The absolute best steak marinade recipe that will quickly become your "go-to" for any cut of beef! Not only does the marinade help tenderize the meat, but it also adds a delicious savory flavor in every bite. This is the only steak marinade you'll ever need!
Jump to:
- Better Than The Rest - Here's Why:
- Steak Marinade: What You Need To Know About This Recipe
- 🛒 Ingredients You'll Need
- 👩🏼🍳 Here's Exactly How You Make It
- 🙋🏼 Top Questions I Get Asked About This Recipe
- Expert Tips
- 🔥 Other Recipes For The Grill
- 🥗 A Few Side Dishes That Taste So Good With This Steak Marinade!
- Steak Marinade Recipe
Better Than The Rest - Here's Why:
✅ Perfect Balance In The Marinade - it has all the key ingredients you need for a solid base: it's made with oil (that's your fat), lemon juice and red wine vinegar (that's your acid), and fresh garlic, soy sauce, and so many more flavorful ingredients (that's your seasonings)! That's why you'll get restaurant quality texture and flavor with this marinade every single time!
✅ Best On These Cuts Of Steak - the best cuts of beef to marinate with this recipe are flank, flat iron, skirt, sirloin, and hanger.
✅ Quick & Convenient - with just a 10 minute prep time and by using the bowl-and-whisk method, it’s fast and fuss-free. You don't need a blender or food processor like so many other marinade recipes.
Steak Marinade: What You Need To Know About This Recipe
- Make Extra For Later: You can make a couple of batches ahead of time and store them in the refrigerator or in the freezer for future use.
- Marinating Time: For best flavor results, marinate the steak for 12-24 hours because not only does it add a ton of flavor, but it also tenderizes the meat making it easier to eat. But if you are short on time, marinate it for at least 2 hours before grilling.
- Grilling vs. Oven Cooking: This marinade shines when you cook the steak on the grill. But if grilling isn’t an option, you’ll still get delicious results using a cast iron skillet from a pan sear, finishing in the oven, or even trying a reverse sear or broiling method.
- Quick, Flexible, Reliable, and Flavor-Packed: It delivers restaurant-worthy steaks at home!
Really delicious, best steak I’ve ever eaten.
- Michael Mawbey
🛒 Ingredients You'll Need
- Oil - I've had really great results using Canola Oil, Extra Virgin Olive Oil, and Grapeseed Oil, or Avocado Oil when making this recipe. My go to for this recipe is olive oil, but all the ones I've listed here taste amazing!
- Soy Sauce - I don't use salt in this marinade, only soy sauce. It gives steak marinade a deep, savory, meaty flavor that plain salt can’t match.
- Red Wine Vinegar - it's an acid and helps tenderize the steak (breaks down muscle fibers and connective tissues) while marinating.
- Fresh Lemon Juice - another acid that helps tenderize and adds a nice zesty flavor.
- Worcestershire Sauce - this adds a deep, savory, slightly tangy flavor (like a flavor amplifier) and also helps with tenderizing the meat (it's made with a vinegar base).
- Dijon Mustard - adds a zesty bite, but binds together the oil and vinegar in the marinade, creating a way smoother texture than most other marinade recipes out there.
- Garlic - this gives the steak marinade that savory flavor.
- Ground Pepper - adds a bit of a "kick"
- Steak - use any cut you want! My favorite cut with this marinade recipe is either flat iron, flank, or hanger! But, you just really can't go wrong with any cut of steak you use!
👩🏼🍳 Scroll down to the recipe card below for all the details you’ll need to make this recipe!
👩🏼🍳 Here's Exactly How You Make It
- Step 1: In a medium bowl, mix the oil, soy sauce, red wine vinegar, lemon juice, Worcestershire sauce, Dijon Mustard, garlic, and pepper.
- Step 2: Place the steak in a gallon size Ziplock bag. Pour the marinade over the meat, mixing so it's covered thoroughly. Refrigerate for 12-24 hours.
👩🏼🍳 Expert Tip: If you're not a fan of using plastic bags, you can mix all the steak marinade ingredients in a bowl and then pour the liquid over the steak in a large dish.
- Step 3: After the meat has marinated, remove it from the plastic bag and let it rest uncovered for 30 minutes at room temperature.
- Step 4: Preheat the grill to medium-high heat. Place the steak on the grill and sear on each side for 2-3 minutes. Lower the heat and continue to grill for 7-10 minutes per side, or to desired doneness.
- Step 5: Remove the steak from the grill and let it rest for 5-7 minutes. Using a steak knife, slice against the grain and then you are ready to serve!
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🙋🏼 Top Questions I Get Asked About This Recipe
At a minimum, steak should marinate for at least 1-2 hours. For best results, let it marinate the steak overnight, 12-24 hours.
Never marinate steak at room temperature. Doing so significantly increases the risk of bacterial growth that can make you very sick. Always marinate meat either covered or sealed in the refrigerator.
I recommend this technique because the marinade will penetrate deeper into the steak and it will also help tenderize the steak even more.
Expert Tips
- If you opt to cook the steak in the oven, don't cook it in the marinade. If you grill the steak, don't baste it in the marinade it soaked in. It's just not safe due to bacteria growth.
- Try cooking your steak in the air fryer or by pan searing on the stove top.
- The steak will be juicier if you let it rest once you remove it from the heat. Letting it rest before slicing helps make it extra juicy and you want to do everything you can to hold in the juices.
