I love to use marinades in cooking, it adds so much great flavor with very little effort. I regularly marinate grilled chicken tenders, grilled shrimp and marinated salmon, and I always have this amazing best steak marinade in my constant rotation. You can never go wrong with a good marinade, whether it’s a tri tip marinade, turkey marinade, shrimp marinade or this savory steak marinade.
Steak Marinade Ingredients
This marinade consists of pantry staples that you probably already have on hand.
Olive Oil: The oil forms the base of the marinade. It adds flavor to the meat and helps to prevent it from drying out as it cooks. Soy Sauce: This sauce adds much needed salt to the steak, as well as a complex, savory flavor. Worcestershire Sauce: This sauce pairs perfectly with red meat, and is a must-have for this marinade. Lemon Juice: Freshly squeezed lemon juice is best. This ingredient helps to tenderize the meat, as well as adds a bright, fresh flavor. Garlic: You can’t have steak without garlic! Mince your own fresh garlic for the best results. If you don’t have fresh garlic on hand, use 3/4 teaspoon of garlic powder. Seasonings: The ingredients of dried Italian seasoning, salt, pepper and onion powder round out the flavor profile of the marinade.
How Do You Make Steak Marinade?
This steak marinade is a blend of soy sauce, olive oil, lemon juice, Worcestershire sauce, garlic, Italian seasoning and spices. Mix everything together in either a bowl, airtight container or a gallon sized freezer bag. Add your steak, and give it at least one hour in the refrigerator to soak up all that great flavor!
Tips For Steak Marinade
Feel free to use a low sodium soy sauce if you’re watching your salt intake. Italian seasoning is a blend of dry herbs that is available in the spice aisle of most grocery stores. This seasoning is typically a blend of dried basil, parsley, garlic and oregano. If you can’t find Italian seasoning, you can blend together your own dried herbs in equal amounts. The steak in these photos is topped with an herb butter which is super easy to make. Simply combine 1/4 cup softened butter with 2 tablespoons fresh chopped herbs, 1/4 teaspoon minced garlic, salt and pepper. Add a dollop of butter on top of each steak as it comes off the grill. Looking for a Mexican inspired meal? Try my steak fajita marinade recipe! This marinade works well with most cuts of beef, I recommend using it on flank steak, New York strip, ribeye, T-bone, skirt steak, sirloin or filet mignon. If you are making London broil, be sure to check out my London broil marinade recipe!
Steak Temperatures
Use a digital thermometer to gauge when your steaks are ready. You can insert your thermometer into the thickest part of your meat to determine whether the steak is at your preferred level of doneness. I personally like to cook my steaks to medium, I don’t recommend cooking your meat over 150 degrees F as it will be more likely to be tough or dry.
Keep in mind that steaks should rest for at least 5 minutes before you cut into them, so it’s best to take them off the heat a few degrees before you reach your desired temperature, as they’ll continue to cook as they rest.
Rare: 130 degrees F Medium Rare: 135 degrees F Standard Medium: 145 degrees F Medium Well: 150 degrees F Well Done: 160 degrees F
Flavor Variations
This recipe is great as-is, but you can easily change up some of the ingredients to suit your tastes.
Herbs: Swap out the dried herbs for 2 tablespoons of fresh herbs such as thyme, oregano, basil, parsley or chives. Seasonings: Feel free to add other flavorings such as balsamic vinegar, a pinch of red pepper flakes, a little bit of brown sugar or some hot sauce. Protein: This marinade also works well for chicken and pork chops.
I typically grill my steaks, either on an outdoor charcoal grill or inside on a grill pan. That being said, this marinade is perfect with sauteed or broiled steak, so go ahead and use whatever cooking method works best for you. Offer a variety of fabulous side dishes such as Olive Garden salad, make ahead mashed potatoes, Southern mac and cheese, funeral potatoes, carrot souffle or air fryer baked potatoes. Your family will thank you!
