Classic Side Dishes For Steak
These are some of our go-to recipes to serve with steak. Pair it with one, or go all out and do a salad, bread, starch and veggie! If you have a favorite way to serve steak, let me know in the comments so we can give it a try.
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How To Make An Easy Steak Marinade
This recipe is so simple to make, youll be amazed at how quick you can throw it together. Simply follow these couple of steps.
How Do You Make A Steak Marinade
Although the key to a great steak is the marinade, dont worry, you wont have to plan for hours in advance to reap its benefits. Thats because today Im sharing with you my secret for a 20-minute marinade that will transform even cheaper cuts into delicious and tender steak with enough flavor to make you forget to pull out the A-1.
This steak marinade starts with a base of soy sauce and balsamic vinegar, which makes a perfect combination for tenderizing the meat. I whisk the soy and vinegar together with the oil, worcestershire sauce, honey, herbs, dry mustard, and garlic powder. All of these ingredients will infuse into the steak for big flavor. Add the steak and the marinade into a sealable bag, and chill for 15-20 minutes in the fridge before throwing your steak on the grill.
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How Long Should You Marinate Steak With This 3
You don’t need to marinate a steak for as long as you might think. In our first 3-ingredient steak marinade test batch, our top sirloin steak was in the marinade for only 30 minutes before cooking it. Was it long enough? You bet! The flavor coated the exterior of the steak, seasoning each slice to the perfect amount of flavor. The flavors were stronger when we extended the marinade time to four hours but not necessarily any better or worse than our 30-minute marinade.
You certainly don’t want to marinate the steak for longer than 24 hours. The acidic component of the marinade will work overtime. Instead of tenderizing the outside of the meat, it will turn it to mush. That’s not exactly the texture we’re hoping to use to describe our steak. The salt in the marinade can also become too intense over time, so try to keep your marinade time between 30 minutes and 12 hours for the best results.
How To Marinate Steak Without A Recipe
For the grill, I always choose a thin, quick-cooking steakIm talking skirt, hanger, or flank steak tri-tip, short ribs, faux hanger , or entraña steak. These are all cut from large, strong, active muscles, which makes them more flavorful and great for serving a crowd. But those strong muscles are also naturally tougher. Which is why these steaks require a marinade.
Making a steak marinade is a lot like making a salad dressingyou can customize it depending on your mood, your menu, or whatever happens to be in your pantry. But unlike salad dressing, you want the flavors in your marinade to be extra strongstrong enough to infuse the meat with flavor that will linger long after the marinade is discarded.
Every steak marinade needs four elementsoil, acid, flavoring, and salt. Once you understand the basic ratio and timeline of how to marinate steak, youll never need to look at another recipe again.
Lets dig in: heres how to marinate steak without a recipe:
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Quick & Easy Steak Marinade
We love to grill and have gone through trying and creating countless marinades over the years. This quick steak marinade is pretty much perfect because it checks all the boxes!
- Quick to make
- Enhances the great steak flavor without being overpowering
- Tenderizes the meat
- Keeps the steak extra juicy
These are the things we always look for in a marinade, and this one has got them all! You can use this marinade for all kinds of steak, and I have even been known to use it for chicken too!
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.
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What Ingredients Go Into Steak Marinade
- Balsamic vinegar I dont recommend substitutes here. Balsamic vinegar will add the best flavor. And use dark balsamic, white isnt as strong.
- Worcestershire sauce another key ingredient. This is one of the best ingredients for steak marinade.
- Soy sauce keep in mind the longer the steak marinades the more sodium it will absorb from the soy sauce, so if you only marinate 1 hour you may still need a little salt added to the steaks.
- Olive oil dont use extra virgin olive oil because it has a low smoke point, just regular refined olive oil.
- Dijon mustard this adds a little extra flavor. Dont use regular mustard.
- Honey just a light amount helps tone down acidity of the vinegar it also helps the exterior of steaks brown better.
- Garlic as always only use fresh. It makes a big difference.
- Freshly ground black pepper if you havent made the jump to fresh ground pepper now is the time! It really is a lot better.
- Dried rosemary of course fresh will work great too, use 1 Tbsp chopped if using fresh.
- Steak this makes enough marinade for about 2 pounds of steak.
How To Marinate Steak
No matter how you choose to cook your steak, the preparation process remains the same for each of these marinades. Heres the rundown:
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Why Is My Steak Dry
Generally, the most common reason steak becomes dry is over cooking. Even the best marinade cant keep a steak from drying out when it is cooked too long.
The best way to cook to your preferred level of doneness is to use a meat thermometer. You can find one at most super stores or on amazon very inexpensively.
Best Cuts Of Meat To Marinate
- Kabob meat. Which is usually cut from the sirloin. This cut of meat is lean and has a great beef flavor.
- Flank steak. Lean steak with intense beef flavor. It’s perfect for marinating, grilling, or slicing thin for your favorite stir fry or beef fajitas.
- Skirt steak. The inside and outside skirt cuts are great for grilling or making fajitas and carne asada.
- Sirloin tip. A marinade adds even more flavor and tenderness to this inexpensive cut of beef. Sirloin is perfect for grilling.
- Bottom round. Marinate this cut and grill or broil it. Slice thin before serving.
- Eye of round. This smaller value cut of meat is great when marinated and either grilled or pan-seared.
- Top round. Another inexpensive roast cut that I perfect for broiling or slow roasting in the oven.
- Strip steak. Strip steak is tender and juicy without a marinade, but I like to use a marinade to add extra flavor to a New York Strip before grilling.