- Make sure you slice against the grain and ensure it is thinly sliced. Using these techniques will result in a more tender steak.
🔥 Other Recipes For The Grill
🥗 A Few Side Dishes That Taste So Good With This Steak Marinade!
If you tried this steak marinade recipe or any other recipes on my website, please let me know how it turned out in the comments below. I love hearing from you! And, please leave a 🌟 rating while you're there!
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Steak Marinade Recipe
Equipment
- 1 large bowl
- 1 whisk
- measuring cups and spoons
- 1 steak knife
Ingredients
For Marinade:
- ½ cup canola oil
- ⅓ cup soy sauce
- ¼ cup red wine vinegar
- 2 Tablespoons lemon juice, freshly squeezed
- 1 ½ Tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
- 1 Tablespoon Dijon Mustard
- 2 garlic cloves, minced
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
Steak
- 2 lbs steak, (any cut)
Instructions
Grilling Instructions
- In a medium bowl, mix the ½ cup canola oil, ⅓ cup soy sauce, ¼ cup red wine vinegar, 2 Tablespoons of lemon juice, 1 ½ Tablespoons of Worcestershire sauce, 1 Tablespoon of Dijon Mustard, 2 minced garlic cloves, and ½ teaspoon of black pepper.
- Place the steak in a gallon size Ziplock bag. Expert Tip: If you're not a fan of using plastic bags, you can mix all the steak marinade ingredients in a bowl and then pour the liquid over the steak in a large dish.
- Pour the marinade over the meat, mixing so it's covered thoroughly. Refrigerate for 12-24 hours.
- After the meat has marinated, remove it from the container and let it rest uncovered for 30 minutes at room temperature.
- Preheat the grill to medium-high heat. Place the steak on the grill and sear on each side for 2-3 minutes.
- Lower the heat and continue to grill for 7-10 minutes per side, or to desired doneness.
- Remove the steak from the grill and let it rest for 5-7 minutes before slicing.
Video
Notes
- I highly recommend marinating the meat for at least 12 hours, if not 24 hours before cooking. The marinade is full of flavor so take the time and don't skip this step.
- If you opt to cook it in the oven, don't cook it in the marinade. If you grill the steak, don't baste it in the marinade it soaked in. It's just not safe due to bacteria growth.
- Insert a meat thermometer at a slight angle on the side of the steak and when it reaches your desired doneness, remove it from the grill or the oven.
- It will be more juicy if you let it rest once you remove it from the heat. Letting it rest before slicing (rest for about 5-7 minutes) helps make the steak extra juicy and you want to do everything you can to hold in the juices.
- Make sure you slice against the grain rather than parallel. Cutting against the grain will result in a more tender steak.
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Anne Lawton
I am getting hungry looking at your photos, that steak looks so good! I will be making this recipe real soon!
Amanda Mason
Hi Anne! Let me know how you like it!!!
Mike
Hello. You should probably be specifying that gluten free Worcestershire sauce needs to be used. Regular Lea & Perrins Worcestershire sauce is not gluten free. A gluten free brand that we use is "The Wizard's". Just putting the marinade together now, will try tonight.
Amanda Mason
Hi Mike! Thanks for writing me!! I'm excited to hear back from you on what you think about the marinade!! I looked up Lea & Perrins just now and they are gluten free. Take a look at their disclaimer here: http://www.leaperrins.com/Products/The%20Original%20Worcestershire%20Sauce. None the less, I will absolutely update the recipe to ensure readers know to read the labels of their Worcestershire sauce! LEt me know how that steak turns out!
Mike
Thanks Amanda. I also did some quick reading, and yes, L&P is gluten free in the US, but not Canada (and I believe some other markets). Malt vinegar is used in the recipe outside the US.
Amanda Mason
Hey Mike - that is SO helpful to know!!! Thanks for writing back to let me and the readers know!!
Christine
So excited for grilling season - Definitely using this recipe the next time I make flank steak!
Amanda Mason
You will LOVE it! I promise!
Ashley @ Big Flavors from a Tiny Kitchen
Hooray for grilling season! This marinade looks great - I'm totally craving steak now!
Amanda Mason
Ha Ha! Glad I got your tastebuds wanting steak! Enjoy!!
Pam Avoledo
Yummy! Steak is one of the best foods ever.
Amanda Mason
Right!?! Thanks for your comment!!
Amanda Mason
Awesome! The longer it marinates, the more tender and flavorful the meat will be!
Idriss
Flank is my favourite cut! Looks like you got it just right, love the marinade too. Good Job!
Amanda Mason
Thanks! Yes, I prefer Flat Iron steak but regardless, this marinade makes a Flank cut or a Flat Iron cut so tender!
Cheryl
This looks and sounds so yum! I'm always afraid of flank, because I tend to overcook it and it becomes tough. Looks like I'm going to have to try it again!
Amanda Mason
I think you should try making it with Flat Iron Steak and see how you like it!!
msmamabean
This is the perfect recipe for my meat lover husband! It look so easy to make as well, will definitely give it a try tonight!
Amanda Mason
If he's a meat lover, he's going to love this one! The marinade is what makes this steak! My 7 year old who hates most foods even loved this one!
Lisanne
It looks really delicious!
Amanda Mason
Thanks! I hope you have an opportunity to try it out!