Beef Chuck
Petite Tender
The petite tender is the teres major, a small lean muscle from the beef chuck. It is one of the few genuinely tender cuts in a hard-working primal — close to a tenderloin in texture at a fraction of the price. Sear it hot and fast to 130–135°F.
Buy it if
You want tenderloin texture on a weeknight budget.
Where it comes from: the chuck — the shoulder — which is otherwise the braising primal. The teres major does very little work, so it never toughens the way the muscles around it do.
How it eats: lean and fine-grained, mild rather than deeply beefy. It has none of the marbling of a ribeye, so it rewards a hard sear and punishes overcooking.
Why it's cheap: it is small, awkward to remove, and there are only two per animal, so it is often ground with the rest of the chuck rather than sold whole. When a butcher does pull it, the chuck's reputation keeps the price down.
Where it comes from on the animal
| Species | Beef |
|---|---|
| Primal | Chuck |
| Subprimal | shoulder tender (teres major) |
What else it’s called
How to cook Petite Tender
| Best methods | Pan sear Grill Roast Sous vide |
|---|---|
| Skip | Braise |
| Cook to | Sear hot and fast to 130–135°F. Very lean — it dries out past medium. |
Common questions
Is petite tender the same as filet mignon?
No, but it is the closest thing in texture. Filet mignon is the psoas from the loin; petite tender is the teres major from the shoulder. Both are lean and very tender, and the petite tender costs far less.
Is it the same as a mock tender?
No, and this is the confusion worth avoiding. Mock tender (the chuck's triceps) looks similar and is tough — it needs braising. The teres major is genuinely tender.
How should I cook it?
Sear it whole in a hot pan or over direct heat, then rest and slice across the grain. It is lean enough that anything past medium reads dry.
Other chuck cuts
Chuck Roast
The one roast that gets better the longer you leave it alone.
Denver Steak
The chuck's most marbled muscle, and the zabuton of Japanese wagyu
Flat Iron
The second-most-tender muscle on the animal, hiding in the chuck
Chuck Eye Steak
The ribeye muscle, one rib on the wrong side of the line, at chuck pr...