This easy shoulder tender steak recipe makes for a fresh and light meal seasoned with garlic, rosemary, and thyme.
(Gluten Free, Primal, Soy Free, Nut Free, Refined Sugar Free)
The shoulder tender is a beautiful cut. As the name suggests, this often underappreciated cut has tenderness comparable to higher-end steaks. It is not at all heavy or fatty, and has the flavor to stand on its own without marinating or heavy seasonings. This garlic rubbed shoulder tender is coated in just a few fresh herbs to give the steak a vibrant summer flavor without weighing it down. A few of these shoulder tenders served with some salad or stir fried veggies will make the perfect dinner.
Garlic Herb Shoulder Tender
This garlic rubbed shoulder tender is coated in just a few fresh herbs to give the steak a vibrant summer flavor without weighing it down. A few of these shoulder tenders served with some salad or stir fried veggies will make the perfect dinner. (Gluten Free, Primal, Soy Free, Nut Free, Refined Sugar Free)
- 1 petite beef shoulder tender
- 1-2 sprigs rosemary (chopped (about 1 tbsp worth))
- 2-4 sprigs thyme (chopped (about 1 tbsp worth))
- 1 teaspoon granulated garlic
- 2 teaspoons salt
- 1 teaspoon pepper
- 1-2 tablespoons butter (for cooking)
- Rub the chopped rosemary, thyme, garlic, salt, and pepper onto the shoulder tender. Heat a pan to medium high heat and grease with 1 tablespoon of butter. Place the shoulder tender in the pan and pan fry for about 10-15 minutes, flipping occasionally as needed and adding more butter if the pan dries out. Cook to 130 for rare, 135 for medium rare, and 140 for well done.
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The shoulder looks too large to pan fry. Is it possible you mean to cut a steak off it and pan fry that?
Hi Len,
This recipe uses one of our petite shoulder tender steaks, which tend to weigh a little over half a pound. If you’re talking about a shoulder roast, you’re right that it would be too large to fry, and you’d want to slow roast it in either the oven or a slow cooker. Hopefully this helps!
This cut was absolutely delicious. Just the right amount.
And prepared with Linnaea’s recipe, simply YUM!
….and we are vegetarians!
Wonderful cut of meat. Followed this recipe. It was absolutely delicious . . . every bit as good as beef tenderloin – and so much less expensive. Can’t wait to fix this for company! Bless you for acquainting
me with this cut of meat.
Hi Patricia,
Glad you enjoyed it! Yes, the shoulder tender is one of my favorite steaks. So few people know how wonderfully tender and flavorful it is, but it really is the best-kept secret in beef. 🙂
Good recipe, but I would use less salt.
How about grilling it, would you recommend that or not
Hi Catherine, yes definitely! Shoulder tenders are great on the grill!
What actually is a rosemary/thyme head? A whole sprig of rosemary and all the flower heads off of a sprig if thyme? That’s what I chopped. Getting ready to fry it up.