Easy Steak Marinade Recipes
07/09/2020
Having a good, quick steak marinade recipe is essential during grilling season.
Although we think most cuts taste amazing with only a little salt and pepper, a good steak marinade recipe is great when you want to give the beef an added flavor.
Since we raise beef cattle, we eat a lot of steaks.
There are a few steak marinade recipes that we repeatedly use because theyre easy to make, theyre versatile for multiple recipes, they use common pantry ingredients, and they infuse flavor quickly.
For some of these steak marinades, the steak needs to marinade for as little as 15-minutes to get the flavor.
How Do You Make A Steak Tender
There are two ways that I use to make a steak tender. Acidic tenderizers are a great way to get a tender steak. I include lemon juice in my marinade to help to soften the steak. it breaks down the tough fibers in the meat. If you are starting out with an already tough cut of meat, I will also break down the fibers by pounding the meat before I cook it.
What Is The Difference Between Prime Choice And Select Beef Steak
- Prime beef comes from young cattle. It has a generous amount of marbling , this is the best and most expensive grade of beef.
- Choice beef steaks are high quality and are more budget friendly than prime, they just dont have quite as much marbling.
- Select beef steak is the lowest grade and the most budget friendly. Meat is leaner and not quite as tender.
Read Also: Papa John’s Philly Steak Pizza
Why Do Chefs Spoon Butter Over Steak
Basting your steak with butter is a pro chef tip that will forever change the way you cook! Using butter adds richness to the steak and is the perfect final touch. It bathes the meat and helps the heat distribute into every nook crevice on the surface.
Wait to bathe the steak with the butter until the end of the cooking process to prevent the butter from burning. It is ok to slightly brown the butter because that will add a rich and nutty sauce to your steak.
See This Steak Recipe In Action:

Note that in creating this recipe, we used both ribeye and T-bone steaks. The recipe is fabulous with either cut, as long they steaks are good quality and fresh from your butcher/grocer.
Once you have your handful of ingredients, simply combine it all in an airtight container and let steaks soak up the marinade flavors in the fridge until grill time. If needed, turn steaks over halfway through marinading time so all sides are nicely flavored.
Bonus option: after removing steaks from marinade, feel free to transfer marinade sauce to a saucepan and bring to a boil, so you can use it as a sauce to drizzle over cooked steaks. This is a simple and delicious way to make use of all the flavorful marinade.
Also Check: Where To Buy Steaks Online
Storing And Reheating Leftover Ribeye
You can easily store and reheat your steak for a tasty, lavish meal on the go!
- In the Refrigerator: Store your cooked steak in an airtight container. It will keep in the fridge for up to 3 days.
- In the Freezer: You can either wrap your steak in plastic wrap or keep it in an airtight container. It will stay good for up to 2 months.
- Reheating: First, thaw your steak overnight in the fridge. Next, let it sit at room temperature for 30 minutes. You can then warm it up in a skillet until internal temperatures reach at least 120 degrees Fahrenheit.
How Long Does Steak Marinade Last
You can make a big batch of this marinade and keep it on hand for whenever you need to marinate some protein. Keep this marinade in an airtight container in the fridge for 2-3 weeks.
You can also keep the marinade in the freezer. If its already in the bag with the steak, it will keep for 3 months. If youre storing the marinade on its own, you can freeze it up to 9 months. It it thaw overnight in the fridge if its paired with meat, or it can thaw at room temperature if its alone.
Also Check: Opinel Bon Appetit Steak Knife
How To Make The Best Steak Marinade
You can even skip the bowl and add all the ingredients straight to the freezer bag. Mix everything well by squishing it around with your hands. This marinade can be used for other types of meat like poultry or pork as well!
How To Cook The Steaks In A Skillet
If you dont have a grill handy, you can also cook these steaks in a hot skillet on the stove. I recommend a cast iron skillet, if you have one, but if not, any heavy-bottomed skillet will work.
Also Check: Kansas City Steak Company Hot Dogs
How Do You Cook These Steaks In The Oven
If youd prefer to cook these steaks in the oven, I recommend patting dry and seasoning as instructed. Preheat the oven to 450 degrees. Then, add the steaks to a cast-iron pan over high heat for 1-2 minutes, flip then put the skillet into the oven for 10 minutes or less depending on how thick the sirloin is. Again, let the steaks rest for 5 minutes before slicing into.
How To Marinate A Steak
Fortunately, the best way to marinate a steak is also the most simple one and requires combining a few ingredients to make a marinade and having the steak set in it for a bit.
More specifically, here are the steps for how to marinate a steak:
Seriously. So dang easy.
