Budget Friendly Swaps For Your Favourite Beef Cuts
Premium Cut: Eye FilletThis is one of the most popular cuts of steak we sell at Cannings, and for good reason. The eye fillet is deliciously tender and lean, which makes it a favourite even with fussy eaters. As the most premium of the premium cuts, eye fillet can definitely be pricey. These are our favourite swaps for the king of steaks: |
 Premium alternative: PorterhousePorterhouse is still a premium cut, so it's not as cheap as some of the other items on this list, but price-wise it's definitely more budget friendly than eye fillet. Eye fillet lovers will enjoy the leanness of this steak! This cut is best cooked to no more than medium rare.
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 Premium alternative: T-BoneT-Bones are made up of the eye fillet AND the porterhouse, with a T shaped bone in-between, so it's the best of both worlds. Don't be put off by the larger size of these steaks - like rib eyes, they make a great meal for two! |
Premium Cut: Scotch FilletIf you ask a butcher what their favourite cut is, nine times out of ten they'll tell you scotch fillet (or its brother on the bone: rib eye). The scotch fillet has a great amount of fat through it with tender, flavoursome meat. |
 Alternative: Rump SteakOur go-to budget friendly steak! Rump is great affordable alternative to the usual premium cuts as it has a great balance of flavour and tenderness for the price. Scotch fillet lovers will enjoy the flavour in this cut. For best results, cook to medium rare. This is also an awesome cut for stir fries or sliced thinly to top a salad. |
 Alternative: Lamb RibletsIf what you love about scotch fillet is juicy meat combined with crispy fat, then why not give lamb riblets a go? These are deliciously juicy and crunchy when baked in the oven. Try our favourite Honey and Balsamic Glazed Lamb Riblets recipe here. |
Premium Cut: PorterhousePorterhouse is a leaner cut that's often on the menu at steakhouses and pubs. The strip of fat on the outside makes it great for BBQing as it gets nice and crispy! |
 Alternative: Skirt Flank SteakSkirt flank steak is a very tender, underrated cut of beef that is great for Mexican and Asian cooking. It does very well when marinated so don't be afraid to get those flavours going overnight! Skirt flank is best served rare to medium-rare (4 mins each side), rested for at least 10 mins with foil over the top to allow for juices to settle back into the meat. The most important thing with skirt flank is to cut ACROSS the grain for tender meat, otherwise it can end up chewy. Once you get the hang of cooking it, you will love this cut for its flavour! Porterhouse lovers will enjoy this cut for its leanness. |
 Lamb Chump ChopsLamb chump chops are a relatively lean cut of lamb with a generous strip of fat on the outside, much like porterhouse. These are awesome on the BBQ for crispy fat, or if you're experiencing some ~indoor weather~ they make a great addition to a warming stew or casserole. Try our Hearty Lamb Chop Stew recipe with chump chops! |
Extras tips:
Try sous vide cooking
Grab a cheaper cut of steak and try the sous vide method! This is a slow cooking method that cooks food very gently over a long period of time in a sealed bag submerged in temperature controlled water, which means that the meat comes out deliciously tender. If you're choosing a cut with a bit more connective tissue to break down, this is a great way to achieve the tenderness of more premium cuts. (Side note: if you're concerned about cooking with plastic, try silicone sous vide bags.)
Pair with another protein source
This could be a mushroom sauce, an eye fillet wrapped in bacon, a couple of prawns on top, some pan fried halloumi on the side - it's up to you! Pairing meat with an additional protein source in your meal is a great way to make it go further and make sure you don't have to miss out on the iron and other beneficial nutrients in your beef.
Swap your steaks out for slow cooks
In the winter months, it's nice to swap your steaks out for warming slow cooks. Slow cooking is handy because you can just throw everything in the slow cooker in the morning and come home to a delicious stew or casserole in the evening. Best of all, slow cooking cuts are more affordable!
Some of our favourites are:
- Boneless pork shoulder (try our pulled pork taco recipe here)
- Beef brisket (try our oven friendly BBQ style brisket recipe here)
- Beef Short Ribs (try our Korean style kimchi braised short ribs recipe here)
- Lamb shoulder (try our slow cooked lamb shoulder recipe here)
