We Tasted And Ranked 6 Aldi Steaks

When it comes to entertaining, few meats are as elegant as a perfectly cooked steak. That said, serving steak to a crowd can come with a hefty price tag if you aren't prudent with where you buy it. While affordability matters, quality is still important. That's where Aldi comes in. When it comes to its steak selection, Aldi has a leg up on some of its biggest competitors.

The reason the beef at Aldi is so much cheaper lies in the unique business model of this retailer. Not only does it limit its supply and source meat locally, it sells a lot of it, often marking prices down to help move product, which translates to savings for your pocket book. This is all good news for consumers, but as a professional chef, the bottom line for me always comes down to flavor.

In an effort to help demystify some of the confusing labels and determine which steak from Aldi was the best value in terms of price and taste, I stocked up on as many cuts as I could find. I cooked, ate, and savored my way through all of them — which was no small digestive feat — to determine which steak reigned supreme. Read to the end to find out how I selected the worst and best steaks from Aldi.

Before delving into the specific steaks, it is important to note that the beef sold at Aldi is predominantly Choice grade. One of the key differences between meat quality in a restaurant versus grocery store is reflected by this grade. While restaurants typically get access to the coveted Prime grade beef, the next level down in quality is Choice. Though it isn't as marbled and tender as Prime beef, Choice is a great option for the home cook.

That said, the Black Angus Choice Petite Sirloin Steaks left a lot to be desired. These steaks, which are sourced from the hind quarter of the cow, are relatively lean and lacking in intramuscular fat, which makes them particularly challenging to cook. From the moment I pulled them out of the packaging, I noticed the flesh was incredibly light in color, almost more like pork. Even when cooked, these steaks were extremely pale, which was somewhat disconcerting.

The texture of these steaks was okay, but not great. They were a touch mushy and had an almost stringy quality to them. Their flavor was even more disappointing. It was so mild it verged on non-existent, and meat from this part of the cow tends to be more aggressively beefy. A good marinade may have helped the texture and flavor of this cut, but not by much, which is why it landed last on this ranking.

Next to last on this ranking of Aldi steaks was the Cattlemen's Ranch Bacon Wrapped Beef Chuck Tender Filet. At first glance, the use of the word "filet" may confuse consumers. They may think they are getting a portion of the beef tenderloin based on this moniker, but this steak is sourced from a section of the shoulder of the cow known as a "mock tender." While similarly shaped, this is a cut of beef that is not as supple and benefits from a very different approach when it comes to preparing it, namely slow-cooking versus high-heat cooking methods.

I also typically avoid steaks wrapped in bacon, which adds to the weight and can mask the natural flavor of the beef. While I understand the logic behind wrapping an otherwise tough cut of meat in bacon to help keep it juicier, this had little effect on the quality of this steak. Its texture remained quite chewy and a touch stringy, as I anticipated.

In terms of flavor, it was virtually impossible to taste the beef itself because the bacon dominated my palate. While I enjoy bacon, I don't want it to overwhelm the beefiness of a quality steak. That said, it did at least have some flavor, which is why it landed ahead of the petite sirloins.

As affordable steaks go, the top sirloin is quite popular. It is a lean cut that comes from the dorsal part of the hindquarters of the cow, just behind the loin, but in front of the derriere. It's versatile and can be used in a number of different applications. The Black Angus Choice Beef Top Sirloin Steak was a good example of this type of steak. The hefty portion size could easily feed a family of four, making it a good buy.

Because of the lack of marbling, this steak was a bit less tender than a filet mignon, for example, yet its firm texture wasn't necessarily a deterrent. It had a nice bite to it that was particularly satiating. Its flavor, though not as notably robust as some of the top steaks on this ranking, was rich in savoriness.

This steak would be particularly good on the grill, where the char would lend both flavor and texture to the meat. It is also one of the most slept-on cuts for smoking. Just be sure to marinate it adequately to infuse it with flavor and get a good sear on it before transferring it to the smoker.

