The Underrated Budget-Friendly Beef Cut That Belongs In Your Shopping Cart

Everyone has noticed their grocery bills ticking up, and the price of beef is certainly no exception. Fox News reports that grocery store beef prices rose about 20% in 2025, from an average of $8.40 per pound in March to $10.10 per pound in December. Unfortunately, the trend isn't likely to change anytime soon, as U.S. cattle herds have dwindled to their lowest numbers in 75 years due to ongoing drought conditions and rising operational costs for ranchers.

In the meantime, American shoppers might want to get creative about their at-home beef consumption. One budget-friendly and underrated cut of meat you should be eating has a cute name and a ton of flavor: beef cheeks. You can probably guess where beef cheeks come from on the cow, and we'll save you the coin toss — it's the cow's facial muscle. 

Beef cheeks retail for around $5 per pound, an obvious bargain compared to the average cost of filets mignon ($22.06/pound), boneless ribeye ($14.50/pound), and flank steak ($11.89/pound), according to current data from the United States Department of Agriculture. But beef cheeks also undercut other bargain beef options. At Sam's Club, for example, 88/12 ground beef is currently listed at $5.76 per pound, and chuck roast costs $7.97 per pound. Beef cheeks can be hard to find, but meat purveyors can usually source them upon request. The best part? While they start out tough, beef cheeks are some of the most flavorful beef cuts available, and will level up any slow-cooked recipe.

The right cooking method is key to making cheap cuts of meat taste expensive, and beef cheeks completely transform when slow-cooked. These facial muscles get a lot of use by the cow chewing up to eight hours a day, so the meat is full of tiny connective tissues making for a tougher cut, similar to shoulder or shank. However, this is precisely what makes beef cheeks perfect for tossing in the Crock Pot, braising in a Dutch oven, or slow-smoking to perfection. All those collagen-rich tissues break down during the low-and-slow process while also acting as a sponge, soaking up marinade and braising liquid to yield a melt-in-your-mouth tenderness that you won't believe, especially for the price point.

The best way to prep beef cheeks is with a good red wine marinade — let it sit overnight or up to a few days. Then pat the cheeks dry but save the marinade, and sear the cuts on all sides to lock in moisture and flavor. Place the cuts in your slow-cooking dish of choice and add the marinade with some beef stock, along with sauteed onion, garlic, and herbs, and cook low-and-slow: about one hour in an Instant Pot, three hours in a Dutch oven, and six to eight hours in a Crock Pot. Beef cheeks are worth the wait when smoked — start them in the morning so they'll be irresistibly tender and full of flavor by dinner.