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The Only Steak Marinade You Will Ever Need
This steak marinade is genuinely the only steak marinade you will ever need. I have tested a ton of marinade recipes over the years, and we always come back to this recipe. We have been using this recipe for years, and it never disappoints us. A mix of savory and a hint of sweet helps give your steaks that perfect crust when you grill it up.
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.
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What Cut Of Steak Is Best For Marinating
Though this marinade will work on any cut of steak, its true that some are better than others, depending on your personal tastes. I tend to go for a leaner cut of beef, like t-bone, top loin, tenderloin, or ribeye. But, that doesnt mean I dont purchase other cuts of steak.
Chuck steaks, hanger, skirt, and flank will taste great after 20 minutes in the perfect steak marinade but you can also lean toward leaving it in the bag longer to really seal in that flavor and make your steak as tender as you prefer, up to 24 hours.
What People Are Saying About The Best Quick Steak Marinade
Absolutely loved it.. its in my written recipe book now and on high rotation. Just takes STEAK to a WHOLE new level. Highly recommend. Caroline
This was fantastic. I dont think Ive ever gotten that much flavor and tenderness after marinating for only about 30-40 minutes. Lauren
I tried this last night and it was phenomenal. Was out of balsamic so had to use apple cider vinegar with a little sugar mixed in as a sub. Otherwise followed the recipe precisely. Marinated for ABOUT an hour. Thanks for the recipe. Christina
Used this marinade for Denver steaks and it was DELICIOUS! Me and my husband loved it, thank you! Marina
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Should You Let Your Steak Rest
Always, always, always let the meat rest before slicing it. You see, all the juices inside the meat are driven to the steak’s center as it cooks. Those juices need time to redistribute within the meat, making sure every bite is as juicy as the next. If you were to slice it right away, those juices would spill out onto the cutting board, making some of the steak taste dry. After going through so much trouble to infuse the meat with those 3-ingredient marinade flavors and cook it to the perfect temperature, it would be a shame to end up with a less-than-perfect steak.
Instead, let the steak rest for at least three minutes . Then, grab a sharp carving knife and slice away. Some juices will still come out as you slice, so it’s best to use a cutting board with a deep groove around the outside to catch the excess liquid.
Why Is My Steak Tough And Chewy
The muscle fibers in meat have to be broken down and the proteins turned into gelatin in order to make meat tender. This happens very quickly over high heat with tender cuts of steak like filet mignon, but tougher cuts of meat require slow cooking, usually in some sort of liquid to keep them from drying out.
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How Long Should You Cook The Steaks On Each Side
Every steak is different, which means each steak’s cook time will differ slightly. The timing also depends on how well-done you like your steak. Omaha Steaks recommends cooking times based on the thickness of the steak. For a one-inch-thick steak, they suggest cooking it over high heat for four to five minutes per side for medium-rare .
Of course, the best way to know not guess when your steak is done cooking is to use an instant-read digital meat thermometer. When the thermometer hits 135 degrees Fahrenheit, your steak has reached medium-rare. Keep going to 145 degrees for medium, or 160 for well-done.
If you’re cooking a very thick steak, you’ll have to do things differently. Instead of cooking it over high-heat temperatures, start it over indirect heat on the grill instead. When the steak is within 10 degrees of the desired temperature, move it to the direct heat side of the grill and sear it for a few minutes on both sides to give it a caramelized, golden-brown finish.
Can You Use This Marinade On Other Steaks
Yes! Because this marinade contains vinegar, which is a steak tenderizer, you can use it to tenderize and flavor any of your favorite cuts of steak. I do not recommend marinating an already tender cut, like a filet mignon.
For more tender steaks, like the sirloin pictured throughout this post, a ribeye or New York steak, I recommend a quick marinade between 20 minutes and 2 hours. For a tougher cut of steak, like a flank or strip steak, I recommend marinating for 4-8 hours.
Try the marinade with any of these cuts of steak.
- Top Sirloin
- Skirt Steak
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How Long Is Too Long To Marinate Steak
Ideally, you should not marinate a steak for more than 24 hours especially if you have a tender cut of steak. Any longer than that and the muscle fibers will break down and the texture will become mushy.
Some types of steak, like skirt steak, are naturally not very tender and should be left to marinate for a longer time in order to tenderize. For tougher cuts of beef, I recommend you prepare the marinade the night before and let the steak tenderize and soak up all the flavors overnight. Then, just grab and cook.
How Long To Marinate A Steak
I more often use a marinade for steaks that arent as tender. Filet mignon or ribeye are perfectly tender without marinating. However, they can be marinated for a short period for flavor if youd like.
Steaks such as New York strip or sirloin can marinate for about 4 hours. If left too long the acids in the marinade can break down the meat too much and the texture can become unpleasant and mushy so dont leave them too long.
Tougher cuts of beef like a flank steak, skirt steak, or even chuck can marinate longer, up to 24 hours .
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What To Serve With Steak
Nothing pairs more perfectly with steak than potatoes and vegetables. Try this marinated steak recipe with any of these side dishes for a winning meal!
- Flank Steak
- Skirt Steak
How To Make The Perfect Steak
You need 3 things in order to have a delicious 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!
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Easy Steak Marinade Recipe
How to be a good barbeque host? The first thing to do is make sure that you have gotten the right meat. The steak piece is a flat and fine cut without bone. Ribeye, sirloin, NY Strip, filet, skirt steak, flank steak anything you like.
It can be any steak, though, including beef, lamb, and even turkey.
This is probably the best steak marinade recipe ever for grilling. Its called The Secret Marinade by Chef Rita! *blushing*
The Best Steak Marinade Youll Ever Taste.
