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Our easy steak marinade recipe will help you make your best steak ever! No more relegating steak to special occasion status! Even inexpensive cuts of steak will satisfy your taste for steak when you use this steak marinade. Fire up your grill, STAT!
This recipe is my favorite Steak Marinade for grilling or cooking on the stovetop. Your favorite cut of beef – it comes together in a flash and works its “science” overnight. Marinating is one of those processes that makes you realize just how much science magic happens in the kitchen. I like to use skirt steak, Boneless Beef Loin, New York strip, or sirloin, which can hold its texture just fine in an overnight steak marinade. Actually, this is even good on chicken!
I can honestly say I’ve never met a steak I didn’t like, but I‘ve met some that could benefit from a few hours in a well-constructed marinade. The beauty of the whole marinating process is that you can turn even an inexpensive cut of beef into something worthy of a special occasion, and I’m all for having a little extra “special” in our lives!
The right marinade can make an impenetrable cut of meat absorb loads of flavor and yield its tough tissue for a tender result. All that happens because of the chemistry going on between your steak and the marinade.
IF you love steak as much as I do, I hope you’ll try more of our family favorites like Swiss steak, steak pizzaiola, and grilled flank steak.
WHY MARINATE A STEAK?
I know a lot of you DO NOT use steak marinade. That said, a lot of us do. The marinade ingredients (pantry staples) are combined to scientifically tenderize it, flavor it, and ultimately caramelize the exterior of a steak, just a bit! Oh, and also to add so much flavor!
WHAT’S THE BEST WAY TO TENDERIZE A STEAK?
Well, use this marinade of course! I generally whisk together the marinade, then pour it into a large, resealable freezer bag. Next, I pop the steaks directly into it. If you object to plastic, pour the marinade into a baking dish, turn the steaks over in the marinade, then cover and place in the fridge.
HOW LONG DO I MARINATE A STEAK?
Make the marinade and pop your steaks right in. Steaks should be marinated for a minimum of 2 hours up to overnight and kept in the refrigerator. The longer you marinate, the more flavor will be added!
HOW MANY POUNDS OF STEAK WILL THIS MARINATE?
This marinade recipe yields just under 2 cups of liquid (approximately 15–16 fluid ounces), which is enough to marinate 2-3 pounds, depending on the cut and thickness.
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For thicker or bone-in steaks (like ribeye or porterhouse), lean toward 2 pounds.
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For thinner cuts (like flank, skirt, or sirloin), it can effectively cover up to 3 pounds.
WHAT ARE THE BASIC COMPONENTS OF A MARINADE
You’ll just need to remember this simple acronym: S-O-F-A.
- Salt: The “S” stands for salt, which is probably the most important ingredient in a marinade for steak, or any other meats, for that matter.
- Marinades, in general, have a hard time penetrating more than a few millimeters past the surface, but salt helps increase that depth a bit (through a boring but important process similar to osmosis).
- Salt also helps break down some of the proteins in the meat, ones that typically shrink during the cooking process and leave you wondering how much water you’ll have to drink to digest that dry piece of sawdust on your plate.
- Breaking down those proteins means more moisture is retained during the cooking process. Plus it’s, well, salt, which enhances even the most naturally flavorful foods. My marinade uses soy sauce to provide the salt as well as an extra savory, umami component.
- Oil: The “O” stands for oil which serves two purposes: it works as a conduit for any flavorings that are only soluble in oil (garlic, one of my favorite “flavorizers,” being one) and helps with consistent browning once the steak hits the grill.
- Mild, high-smoke-point oils are the preferred choice here for a bbq steak marinade, so I use a regular or light olive oil in the recipe (rather than extra-virgin, for example).
- Flavor: “F” is for flavor, and the sky’s the limit here, but you want to use strong flavors that will stand up to the natural flavor of the beef. I always use garlic and aromatics that have a little bit of gusto. In this Steak Marinade recipe, I’ve added Italian seasoning and pepper (freshly ground, of course), plus some Worcestershire sauce and Dijon mustard to do a little double-duty.
