Homemade Steak Marinade

This Homemade Steak Marinade is the perfect way to season beef. Hearty and rich, the flavorful marinade is made with pantry staples and comes together in a snap! Perfect for creating tender and delicious burgers or steaks. 

Grilling season is in full swing and more often than not, you’ll find our family out in the backyard with smells of sizzling seasoned sirloin permeating the air. This super easy homemade steak marinade recipe is bold and zesty without being overpowering, and flavors hearty beef or steak up beautifully. We use this exact same recipe to flavor flank steaks for fajitas, beef for salads, or a thick, juicy t-bone on the grill. Plus it’s made with easy to find pantry ingredients that you probably already have on hand. So get that grill fired up and let’s get cooking!

Why Marinate Steak Before Cooking?

Soaking steaks in a bath of fragrant ingredients gives the meat a depth of flavor that can infuse your steak deeper than using a dry rub, which is great for cuts of steak that have a tendency to be tough. The oils, herbs and spices infuse the steak, while acids in the vinegar or lemon juice tenderizes tougher cuts of meat. Whether it’s for thirty minutes or overnight, marination will enhance the flavor and texture of your beef.

What’s in a Good Steak Marinade?

There are so many types of delicious marinades out there, but there’s usually a few key ingredients that make a perfect marinade. Here’s what you need for this perfect homemade steak marinade:

• Canola Oil: Fat helps retain moisture in the meat and helps to enhance the flavor. It can also keep the acidic flavors from being too overpowering. You can also use olive oil, sesame oil, mayonnaise or buttermilk.
• Soy Sauce: Just like salt, soy sauce acts as a flavor enhancer. It also breaks down myosin , the tough protein found in meat, so your meat is nice and tender.
• Balsamic Vinegar: The rich, sweet flavor of balsamic vinegar is a perfect way to add deep flavor to the beef and also make it tantalizingly tender.
• Worcestershire Sauce: You’ll find a little bit of everything in here. Vinegar tenderizes the meat, sugar adds sweetness, while onion, garlic, anchovies and tamarind bring together tons of savory flavors in one. Plus, Worcestershire sauce is highly concentrated so it can work itself deep into the meat for more tenderness and flavor.
• Garlic: Crush a few cloves of garlic and let them soak in the marinade with your meat for a deliciously subtle yet rich garlic flavor in your steak.
• Dijon Mustard: Mustard works as a meat tenderizer too! Plus, it can help create a crust over the steak, locking in all those succulent juices. We love Dijon but you can use a grainy brown mustard, honey mustard or plain yellow too.
• Brown Sugar: Rich brown sugar adds sweet flavor to balance out the savory ingredients, while helping to make a nice rich glaze on the meat during grilling.
• Kosher Salt: Kosher salt breaks down more slowly than table salt, and also acts as a meat tenderizer, giving the steak a savory flavor and melt-in-your-mouth texture.

How Long Can Steak Marinate?

Marinades that contain acid, alcohol or salt should only be used for a few hours because it can chemically break down the food in it. Because this recipe contains balsamic vinegar, up to five hours is a perfect amount of time to marinate your steaks. If you leave out the vinegar, you can actually marinate overnight in the refrigerator.

Can You Freeze Steak in Marinade?

Yes! Freezing your meat along with a delicious marinade is simple and makes dinner come together in a snap! Here’s all you do:

1. Combine the marinade ingredients in a Ziploc freezer bag.
2. Add the steaks to the bag use your hands to squish the ingredients around to coat the meat.
3. Double bag it on order to avoid any leaks.
4. Lay flat in the freezer.
5. Marinated meat will keep well in the freezer for up to six months.

Frequently Asked Questions

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How to Make Homemade Steak Marinade