What is a teres major steak?
The teres major steak is a pretty rare cut of beef that comes from the chuck section which is right below the front leg. Similar to the well-known cut the chuck roast, but the teres major is much more tender.
It’s similar to the tenderloin in terms of tenderness but is rarely more than 10-12 ounces . Other popular names for it include the beef shoulder tender petite roast, bistro filet, and shoulder petite tender. While coming in second on the tenderness scale, most would rate the teres major steak first in flavor.
This cut of steak is from an area of the cow that sees a lot of movement, the chuck primal, resulting in more blood flow and as a result, it develops a more complex flavor. You may be thinking that continuous movement cases toughness in the meat, but due to the location of this cut, it is full of fat and lacks connective tissue that causes cuts to be tough.
Fun fact: The teres major takes its name from the same spot in human anatomy!
Beef It’s Whats For Dinner has some great ideas on how to cook your teres major. Click here for recipes.