Traditionally, the chuck has been cut into large pieces made up of various muscles and cooked long and slow until tender. People used to be willing to do this because these cuts were cheap and — as Lynne Curry of Joseph, Ore., author of "Pure Beef," notes — loaded with flavor. But people don't have the time or the willingness to cook these big pieces anymore. What we are eating are cuts that could be cooked quickly — like steaks. Taken from the tender rib and loin sections of the steer, these steaks are the most popular and well-known cuts. Demand for them is high; so are the prices.