Recommended Reading: Jack Link’s Beef Steak
How Long To Cook Steak
A serving size of steak is 3 ounces which is roughly the same size as the palm of your hand or a deck of playing cards. Generally speaking, one 1-pound steak fillet yields about two servings, but the size of steaks can vary. For the recipes in this post, I have assumed a 1-lb. portion of a tougher cut of steak, flank steak, which works great. For families looking to marinate enough steak, you can easily double the recipes provided for 2+ pounds of steak.
The cook time will vary slightly with the size and thickness of the steak, but there are some basic guidelines you can follow for how long to cook steak. The major point when cooking steak is that it reaches an internal temperature of 145° Fahrenheit so that it is safe to eat.
How To Cook Steak In Air Fryer

Air fryers dont just do potatoes, they can surprisingly create a restaurant worthy meal at home. Its so simple, hands off and so good you may never cook steak any other way again!
You May Like: How Much To Start A Steak And Shake Franchise
Tips For Grilling Steak
While this marinade is full of vibrant and savory flavors, you also have to remember grilling your steak properly is equally important. The reason being is if you overcook your steak it will end up dry and chewy.
- Preheat Grill | Always preheat your grill, this will help get the grates hot and when you put the steak on the grill it will offer that sear sound which means success.
- Steak Tip | I always sit my steaks out for at least 15-20 minutes before I plan to place them on the grill. I watched this tip on the Food Network channel years ago, and have done it ever since. This always sets you up for the success of a juicy steak that is cooked nicely.
- Dont Cut Steak | When checking the done-ness of your steak dont slice into the steak to see how red or done it is. Use a meat thermometer and check it that way. If you cut the steak it will leak the juice and dry out.
- Rest the Steak | Once your steak is done, lay it on a plate and put aluminum foil over the top. Let it sit for five minutes to allow it to soak in all those juices for a juicy and flavorful steak.
What Is A Steak Marinade Recipe Made Of
A steak marinade recipe usually has four basic components:
- Salt Kosher salt, sea salt, or something salty like soy sauce or Worcestershire.
- Oil Because beef is naturally saturated with water, beef wont absorb the oil in the marinade. However, since herbs and spices are oil-soluble, they require the oil to release their full flavor.
- Flavoring Spices and herbs are your friends and theyll add a punch of flavor to any marinade.
- Acid Depending on the desired flavor, many marinades have an acidic liquid like lemon juice or vinegar. The acid helps flavor the beef, but it does not tenderize it.
Also Check: Steak And Cheddar Hot Pocket
Rosemary Garlic Ribeye Steak Recipe
Aromatic and glistening with butter, there is nothing quite as impressive or delicious as a perfectly cooked ribeye steak. Between the tender marbling and mouthwatering garlic rosemary flavors, this ultimate protein is going to be the star of the show. You will love the way this flavorful steak melts in your mouth! Just 5 simple ingredients enhance this amazing ribeye to rival anything you can get from a steakhouse! Yeah, I said it!
I will walk you step-by-step through the process of creating the most wonderful steak at home- from picking out your meat to searing it up in your pan! As intimidating as it sounds, making a buttery-soft steak in your kitchen is actually quite easy! Most importantly, only a few minutes of prep and cooking are needed. Simplicity is key here- no fancy ingredients or cooking techniques are required!
Why This Recipe Works
Fast, delicious, easy I could go on forever as to why this recipe works.
Fast From fridge to grill to mouth in less than 30 minutes! Cant top that!
Easy Prepared with simple pantry seasonings, you can grill these steaks to your liking in a flash and even whip up the butter while the steak is cooking on one side, its that easy!
Customizable If you dont have sirloin, you can substitute another kind of steak and you can change up the butter in a number of ways as well .
Adaptable Dig right into your steak as-is, or slice it and put in on a salad, serve over rice or noodles, add strips of the steak to a hoagie bun and top with peppers and onions, dice up for quesadillas or tacosthis sirloin steak recipe goes great with so many other dinner ideas!
Read Also: Skirt Steak Sam’s Club
The Steak Marinade To Replace All Marinades
I feel like store bought marinade is either too sweet or too vinegary. After a long, failed search for the perfect marinade, I realized how easy it is to make Steak Marinade at home!
If youre working with pork or chicken then try this delicious Pork Chop Marinade or tangy Citrus Chicken Breast Marinade!
Tips For Grilling A Perfect Steak
- Preheat the grill so the grates are nice and hot before putting the steaks on.
- Once youve placed the steak on the grates, try to move it as little as possible.
