What is Chuck Eye Steak & How to Cook It
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Chuck Eye Steak is an economical cut located next to the more expensive rib eye, so you can enjoy a mouth-watering steak dinner on a budget! Learn about chuck eye and how to make grilled chuck eye steak that’s tender and juicy. No need for marinating!
What is Chuck Eye Steak?
Chuck eye steak is often called the “poor man’s ribeye”, as it has many of the features of rib eye at a fraction of the cost. This boneless cut comes from the end of the chuck primal (upper shoulder) section at the 5th rib, right next to the ribeye section in ribs 6-12.
A good portion of chuck eye contains the longissimus dorsi muscle that makes the rib eye steak tender. It’s suitable for high-temperature cooking including grilling, broiling and pan-frying. Availability is limited, since there are only two chuck eye steaks per steer!
Other Names: You may see chuck eye labeled in stores as Chuck Fillet Steak, Chuck Delmonico or Chuck Tender Steak.
How to Grill Chuck Eye Steak
A typical chuck eye steak is 1-1.5 inches thick, meaning you’ll need to use both direct heat (450°F/232°C) and indirect heat (275°F/135°C) to grill it to perfection:
- Bring the steak to room temperature and pat dry with paper towels.
- Season with salt, pepper, seasonings and olive oil.
- Heat the grill to medium-high (450°F / 232°C) on one half of the grill while leaving the other side off.
- Cook the seasoned chuck eye steak on the cooler, unlit side for 25-30 minutes for medium-rare, increasing or decreasing the time to achieve your desired doneness.
- Move to the hot side and sear chuck eye steak for 1-2 minutes per side.
- Rest for 5-10 minutes.
- Cut against the grain to serve.
Beef Chuck Eye Steak Doneness
To test doneness, the most reliable way is to use an instant-read thermometer. Measure the internal temperature by inserting into the thickest part of the steak, using the cook time chart below as a guideline:
| Chuck Eye Doneness | Remove from Grill | Final Internal Temp |
| Rare Steak | 120°F (49°C) | 125°F (52°C) |
| Medium-rare | 130°F (54°C) | 135°F (57°C) |
| Medium | 140°F (60°C) | 145°F (63°C) |
| Medium-well | 145°F (63°C) | 150°F (66°C) |
| Well Done | 155°F (68°C) | 160°F (71°C) |
Note: the temperature will rise about 5°F while resting.
To Serve Chuck Eye Steak
Chuck eye steak can be cooked and served like other prime cuts such as T-bone or Sirloin Steak. It goes well with potatoes and vegetables including:
Top Tips for Chuck Eye Steak
- Before cooking bring it to room temperature to promote even cooking and reduce the risk of chewy steak.
- Pat dry with paper towels to remove excess moisture that could interfere with searing.
- As chuck eye is typically a thick-cut, cook on cooler indirect heat first before finishing on high direct heat.
- Don’t leave your steak unattended as it cooks quickly. We recommend cooking medium-rare or medium for a tender chuck eye.
- After cooking, rest the steak for 5-10 minutes covered with foil to allow the juices to retreat back into the meat.
Is beef chuck eye steak tender?
Chuck eye is less tender than a rib eye, but more tender than chuck. Half of the meat is buttery tender like a rib eye and the rest is slightly tougher but still enjoyable.
What is a chuck eye steak good for?
Chuck eye steak can be grilled, pan-fried or broiled, as the meat is tender enough to withstand higher temperatures. In contrast, most other chuck steaks are best cooked “low and slow” and/or marinated to become tender.
More budget-friendly steak recipes:
Grilled Chuck Eye Steak
Ingredients
- 2 chuck eye steaks, 1-1.5 inches thick (about 1.5 pounds)
- 1 teaspoon coarse salt
- 1 teaspoon ground black pepper, or to taste
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 tablespoon unsalted butter, optional
- fresh rosemary, or thyme as garnish - optional
Instructions
- Remove steaks from the fridge 30 minutes before cooking, allowing them to warm to room temperature for even cooking and maximum tenderness*.
- Heat one half of the grill to medium-high (about 450°F / 232°C), leaving the other side off.
- Pat dry the steaks with paper towels to remove excess moisture. Then rub in the salt and ground pepper followed by the olive oil.
- Preheat grill to medium-high or 450°F (232°C).
- Place your palm about 3 inches above the grill grates. If you can only hold it for 1-2 seconds the grill is ready. (The grates should be hot enough before the steak goes on.)
- Carefully grease the grates with oil using a folded paper towel, in order to prevent sticking.
- Place the chuck eye steaks on the cool side of the grill for 25-30 minutes for medium-rare steak**.
- Then move the steaks to the hot side and sear for 1-2 minutes PER SIDE, using tongs to flip. (Optional: to get crosshatch grill marks, rotate 90 degrees halfway through on each side.)
- Insert an instant meat thermometer into the thickest part of the steak. Remove from the grill at 120°F (49°C) for rare, 130°F (54°C) for medium-rare, and 140°F (60°C) for medium. Note: The temperature will rise a few degrees more while resting.
- Transfer the steak to a plate, covering with aluminum foil and let rest for 5-10 minutes. (This will allow the juices to retreat back into the meat before serving).
- Garnish with optional butter and herbs. Slice against the grain to serve.
Notes
- *Seasoning with salt helps to tenderize the meat during cooking. Fresh rosemary and thyme are great to add halfway through (so they don't char) for extra flavor.
- **Grill the steak over cooler, indirect heat to 10-15°F below the final internal temperature at your desired doneness:
| Steak Grill Time on Indirect Heat | 1½ in (3.8 cm) thick | 2 in (5 cm) thick |
| Rare | 20-25 minutes | 25-30 minutes |
| Medium-rare | 25-30 minutes | 30-35 minutes |
| Medium | 30-35 minutes | 35-40 minutes |
| Medium-well | 35-40 minutes | 40-45 minutes |
- Avoid piercing the steak with a fork before serving, as valuable juices will escape.
Please read our nutrition disclaimer.
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Turned out great, thanks for all the info. Never had this before and will make again!
Hi Bonnie, So glad to hear that and thanks for your feedback!
This is great! My hubby has been looking for a great chuck eye steak recipe for a while now! Thanks!
Hi Micki, Thanks for your feedback and let me know how it turns out! 🙂