Aside from ground beef, the cuts that are typically most affordable come from the end meats – chuck and round. These are also typically less tender cuts and benefit from slow cooking with moist heat. Roasting, stewing, braising, etc.
What is the most affordable cut of beef?
There are two purposes for a marinade – to infuse flavor and/or to tenderize the cut of meat which all comes down to the time the cut of meat is being marinated.