Beef shoulder tenders, sometimes labeled as “tender fillets,” are cut from a small muscle that rests over the cow’s shoulder near the “top blade.” A whole shoulder tender is usually the size of a pork tenderloin. The butcher at my local Publix butterflies them to a one-inch-thickness and sells them three or four to a package. Each fillet is about two ounces, so you’re essentially buying around six ounces of succulent steak for less than four dollars. How cool is that?

When I see shoulder tender fillets in the grocery store, I buy them out. If the fillets are large enough, I grill them like regular steaks. If they’re small, I treat them like beef tips, or tournedos, and sear them on the stovetop with a pan sauce. Along with tri-tip, this is the most economical way to satisfy your steak craving.

It’s funny; I don’t think I’ve ever blogged how to cook a proper steak. I think the best steaks are cooked in a heavy pan over medium-high heat. The pan allows you to develop a good crust similar to what steakhouses get with their high-temperature broilers. Plus, you can make a pan sauce with the rendered fat. But that crust comes at the cost of having a smoky house that will smell like char for at least two days, so I usually just grill my steaks outside. (click here for grilling tips)

I first trim and salt the steaks for at least an hour, then I rinse them clean and pat them dry. Next, I season them liberally with freshly ground pepper and a pinch of kosher salt and I sear them over high, direct heat for a few minutes. After that, I move them to indirect heat until they hit the proper internal temperature (around 120° for rare/med rare). Then I transfer the steaks to a hot plate, top each one of them with a little pat of butter, and let them rest under foil for at least ten minutes. The results are perfectly cooked steaks that have a large, pink center and a robust beef flavor.