USDA PRIME
These Teres Major steaks are graded USDA Prime, the top tier of quality in the U.S. On average, about 9% of graded cattle will achieve Prime status, but taking things a step further, we inspect each primal that moves through our facility to guarantee quality. If we don’t think a piece deserves the Prime grade, we won’t ship it.
HOLSTEIN CATTLE
Our Teres Major steaks are cut from Holstein cattle, raised in California predominantly in the Southeast corner of the state. The size (diameter) of Holstein steaks will be smaller than the Angus, which will allow for a thicker steak.
SHIPS FROZEN
Flash frozen after being processed, these Teres Major steaks will be safe for an additional 6-7 months in your freezer, or 4-5 days in your refrigerator once thawed.
UN-AGED
Because the teres major muscle has very little protective covering (such as fat or bone), we do not dry age these steaks.
The Teres Major goes by a few names, and honestly, none of them do it justice. Butchers have long called it the ‘petite tender,’ partly because of its size and partly because it was easier to say than ‘teres major’ to a customer who just wanted a good steak. The name itself comes from the shoulder muscle it’s cut from (teres major, a term borrowed straight from anatomy class), which sits tucked away in the chuck, far from the spotlight given to the more famous cuts up front.
Here’s the part that surprises people: despite coming from the shoulder, a notoriously tough and well worked area of the animal, the Teres Major is shockingly tender. In fact, it ranks second only to the tenderloin itself, which is no small compliment. The reason is simple: this particular muscle does very little work, so it stays lean, fine grained, and remarkably soft, all while carrying more beefy flavor than you’d get from the tenderloin. For years it was a butcher’s secret, quietly trimmed out of the chuck and either ground up or kept for the shop’s own dinner table. These days, more people have caught on, but it still flies under the radar compared to its pricier cousins, which is exactly why we like it. Each order comes as a 2 pack, so you get two compact, evenly sized steaks ready for the grill or the pan.
