Grilled Teres Major With Garlic Herb Compound Butter 

Bold, beefy, and more affordable, teres major is quickly becoming one of my favorite cuts of steak.

Sometimes, compared to a filet mignon, it’s lean and tender but has a more pronounced flavor. 

Here, I’m going to show you how to reverse sear a teres major and serve it with a simple compound butter that will have you wondering why you aren’t cooking this steak more often. 

Reverse Seared Teres Major with Garlic Herb Compound Butter

Ingredients you’ll need

• Teres Major steak – Sourced ours from Snake River Farms.
• Olive Oil
• Seasoning – salt, pepper and garlic.
• Unsalted butter
• Garlic paste
• Fresh thyme

Equipment you’ll need

• Grill – Any grill that you can setup for indirect heat and searing
• Mixing bowl
• Instant read thermometer
• Tongs

What is a teres major steak? 

Teres major, sometimes called a petite tender, is found in the shoulder or the chuck of the cow. They are small in size, about half to one pound each, and there are only 2 per cow. 

This cut of steak has often been revered by butchers and prized for its rich flavor and tenderness. Most people say this is the second most tender cut of beef, following the filet.

What does teres major steak taste like?

It is lean, so you won’t find much marbling throughout. However, it does not lack flavor. 

When cooked right, it has a really rich, beefy, almost irony flavor similar to a hanger steak. 

Where to buy teres major steak

You will not see this cut of beef in a lot of grocery stores. More often, you will have to ask your butcher or go to a specialty store.

We were able to source these from Snake River Farms. They come in a two-pack at about 1lb each, and they are of the highest quality. 

How should you cook teres major? 

I like medium rare. Lean cuts like teres major, filet, and sirloin are better this way as they don’t have the intramuscular fat to keep them juicy if you cook them too long. 

Storing and reheating 

I like to store any leftover steak in an airtight container in my refrigerator. It will be good for up to a week.

To reheat, my preferred method is sous vide, as the microwave tends to overcook the steak most of the time. 

However, if you choose to microwave, do it on a low setting for a longer period of time.

You could also sear slices of the steak in a pan on medium heat until it warms through. Just be sure not to overcook, or it can get tough very quickly. 

How to Make Reversed Seared Teres Major with Garlic Herb Compound Butter 

1. Compound butter

Place a whole stick of softened, unsalted butter in a mixing bowl and add garlic paste, fresh thyme, a pinch of salt, and cracked black pepper. Mix until it’s well combined. You can refrigerate it as is, then just slather it on top of the steak as it rests. 

I like to get a little fancy by placing the butter onto plastic wrap and rolling it into a log. Refrigerate until it firms up, then cut into slices to lay on top of the steak immediately after removing it from the grill.

The heat from the steak will help melt the butter and run into the center as you cut your slices.

Save a little extra on the side. You’re going to want it. 

Although this compound butter Is simple, it’s the right pairing for this steak. 

Teres major goes well with compound butter as the richness adds to the lean steak. It’s honestly the perfect compliment.

2. Prep

Trim off any excess fat or silver skin from the steak and coat it lightly with olive oil.

Give it a good season with coarse salt, pepper, and garlic. I find that the beefiness of the steak holds up to the coarse seasoning well. 

3. Fire up the grill

Heat the grill to 250°F.

I reverse sear the steak by smoking it over indirect heat for about an hour or until it reaches an internal temperature of 125°F.

Then, to sear, I move it over to my gas grill and get it as hot as I can before finishing the steak.  

Sear directly over the heat, flipping a few times to get a nice even doneness.

Once the steak reaches an internal of 135°F, remove it from the heat. 

4. Rest

Add a few slices of compound butter onto the steak while it rests for 10-15 minutes, and slice across the grain for the most tender bite.

Save some of that butter for dipping on the side, and enjoy! 

Keen to try reverse searing other cuts of meat?

• Coffee Crusted Ribeye: Reverse Seared
• Reverse Seared Smoked Hamburgers
• Reverse Seared Tomahawk Steak
• Reverse Sear a Steak on the Grill