One bougie steak you might want to snag on your next trip to Aldi is the Black Angus Choice Ribeye Steak. Though it landed in third place, this isn't a knock on the quality of this steak. This is a dynamite cut of meat that has a lot going for it. Sourced from the rib primal of the cow, this cut is loaded with intramuscular fat, yet has a much more pronounced flavor than a filet.

It is also a hefty portion that can easily feed two to three people. That said, its thickness can make it a challenge to cook, as it will require some extra time to achieve a medium-rare doneness. I recommend a reverse-sear, which will achieve a more uniform doneness, while still getting that toasty crust that is loaded with flavor and a crispy texture.

True to its origins, this specific steak was exceedingly tender and had an intense beefy flavor, though I did feel that this particular cut had more fat on it than I typically expect from a ribeye, much of which I ended up discarding, which felt like a waste. The only reason it didn't rank higher was its premium cost, fat-to-meat ratio, and the distinctiveness of the top two steaks.

Among the cuts of beef that deserve more attention is the skirt steak. The Black Angus USDA Choice Skirt Steak was so dynamite that it landed second on this ranking. The skirt steak hails from the plate primal of the cow, along its belly. There are technically two types of skirt steak, the inside and outside cuts, which flank the diaphragm of the animal. The outside skirt is typically thicker, more evenly shaped, and has a slightly more supple texture than the inside skirt. This makes it easier to cook and more highly in demand. Based on the shape of the skirt steak I obtained from Aldi, I would bet it was an inside cut, though it was not labeled as such.

This steak had a superb taste and texture. Though challenging to cut, as its ribbed shape requires careful slicing against the grain to prevent it from becoming overly chewy, it melted in your mouth once you bit into it. More importantly, the umami flavor bomb that was contained in each bite made this an ideal cut of steak for boldly-flavored dishes, like carne asada or fajitas.

One thing I wish I had done was to marinate this skirt steak, as this typically enhances the texture even more. That said, by cooking it on high-heat for just a few minutes to medium-rare doneness it maintained a pleasant texture without drying out and I was able to taste the unadulterated meat.

The king of steaks from Aldi is the Black Angus Choice Beef Strip Steak. Often known as a New York strip, this cut from the short loin primal located along the back or longissimus dorsi of the cow may be most recognizable as the lengthy segment of the T-bone or porterhouse. Though not quite as fatty as a ribeye, the strip contains a significant amount of intramuscular fat that gives it a marvelous, tender texture.

This particular steak was actually shaped like a ribeye, which was a bit confusing when you cooked them up and served them side-by-side. That said, you could immediately detect a difference between them when you cut into the meat. The strip was far more delicate and didn't have any of that residual fat around its exterior. It also had a robust flavor that, while perhaps less umami-rich than the skirt steak, was quite satiating.

If you are new to grilling steak or are tired of spending a small fortune on a filet mignon, the strip is a great alternative. Though the best way to cook a New York Strip remains a high-heat method, like a reverse sear, it is a relatively forgiving cut that can be served at various degrees of doneness without drying out. It also doesn't require a lot of seasonings to develop a great flavor. Some kosher salt and freshly cracked pepper is all you need for a quick, delicious meal.

I put my nearly 18 years of experience running a fine dining restaurant to good use in not just tasting these steaks, but cooking them. One of the keys to sampling and ranking various cuts of steak is to cook them to their highest potential. In this case, that meant a perfect medium-rare doneness without any frills. I kept things simple with just some salt and pepper, no marinades or added seasonings, so that I could taste the inherent flavor of the meat itself.

After cooking all of the meat, I sliced each steak up and tasted it, assessing it on aroma, texture, and flavor. While texture can vary depending on preparation method for some steaks, for the most part, if you allow the meat to rest properly and slice it against the grain, you should obtain the most tender texture possible for that cut. This means that the final deciding factor came down to flavor, which varied wildly.

The flavor notes I typically reward when it comes to steak are intense umami notes and a robust meatiness that is mineral-forward yet not aggressively gamey. These qualities, or the lack thereof, were reflected in my tasting notes. It is my hope that these will help steer you toward the right cut for the meal you are preparing and for your particular palate.