Ultimate Steak Marinade

ultimate-steak-marinade

Add juicy, savory flavors to your next steak by making this easy steak marinade. This delicious marinade for steak is made with Worcestershire sauce, balsamic vinegar, garlic, and a touch of lemon.

steak on plate.

There is nothing better than a perfectly cooked steak. Especially if that steak is deliciously seasoned or marinated beforehand to bring out all of the juicy flavors of the steak.

We love this easy steak marinade because it is made with simple ingredients, but adds big flavor. This marinade is. a combination of sugar, salt, and a little citrus that leaves you with tender, flavorful, and juicy steak.

So, whip up this steak marinade and serve your juicy steaks next our grilled potatoes or slice up your steaks and serve it in our famous steak salad recipe!

marinade ingredients in bowls.

What ingredients go in steak marinade? There are some basic ingredients that are usually the base of steak marinade and we have added our own twist, too! Here is everything you need.

  • Worcestershire sauce– many steak marinades have Worcestershire in them because it is a vinegar-based sauce that has ingredients like anchovies, garlic, tamarind, and other ingredients that make a salty sauce that goes perfectly with steak.
  • Balsamic vinegar– a little sugar to balance out the saltiness of this marinade comes from the balsamic vinegar.
  • Minced garlic– adding fresh garlic to any marinade adds so much flavor. We don’t recommend subbing garlic powder.
  • Olive oil– the olive oil binds all of the steak marinade ingredients together.
  • Lemon juice– a bit of lemon juice lightens up this marinade and aids in tenderizing the steak before you cook it.
  • Lemon pepper– adding some lemon pepper to this marinade brings out the lemon flavor in the marinade.
steaks on plate.

There are many different cuts of steak out there and you can marinate any cut of steak in the marinade. We have personally used this steak marinade with the following cuts of meat:

Here are other cuts of beef you can use.

This steak marinade will tenderize any of the steaks below.

  • Sirloin
  • Ribeye
  • New York Strip
  • Filet mignon
  • Skirt steak
  • Skirt
  • T-Bone
  • Porterhouse
steaks marinating in baking dish.

We recommend marinating steak for at least 30 minutes or up to 12 hours. The longer you marinate steak the more tender your steak will be. Unlike salmon, you can marinate steak for a bit longer without lemon juice cooking the steak.

You can add all of the ingredients for this steak marinade to a mason jar, shake it up, and store it in the refrigerator to have on hand for marinating steak, chicken, or pork!

Kitchen Tools for Marinating Steak

When you make this steak marinade you add big flavor to your steak, but you don’t need many tools for this recipe. Here is everything you need. 

steaks marinating in plastic bag.

How to Marinate Steak (3 Steps)

  1. Combine: simply combine all of the ingredients in a bowl or jar and mix to combine.
  2. Marinate: Place your steak into a dish or large gallon-size bag and pour in the marinade. Make sure that all sides are nice and coated.
  3. Let sit: Let steak marinate for at least 30 minutes or up to overnight.

Ways to Cook Marinated Steak

Sous vide steak is the ONLY way to eat steak. We are obsessed with the perfectly cooked goodness of sous vide steak. It’s as easy as 1-2-3.

  • Add our Grilled Flank Steak to the menu this summer! You can serve this flank steak by itself, in tacos, or even in fajitas.
  • Try our Grilled New York Strip (what we used in these photos). We love the fat to protein ratio of this cut of meat and the marinade is so good with this recipe.

grilled steak on plate with butter

The Best

Grilled Steak

Get tender, juicy, perfectly grilled steak with this u0022how to grill steaku0022 post. We’ll give you the best tips and tricks for grilling steak like a professional.

Get Recipe

If you don’t have a grill, you can easily use a cast-iron skillet or grill pan to sear your steak on high heat and then bake it until it reaches a safe eating temp. Try our cast iron steak recipe.

Everyone is different when it comes to how they like their steak. We are big fans of a medium-rare steak, but check the internal temperature of your steak when it’s almost done.

Remember, as your steak rests after it’s done cooking, the internal temperature will continue to raise around 5ºF.

meat thermometer

Try it!

Thermoworks Thermapen

We swear by using a meat thermometer when cooking any cut of meat. The Thermapen is our go-to meat thermometer that works every time.

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marinated steaks on plate.

Should you marinate steak?

How you prepare your steak is all about preference, but marinating your steaks it will help infuse them with flavor and make them ultra-tender.

How long should steaks marinate?

We recommend marinating your steaks for at least 30 minutes or up to 2 hours.

Does marinade make steaks tender?

Marinating your steaks in citrus or vinegar helps to break down the tendons of the steak, making them tender.

Can I use steak marinade on chicken?

You can easily use this steak marinade to marinate any cut of chicken.

You can store cooked steak in the refrigerator for up to 7 days as long as it is stored in an airtight container.

  • 1/4 cup Worcestershire sauce
  • 2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
  • 1 tablespoon minced garlic
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice ~half juicy lemon
  • 1/2 teaspoon lemon pepper
  • Combine all of the ingredients for the steak marinade together in a small bowl or Pyrex and whisk to combine.

    steak marinade ingredients.

  • Then, pour the marinade on top of the steaks, remove as much air as possible and seal the bag. Squish the marinade around making sure it coats the steaks. 

    steak marinading in dish.

  • Place steaks in the fridge and let marinate for at least 30 minutes or up to 2 hours. 

  • Once you’re ready to cook your steaks, follow our How to Grill Steak post or use any method you wish.

  • Nutrition information does not include steak.

Calories: 87kcal Carbohydrates: 7g Protein: 0g Fat: 7g Fiber: 0g Sugar: 3g

Photography: photos taken in this post are by Erin from The Wooden Skillet.

About Linley Hanson

Linley is a 5′ nothing spitball of positive energy who joined Team Fit Foodie in the Spring of 2014. Linley has worked on the digital side of small businesses and nonprofits since 2011, where she specialized in social media community management. Lin has a passion for food and an incredible palate. She is FFF’s chief recipe developer, so you can thank her for these incredible recipes!

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