The BEST Steak Marinade in existence is right here! This magical, homemade marinade transforms everyday cuts of beef into tender, juicy and flavorful steaks! Watch the recipe video below to see how quick and easy this recipe is to make!
I can’t believe June is here! My kids’ last day of school is Friday and then we are officially on summer vacation. We’re taking it easy this summer and will be spending as much time outside as we can.
For us, summer time means firing up the grill. We love to grill just about everything (chicken, vegetables, hot dogs and burgers) but steaks are a family favorite. It used to be a toss up for us between which dry rub to use but now, our go-to marinade is this: the BEST Steak Marinade in Existence!!
What is the best marinade for steak?
A good quality, homemade steak marinade doesn’t need to be fancy. A few simple ingredients are all you need. The best steak marinade should include:
- Several layers of flavor – Soy sauce, garlic, and Worcestershire sauce all play a key role in the flavor profile of this marinade.
- An acid (in this case, lemon juice) to help break down the tough muscle fibers and collagen in the meat so that the flavorful ingredients infuse into the steak.
- Fat – Most marinades, including this one, have oil in them. Olive oil, avocado oil, coconut oil, or vegetable oil are the most common. The oil helps to balance any acidic ingredients and it helps the steak to retain moisture as it cooks.
Best Steak Marinade in Existence
This homemade steak marinade recipe post, originally published back in 2012, is still our favorite today.
This marinade will seriously transform your meat. The adapted recipe couldn’t be any quicker or easier – simply whisk the marinade ingredients together in a bowl. If you have a blender at home, you can blend all of the ingredients together.
My Original Post from 2012
(with edits!)
I don’t quite remember how I stumbled upon Chrissy’s blog but once I found this “best steak marinade” recipe, I was amazed to find out that Chrissy Teigen cooks! I love it! (We all know she cooks now! and I happily own her first cookbook Cravings) . . And, most people, of course, know her as “John Legend’s girlfriend” but again, I love the fact that she loves food and is cooking! (remember, I wrote this post back in 2012. They are married and have their daughter, Luna).
Chrissy posted a recipe for the homemade steak marinade that John actually makes for her. . which makes me LOVE HIM even more. He sings, he cooks, he grills. . he’s awesome. And boy, this marinade is awesome. It really is the real deal. If you grill and like meat, you must try this. But I was thinking about this. .
How to make the perfect steak
You need 3 things in order to have a delicious steak:
- A good cut of steak – Ask your butcher for recommendations. If you will be cooking steak in the oven, you want a different cut of beef than one for grilled steak.
- You must have a good meat marinade. Done. It’s right here. The BEST Steak Marinade in Existence! This recipe will give you enough marinade for 4 to 5 pounds of meat.
- You must know how to grill a steak properly. Don’t undercook it, and don’t burn the poor thing. My husband is the grilling master of our house. If you don’t have someone to grill for you or you can’t do it, check out this post (from a grilling cookbook author!) on how to grill steak.
Once you have these three things, make this homemade steak marinade. It really is delicious! I am seriously now thinking of buying enough rib eye or tri tip to last me the entire week so I can eat more of this!
Can you marinate steak too long?
IMPORTANT NOTE: When there is an acid in the marinade, do not allow the steak to marinate for longer than 4 hours. Otherwise, the acid component will begin to break down the structure of the meat, effectively curing or “cooking” it. If you have ever eaten ceviche, the concept is the same.
Best Steak Marinade in Existence!!
Ingredients
- 1/3 cup soy sauce
- 1 tbsp (heaping) brown sugar
- 1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
- 1/3 cup fresh lemon juice
- 1/4 cup Worcestershire sauce
- 1 1/2 tablespoons garlic powder
- 3 tablespoons dried basil
- 1 1/2 tablespoons dried parsley flakes
- 1 teaspoon ground pepper
- 1/4 teaspoon hot pepper sauce optional
- 1 teaspoon fresh minced garlic
Instructions
- Place meat into a large ziptop bag or large shallow dish or bowl. Using a bowl, pour in all of the ingredients and whisk until thoroughly mixed. If you have a blender at home, feel free to blend the marinade ingredients together. Otherwise, a whisk works fine!!
- Pour the marinade into the ziptop bag or dish, directly over the meat. Cover, and refrigerate for at least 1 hour and up to 4 hours. The longer you allow the meat to marinate, the better, but because of the acid (lemon juice) in the marinade, do not marinate longer than 4 hours. See notes below.
- Remove meat from the marinade and DISCARD THE MARINADE - do not reuse. Cook steak (grilling is recommended) as desired and enjoy!See below for the Chimichurri recipe!
Notes
How Long to Marinate a Steak?
How long to marinate a steak depends on the size and variety of the cut you're using. · Thinner cuts, such as skirt or flanks steaks, should be marinated for 2 to 4 hours. If wanting to marinate overnight, skip the lemon juice and just add 2 tablespoons of red wine vinegar.· Tougher cuts, such as top sirloin or sirloin tip, will benefit from marinating overnight (about 8 to 12 hours). Click here for the Chimichurri recipe!
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