The 10 Best Cuts Of Steak To Grill - The Spruce Eats

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Discover steaks that grill tender, flavorful, and juicy with pro tips and recipes

By Danilo Alfaro

Danilo Alfaro Danilo Alfaro has published more than 800 recipes and tutorials focused on making complicated culinary techniques approachable to home cooks. Learn about The Spruce Eats' Editorial Process Updated on 06/23/25

Few things are better than a properly grilled steak. Smoky, juicy, with a lightly crisp crust, it's an entrée worthy of a celebratory meal but quick and easy enough for a weeknight. Before firing up the grill, you'll need pick your cut of beef.

For the most part, the best steaks to grill will come from the beef primal cut called the short loin, but we've included standouts from some of the other cuts of beef as well. We've included pricy cuts as well as cheaper but no less delicious steaks for the barbecue. Any of the steaks below will make a great, drool-worthy grilled steak. To help you get the most out of your steak, we've also included a number of specific recipes for the various cuts. Read on, and then get your grill on!

illustration showing best steaks for grilling — The Spruce / Brianna Gilmartin

01 of 10
Rib-Eye Steaks

L Alfonse / Getty Images

Rib-eye steak is arguably the finest of all steaks, offering a luxurious tenderness combined with a robust, beefy flavor. Whether you choose the boneless or bone-in version, rib-eye steaks are ideal candidates for the grill. You'll sometimes hear it called a rib-eye, other times a rib steak, but for practical purposes, these terms are synonymous. Rib-eye is delicious with a spicy dry rub, but it's also fantastic seasoned with just salt and pepper. Cook over medium-high heat until it reaches your desired doneness.
02 of 10
Strip Steaks

Searing a pair of New York strip steaks. jjpoole / Getty Images

Alternately called a New York strip, Kansas City strip, strip loin, or top loin steak, the strip steak boasts magnificence comparable to the rib-eye. While strip steaks might pack a more intense beef flavor than rib-eyes, possibly at the expense of tenderness, factors like grading, aging, and marbling play a significant role. Plus, you can enhance moisture by serving your strip steak with a compound butter. Although the bone-in version is less common, it's sometimes referred to as a club steak.
03 of 10
Tenderloin Steaks

Mario Ros / EyeEm / Getty Images

Beef tenderloin is the most tender and expensive cut of beef. This long, pencil-shaped muscle lies deep within the beef short loin, where it avoids most of the heavy lifting that can make a steak tough. The downside is that it's not particularly flavorful. Cuts from the pointy part of the tenderloin are known as filet mignon (beware of butchers who call any tenderloin steaks filet mignon). Due to its lower fat content, tenderloin can dry out if overcooked, so be careful not to leave it on the grill too long. Grilled filet mignon with bearnaise sauce is a classic and delightful pairing.
04 of 10
Porterhouse Steaks

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Porterhouse steak is a cross-section of the beef short loin taken from the rump end. It offers a cross-section of the backbone with a portion of the rib-eye muscle on one side and a slice of tenderloin on the other. While these can be quite pricey at a steakhouse, you can grill porterhouse steaks at home for a fraction of the cost.
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05 of 10
T-Bone Steaks

T-bone steaks on the grill. Lara Hata / Getty Images

T-bone steaks are similar to porterhouse steaks, but they are cut slightly forward on the short loin, resulting in less or even no tenderloin muscle attached, leaning more toward the rib-eye end of the steak spectrum. Conversely, since they come further away from the rump, the rib-eye muscle in the T-bone is slightly more tender than in a porterhouse. Serve these juicy steaks with butter sautéed mushrooms—the earthy flavor complements the bold flavor of the T-bone perfectly.
06 of 10
Skirt Steaks

roberto adrian / Getty Images

Skirt steak is our first selection from outside the short loin section, hailing from the beef plate primal cut, specifically from the inside of the chest and abdominal cavity. While it is thick-grained and bound with chewy connective tissue, skirt steak is remarkably flavorful. Cook it quickly on a very hot grill (even directly on the coals) for a splendid dinner. Be sure to slice it against the grain and enjoy it in fajitas and tacos.
07 of 10
Top Sirloin Steaks

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Top sirloin steaks offer a balance of cost, flavor, and tenderness. They come from the beef sirloin primal cut, which extends from the lower back to the hip bone. While top sirloin is less tender than the short loin, it's still suitable for grilling. Be mindful to avoid overcooking, as it can become drier and tougher. The top sirloin cap, the most marbled part, is known as picanha and is a specialty in Brazilian steakhouses, or churrascarias.
08 of 10
Flank Steaks

Slicing flank steak against the grain. Greg Nicholas / Getty Images

Flank steak comes from the beef flank primal cut or the belly. Like skirt steak, it is both flavorful and tough, with thick bundles of muscle fibers that contribute to its prominent grain. As with skirt steak, flank steak should be grilled quickly over very high heat and sliced against the grain. While a good marinade will add flavor, it's important to note that marinating does not tenderize the meat.
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09 of 10
Chuck Eye Steaks

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Chuck eye steaks are the first, or sometimes second, steaks cut from the beef chuck primal where it meets the rib primal. Because the exact division point between these cuts can vary, the first chuck eye steak is essentially a rib-eye. However, since it originates from the chuck rather than the rib, it can't be labeled as a rib-eye and is more affordable. Cook these steaks quickly over high heat, and be sure not to overcook them.
10 of 10
Flat-Iron Steaks

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Flat-iron steaks come from the beef chuck primal and are essentially a top blade steak that's sliced lengthwise rather than crosswise. This method avoids the thick seam of gristle that runs through it, resulting in a more tender cut. For the best flavor and texture, cook it quickly over high heat until it's medium-rare. Marinating the flat-iron steak in a simple blend of balsamic vinegar, olive oil, salt, and pepper will enhance its flavor.