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Understanding Beef Chuck-Eye Roast

By Steve Dunn Published

The chuck-eye roast is one of our go-to cuts for beef stew and pot roast. Here's why.

For pot roasts and stews, we typically turn to a cut from the chuck, or shoulder, since meat from this region tends to be flavorful and fairly fatty and boasts plenty of collagen that breaks down to lubricate meat and add silkiness to braising liquids. Our favorite roast from the shoulder is the chuck eye.

Unlike other roasts from the shoulder, which may feature multiple small muscle groups separated by lots of hard fat and connective tissue, the chuck eye has a more limited number of large muscle groups that run along the center of the shoulder. With fewer muscle groups, this roast has less intramuscular fat and connective tissue to trim away, so it’s easier to prep; it also has a higher yield for the money.

In addition, the chuck eye has a compact, uniform shape that makes it easier to carve if cooked whole for dishes such as pot roast.

Shopping for Chuck-Eye Roast

Some readers have told us that chuck eye can be hard to find, but that may be because the roast goes by a number of aliases:

  • chuck center roast
  • chuck-eye roll
  • inside chuck roll
  • boneless chuck fillet
  • America’s beef roast

If you can’t find chuck eye under one of these names, boneless short ribs (which aren’t ribs at all but thick swathes of meat cut from the chuck) make an excellent alternative.

Recipes Using Chuck-Eye Roast

Hearty Beef Stew

Recipe Hearty Beef Stew

Choose chuck, use a combination of broth and wine, and thicken at the beginning for a simple but intensely flavored stew.

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Modern Beef Burgundy

Recipe Modern Beef Burgundy

Most recipes for this French classic require you to stand at the stove tediously batch-­searing beef and sautéing vegetables. But what if the whole operation could move to the oven?

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Rigatoni with Beef and Onion Ragu

Recipe Rigatoni with Beef and Onion Ragu

We knew that the meat in this Neapolitan gravy would add big savory flavor. What we learned in the making was that the other key player—the onions—would, too.

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Simple Pot-Au-Feu

Recipe Simple Pot-Au-Feu

The rich broth and tender meat and vegetables that define this French classic should be an easy way to feed a crowd. Why do so many recipes turn it into an ordeal?

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Cuban Shredded Beef

Recipe Cuban Shredded Beef

We were sold on vaca frita’s crispy crust and garlicky flavor—but not on its dry, stringy interior.

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JC
JOHN C.
16 days

Absolutely the best chicken ever, even the breast meat was moist! It's the only way I'll cook a whole chicken again. Simple, easy, quick, no mess - perfect every time. I've used both stainless steel and cast iron pans. great and easy technique for “roasted” chicken. I will say there were no pan juices, just fat in the skillet. Will add to the recipe rotation. Good for family and company dinners too. I've done this using a rimmed sheet pan instead of a skillet and put veggies and potatoes around the chicken for a one-pan meal. Broccoli gets nicely browned and yummy!

Absolutely the best chicken ever, even the breast meat was moist! It's the only way I'll cook a whole chicken again. Simple, easy, quick, no mess - perfect every time. I've used both stainless steel and cast iron pans. great and easy technique for “roasted” chicken. I will say there were no pan juices, just fat in the skillet. Will add to the recipe rotation. Good for family and company dinners too.

MD
MILES D.
JOHN C.
9 days

Amazed this recipe works out as well as it does. Would not have thought that the amount of time under the broiler would have produced a very juicy and favorable chicken with a very crispy crust. Used my 12" Lodge Cast Iron skillet (which can withstand 1000 degree temps to respond to those who wondered if it would work) and it turned out great. A "make again" as my family rates things. This is a great recipe, and I will definitely make it again. My butcher gladly butterflied the chicken for me, therefore I found it to be a fast and easy prep. I used my cast iron skillet- marvellous!

CM
CHARLES M.
11 days

John, wasn't it just amazing chicken? So much better than your typical oven baked chicken and on par if not better than gas or even charcoal grilled. It gets that smokey charcoal tasted and overnight koshering definitely helps, something I do when time permits. First-time I've pierced a whole chicken minus the times I make jerk chicken on the grill. Yup, the cast iron was not an issue.