- Only flip your steak once to keep it from sticking to the grates and to cook it evenly on both sides.
- Dont cut into your steak to check for readiness! This will let the juices run out and dry out your steak. Use a thermometer or the hand test .
- Once cooked, allow steak to rest for at least five minutes before cutting into it to preserve the juices and keep it from drying out.
You May Like: Wusthof Gourmet 4 Pc Steak Knife Set
How To Freeze Marinated Steak
If you cant get to cooking your marinated steak within 24 hours, you can safely freeze the meat in the marinade to be used later. Thats why I love using the freezer-safe re-usable bags when marinating steak, for you can just toss them right into the freezer for later. When its time to cook the steak, just thaw the meat and cook.
Best Steak Marinade Ever

Besides being the best marinade for all types of beef steaks, the marinade is also awesome with the following:
Anyhow, this is the way I like my steak done medium, but well done on the edges .
I never bother to make large batches, as this Marinade takes only minutes to make, and it contains all standard, everyday pantry ingredients.
This way I can also make a single batch, double or even more, depending on how much meat we want to cook on a specific day.
I always have to share the recipe with all our family and friends when we have them over for a barbecue or dinner ! Many people refer to this recipe as the best steak marinade for bbq, but it is so much more.
Using this Marinade turns out the meat , tender and juicy, each and every time.
Cooked to perfection and ready to be served
Update:
Over time we have used the Marinade not only with most red meats, but it is also very good with chicken and pork.
My daughter also marinated a pork roast and they loved it !
She did however, marinated the roast over night as she had a busy day ahead.
Every now and then she turned over the marinade container. And then she cooked the roast, using her rotisserie gadget in her oven. Below the roast she had a dish with plain, lightly salted potatoes into which the juices from the roast dripped.
Hearing about how fantastic her pork roast turned out, I just had to try it, also with the potatoes in a separate dish below the roast. Absolutely amazing !
Also Check: Nordic Ware Sizzling Steak Server
Homemade Steak Marinade Recipe
A good steak marinade will not only add tons of flavor to your steak, but it will also tenderize the meat to give it a delicious texture. This quick and easy marinade recipe uses the perfect blend of seasonings for the best steak all with simple ingredients that youll probably already have in your spice cabinet.
Why Air Fryers Are So Amazing
- Healthy: Air Fryers make everything so easy and so much healthier than traditional methods. It can cut the time in half as well as the fat without sacrificing flavor.
- Frozen: Frozen food can be cooked in the fryer, youll just have to adjust the cooking time.
- How It Works: They work by circulating heat all around the food so its practically fool proof.
Also Check: Steak On Wood Pellet Grill
How To Tell When A Steak Is Done
It comes down to personal preference to know when a steak is done. But remember there is a recommend safe temperature from the USDA of 145 degrees to kill off any harmful bacteria.
To tell when its done to your liking always use an instant read thermometer and insert the thermometer through the side of the steak horizontally and go to the center of thickest portion. Keep in mind color isnt always the best way to judge doneness as some steaks are just naturally lighter than others to begin with, and you dont want to cut into a steak during cooking or youll lose some of the juices.
Here is a list of steak doneness by temperature to refer too:
Rare: 125 130
Medium rare: 130 135 degrees
Medium: 135 145 degrees
Medium well: 145 150 degrees
Well: 150 160 degrees
Tips For How To Marinate Steak
Okay, so while its simple, there are still some quick tips Id like to share that will help you marinate and cook your steak like a pro. Here are some helpful tips on how to marinate steak to have the best results.
- Use a sealable plastic bag, large bowl with plastic wrap, or an air-tight container. You want to seal in the juices and flavors as much as possible. As a general rule, I use a 1 quart sized bag when Im marinating less than a pound of steak, and its perfect.
- Keep marinating meat away from other foods in your fridge to avoid unsafe contamination of the raw meat.
- Use a combination of an acid, oil, and spices in your marinade.
- Make sure to discard the unused marinade once its time to cook the meat and dont use it as a sauce unless you cook it first because it will contain raw steak juices.
- For the best results, try to marinate the steak the night before you cook it for the maximum flavor.
- If you cant get to cooking your marinated steak within two days, you can also freeze the meat in the marinade to be used later. Thats a benefit of using the freezer-safe bags you can just toss them right into the freezer for later. Then, when its time to cook, thaw the meat and cook.
- For most marinades, use about 1/2 cup of the marinade for every 2 pounds of beef.
- After removing the beef from the marinade, pat all sides of the steak dry with paper towels to prevent steaming and encourage browning.
You May Like: What Is A Good Side Dish With Steak