- They both add tons of flavor (seriously, Worcestershire sauce has like 50 ingredients!), but they also supplement that last mandatory marinade ingredient. “A” is for acid.
- Acid: Whether you use citrus juice, vinegar, or even beer or wine, acid is essential for any marinade. Acid more than any other ingredient works to break down the connective tissue in steak, so it’s your tough cut’s best friend.
- I use red wine vinegar because I like the flavor, and Worcestershire sauce and mustard bring a little extra vinegar to play as well. It’s important to understand that too much of a good thing can quickly become a bad thing, though, so keep the ratio of oil to vinegar at about 1 to ½ and choose the marinating time carefully. Otherwise, your tough cut will go from tender to mealy, and you might just ruin a steak you’ve spent a small fortune on.
STEAK MARINADE INGREDIENTS
- Oil: Any neutral-flavored oil with a mid to high smoke point will work.
- Soy Sauce: Adds salt and umami. Start with low-sodium soy sauce so you can control the amount of sodium in the finished dish.
- Balsamic Vinegar: Adds the acid to tenderize the steak, a great flavor and sweetness.
- Red Wine Vinegar: Compliments the balsamic, giving the marinade the proper amount of acid, without making it too sweet.
- Worcestershire sauce: Adds an amazing amount of flavor. It’s a bit tangy, sweet and savory.
- Dijon mustard: Adds great savory flavor.
- Garlic: Please only use fresh garlic for the proper flavor, not the stuff that comes from the jar already minced.
- Italian Seasoning: A great combo of herbs that come already mixed. No need to buy multiple jars of herbs when you grab this! Generally, it contains basil, oregano, rosemary, thyme, and marjoram.
- Pepper: Black pepper freshly ground finishes off the savory flavor profile.
HOW LONG DO YOU MARINATE STEAK?
Beef is like a lot of things: you get what you pay for. To determine how long to marinate steak, you just need to look at the price tag. Expensive prime cuts mean higher quality beef that’s more tender and flavorful and don’t need much fussing over. Obviously, I wouldn’t marinate a filet mignon!
For those, you’ll either need a quick steak marinade, with minimal exposure time to the acid you’ve chosen, or a low-acid version for longer, flavor-concentrating.
WHAT SIDES GO WITH STEAK?
One of my favorite things to serve with steak is a great, fresh salad! We like our KFC coleslaw, Asian coleslaw, carrot salad, cucumber tomato salad, broccoli salad, spinach strawberry salad, strawberry salad, 1905 salad, Mediterranean salad, pizza salad, or grinder salad!
My family will absolutely want something a little carb-y to round things out! We love steak with sweet cornbread, jalapeño cornbread, Southern cornbread, three bean salad, Paula Deen corn casserole, corn pudding, au gratin potatoes, funeral potatoes, ranch potatoes, garlic bread, or our recipe for the best way to cook corn!
We also like steak paired with one of our great pasta salad recipes. We love our classic macaroni salad, Ina Garten potato salad, tortellini salad, very authentic Hawaiian macaroni salad, or dill pickle pasta salad!
RECIPE NOTES FOR THE BEST STEAK MARINADE
When You Grill:
- Watch your fire: Now that you’ve carefully marinated your steak, you don’t want to overcook it!
- There’s definitely an art to grilling the perfect steak. The same type of steak can vary in thickness plus the temperature will continue to rise another 5 or 10 degrees once you’ve removed it from the heat. The first thing to remember is to get your steak as close to room temperature as you can before grilling.
- Remove it from the fridge at least 30 minutes before you plan to start the sizzling. It can be difficult to remember all those ranges for cooking times and temperatures for different degrees of doneness, especially if you’re grilling for a crowd, so here’s a handy graphic to help take the guesswork out of when to pull your steak off the fire:
How To Make Steak In A Skillet (Stovetop Instructions):
- Set a cast iron skillet or cast iron grill pan on the stovetop with the heat on high for 5 minutes.
- Add steak to the dry skillet and cook on high until the exterior is brown and forms a nice crust.
- Reduce heat to medium-high heat and continue to cook to desired doneness. Remove steak to a plate and let the steak rest, 5 minutes per inch of thickness.
