sizzling, buttery, steakhouse-worthy dinner without torching your paycheck. Our easy recipe creates a perfect crust while keeping the inside tender and juicy. No fancy ingredients or complicated techniques, just pure steak perfection that proves the best things in cooking are often the simplest.
This is hands-down our favorite way to cook any steak: no fancy tools, just salt and a screaming hot cast iron skillet. We’ve cooked hundreds of steaks this way, and the simplicity never fails to deliver.
With the beef chuck steak, the key is letting that beautiful marbling work for you – chuck eye has all the flavor of ribeye at a fraction of the cost – they’re literally called the “poor man’s ribeye” for good reason.
🔪 What You’ll Need
Ingredients for Pan-Seared Chuck Eye Steak
- Chuck eye steaks
- Kosher salt
- Avocado oil (or other neutral cooking oil)
- Salted butter
- Garlic cloves
- Fresh rosemary sprigs
Tools
- Heavy cast-iron skillet
- Splatter screen (optional but recommended)
- Tongs
- Instant-read meat thermometer
- Butcher’s twine (if not already tied)
📝 How to Cook a Chuck Eye Steak in Cast Iron
1. Prep the Steaks
Remove from packaging and pat completely dry. If not already tied, loop butcher’s twine around the outer edge to help maintain shape while cooking.
2. Season Generously
Coat both sides with kosher salt and let sit at room temperature for 30 minutes.
3. Preheat the Skillet
Heat over medium-high until oil shimmers.
4. Sear the Chuck Eye Steak
Place steaks in the skillet (use splatter screen if desired) and sear without moving until a deep brown crust forms.
5. Butter Baste with Garlic and Rosemary
Turn steaks over, immediately add butter, garlic, and rosemary. Tilt the skillet slightly and spoon hot butter over the steaks repeatedly until the internal temperature reaches:
- 125°F for rare
- 135°F for medium-rare
- 145°F for medium
6. Rest and Slice
Transfer to a cutting board, top with remaining butter or a garlic herb compound butter, and rest. Remove twine, slice thinly against the grain, discard any excess fat, and finish with cracked black pepper. Serve with the buttery drippings poured over top.
💡 Meat Nerd tips
- Treat it like ribeye steaks — Chuck eye has similar marbling and flavor.
- Dry = better crust — Moisture on the steak will steam it instead of searing it.
- Resting matters — It locks in juices so your steak doesn’t bleed out on the plate.
🔄 Substitutions & Variations
- Swap rosemary for thyme or sage.
- Try finishing with smoked sea salt for extra depth.
- Add a splash of bourbon to the butter for a smoky, sweet glaze. Always use caution when adding alcohol to a hot pan.
🍽️ Serving Suggestions
- With roasted potatoes and grilled asparagus.
- Sliced over a big green salad with blue cheese dressing. This is our kind of steak salad.
- Sliced super thin and folded into steak sandwiches on crusty bread with horseradish aioli.
🧊 Storage & reheating
- Fridge: Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days.
- Reheat: Warm gently in a skillet over medium-low heat with a bit of butter, though we prefer it cold.
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Perfect Pan Seared Chuck Eye Steak Recipe
Recommended Equipment
- Heavy cast iron skillet
- Splatter screen, optional but recommended
- tongs
- Instant-read meat thermometer
- Butchers Twine
Ingredients
- 2 chuck eye steaks just over a half pound each
- Kosher salt
- 1 tbsp avocado oil or other neutral cooking oil
- 3 tbsp Salted butter divided
- 3 garlic cloves smashed and peeled
- Fresh rosemary sprigs
Instructions
- Remove the steaks from the package and pat them dry. Secure the outer edges of the steak with butchers twine, if not already done.
- Season the steaks liberally with kosher salt on both sides and let them sit at room temperature for 30 minutes.
- Preheat a skillet over medium-high heat with the oil, until the oil is shimmering.
- Place the chuck eye steaks in the pan (you’ll want to use a splatter screen to minimize clean up).
- Sear the steaks until a good crust has formed on the bottom, 3 to 4 minutes.
- Flip and immediately top with 2 tablespoons of the butter.
- Add the garlic and rosemary as well.
- Carefully tilt the pan and baste the steaks in the butter as they continue to cook for another 2 to 3 minutes, or to your desired internal temperature.
- Transfer the steaks to a cutting board and dollop the remaining butter over top, or use a garlic herb compound butter for even more flavor.
- Let the steaks rest for 5 to 7 minutes before removing the butchers twine and slicing them into thin strips, against the grain, and discarding any fatty bits.
- Season with a pinch of freshly ground black pepper and serve immediately with the drippings poured over top.
Notes
Griddle Grill Method
Cooking chuck eye steaks on a griddle grill gives you that unbeatable steakhouse crust with the bonus of smoky outdoor flavor. Bonus points if you use a grilling dome and wood chips for added smoky flavor.- Season and prep – Season the steaks as directed above and let them rest at room temperature for 30 minutes.
- Preheat the griddle grill – Heat the flat top to medium-high (around 450°F) and lightly oil the surface.
- Sear – Place the steaks directly on the hot griddle, searing 3–4 minutes per side until a rich crust forms.
- Baste – Melt the butter in a small bowl and add the garlic and rosemary. Using a brush, or spoon, baste the steaks as they finish cooking.
- Rest and serve – Remove from heat, rest 5–7 minutes, then slice against the grain.
Nutrition
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❓ FAQs About Cooking Chuck Eye Steaks
It comes from the upper shoulder (chuck primal) of the cow, right next to the ribeye section. It has similar marbling and flavor to ribeye but costs less.
Yes – when cooked properly. It can be very tender if seared hot and cooked to medium-rare or medium. Overcooking can make it tough.
Let the steak come to room temperature, season generously, and sear in a hot cast iron skillet. Finish with a butter baste and rest before slicing against the grain.
125°F for rare
135°F for medium-rare
145°F for medium
Cooking beyond medium can make it less juicy and tender.
Not exactly—they come from the same muscle group, but ribeye is cut from the rib section, while chuck eye is from the chuck. Chuck eye offers a similar flavor at a more budget-friendly price, making it the ‘poor man’s ribeye.’
Yes! Grill over high heat and finish with a quick butter baste on the grill or in a skillet for maximum flavor.