Better With Beer:
For some aficionados’ steak marinade beer needs to come first! Nothing makes better fajitas, right?
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- Feel free to use it in my recipe as a red wine vinegar replacement, and use a little chili powder and cumin instead of the Italian seasoning. I’d suggest a light
- lager-style, rather than a dark beer, to do its tenderizing duty without competing with the beef flavor.
STORING + FREEZING
- How Long Can You Keep This In The Fridge? Immediately store leftover beef steak 2 hours after cooking. leftovers can last in the fridge for 3-4 days.
- Can You Freeze This? Leftovers can be stored in the freezer for 2-3 months.
- Food Safety: If you’d like more info on food safety check out this link.
CHECK OUT MORE FABULOUS STEAK RECIPES!
- Steak Chili – Steak chili is one of those hearty stick-to-your-ribs recipes full of fork-tender meat, veggies, and beans with a secret ingredient to amp up the flavor!
- Steak Sandwich – This is not your average steak sandwich. Juicy ribeye steak, arugula, and roasted garlic mayo make your next steak (sandwich) night the yummiest ever.
- Easy Tropical Flank Steak – Absolutely delicious with an easy-to-make marinade!
- Steak Tacos – Great weeknight meal served with shredded cheese, sour cream, lettuce, and whatever else suits my mood!
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Steak Marinade
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup olive oil
- 1/2 cup soy sauce
- 1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
- 1/4 cup red wine vinegar
- 1/3 cup Worcestershire sauce
- 2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
- 1 tablespoon fresh garlic, minced
- 2 tablespoons Italian seasoning
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
Instructions
- In a mixing bowl, whisk together olive oil (1/2 cup), soy sauce (1/2 cup), Balsamic vinegar (1/4 cup), red wine vinegar (1/4 cup), Worcestershire sauce (1/3 cup), Dijon mustard (2 tablespoons), garlic (1 tablespoon), Italian Seasoning (2 tablespoons), and pepper (1/2 teaspoon) until well combined. Pour into a 1-gallon resealable plastic bag.
- Add steaks to bag and seal. Place bag on a rimmed baking sheet to catch any drips or leakage. Refrigerate overnight.
- Heat up the grill and allow steaks to sit out on the counter for 30 minutes.
- Grill steaks until desired doneness. See notes above. Allow steaks to rest 7-10 minutes then serve.
Fans Also Made:
Notes
- Watch your fire: Now that you’ve carefully marinated your steak, you don’t want to overcook it!
- There’s definitely an art to grilling the perfect steak. The same type of steak can vary in thickness plus the temperature will continue to rise another 5 or 10 degrees once you’ve removed it from the heat. The first thing to remember is to get your steak as close to room temperature as you can before grilling.
- Remove it from the fridge at least 30 minutes before you plan to start the sizzling. It can be difficult to remember all those ranges for cooking times and temperatures for different degrees of doneness, especially if you’re grilling for a crowd, so here’s a handy graphic to help take the guesswork out of when to pull your steak off the fire:
- Beer Me: For some aficionados’ steak marinade beer needs to come first! Nothing makes better fajitas, right?
- Feel free to use it in my recipe as a red wine vinegar replacement, and use a little chili powder and cumin instead of the Italian seasoning. I’d suggest a light
- Lager-style, rather than a dark beer, to do its tenderizing duty without competing with the beef flavor.
Nutrition
Just wanted to know about how many steaks or lbs of meat is this marinade recipe good for? Thank you!
Hey Shelly, great questions! This marinade recipe yields just under 2 cups of liquid (approximately 15–16 fluid ounces), which is enough to marinate 2-3 pounds, depending on the cut and thickness.
For thicker or bone-in steaks (like ribeye or porterhouse), lean toward 2 pounds.
For thinner cuts (like flank, skirt, or sirloin), it can effectively cover up to 3 pounds.
I usually just put kosher salt on my Filets, let sit for an hour, then wipe off the excess before cooking. I really like this marinade, and will give it a try.
Hey Joanne, I hope you enjoy!