Steak Marinade

This is our all-time favorite steak marinade. It requires only four ingredients, and makes steak taste SO amazing!

Grilling season is upon us, which means you can find us regularly cooking steaks, Chicken, and Burgers for dinner. We are always whipping up a batch of this steak marinade to add ALL the flavor!

our fav marinade – Only 4 Ingredients!

One of the best and most nostalgic things about summer is BBQ dinners!! Who’s with me?! Have you ever gone out for a walk or drive and caught a “whiff” of the heavenly smell of someone grilling? Delicious, right?!

Usually, the smell is meat – someone grilling delicious steak, Chicken, or Ribs on the grill. Today we are sharing our all-time favorite steak marinade that is simple and makes your steak taste so delicious.

The hubby and I LOVE to grill steak for special occasions and this marinade is always our go-to. And the best part? It only requires 4 ingredients.

We got this recipe from a neighbor years ago, and I’m not sure that we’ll ever find another steak marinade recipe that beats it!

How to Marinate Steak

This steak marinade recipe is perfect for 2 whole steaks. If you are grilling more, then double the recipe for every two steaks added.

As I mentioned, this easy steak marinade only requires 4 ingredients (and the 4th ingredient is even optional!).

1. Italian Dressing
2. A1 Sauce – the original flavor
3. Worcestershire Sauce
4. Lemon juice or Lime juice (totally optional, just adds a little zest!)

MIX. Combine each of these steak marinade ingredients into a gallon-sized Ziploc bag or small bowl and mix (You can also add any extra spices here like Italian seasoning or garlic powder). Once they’re mixed, add your steak.

MARINATE. We love flat iron steaks – they don’t have too much fat, are fairly inexpensive, and are really delicious. We typically marinate at least overnight.

GRILL. Once they have marinated long enough, throw them on the grill, and cook them to your liking.

How Long to Marinade Steak

For a perfectly seasoned steak, use these marinating tips!

• To get the benefits of the flank steak marinade I suggest marinating for at least 4 hours. I like to marinate my steak overnight, about 8-12 hours.
• Marinating not only adds flavor but the acid in the marinade helps to tenderize the meat as well. The longer you marinate a steak the more the marinade can break down the tissues in the meat. For this reason, do not marinate for longer than 24 hours otherwise the meat to become too mushy and cook up tough and dry. 
• Marinate at room temperature for up to 1 hour. Any longer and you’ll need to use the refrigerator. 

Simple steak marinade tips:

• Poke a few holes in the steak with a fork to allow the marinade to easily reach the center of the meat.
• Be sure that you have enough marinade for the amount of meat. Flip the steak halfway during the marinating time to ensure all sides get coated.

Key Marinating components

A great steak marinade has 3 key components. The components can be mixed and matched to create so many flavor combinations.

The components should be balanced and given ample time to marinate the beef.

• Fats enhance flavors and moisturize. Use coconut oil, olive oil, sesame oil, duck fat, butter, or an oil-based salad dressing.
• Acid to tenderize and flavor. Use vinegar, wine, citrus, or buttermilk.
• Flavor not only enhances the taste but helps with caramelization. Try herbs, spices, sauces, sugar, honey, garlic, onions, chilis, pepper, salt, or onion powder.

Italian dressing. I don’t have a favorite brand and have successfully made this recipe for steak marinade using whatever brand was on sale that week. Note: You will be using 1 cup of the liquid dressing, not a powdered Italian seasoning mix.

A1 Sauce is a commonly found steak sauce in the U.S. A very similar product outside the US would be HP sauce. It is a bit tangier and spicier than A1 sauce, so you may wish to balance the flavor by adding a bit of sugar.

BEST CUTS FOR THE GRILL

This best steak marinade is perfect for many cuts of meat!

1. Flat Irons/Skirt Steak
2. Top Sirloin
3. T-bone
4. Porterhouse
5. Round Steak
6. New York Strip Steak
7. Flank Steak

Prime cuts like filet mignon, ribeye, or other premium aged beef are already flavorful and tender so pass on marinating those. There are still several other cuts of beef perfect for marinating.

Remember to sear the steak over direct heat.

• Thinner steaks will cook sufficiently with searing.
• For a thinker cut: once seared, move to indirect heat to finish cooking.

Tips for the Grill

Steak on the grill is full of charred flavor. Use these tips to get the perfect cook.

• Start with a clean grill and add a little vegetable or olive oil to the grate before heating. 
• Allow the steaks to come to room temperature before putting them on the grill.
• Only flip the steak once. 
• Let the meat rest after taking it off the grill. The steak will continue to cook a bit and the juices will distribute.
• Never reuse this marinade for steak once it has come in contact with raw meat. To use this best marinade for steak to baste the meat or to make a sauce, set some aside BEFORE adding raw meat.

Other cooking methods. Grilled steak is my absolute favorite. Thankfully that’s not the only way to can cook a marinated steak. Use a cast-iron skillet or a grill pan to cook the steak on the stovetop. 

How to tell when your steak is done 

For steaks that are 1.5” or thicker, use a meat thermometer. Start by charring them over HIGH heat then moving them to a section set to LOW heat to finish cooking.

• Rare: 120°F 
• Medium Rare: 130°F
• Medium: 140°F

For thinner steaks, use a timer and cook over high heat.

• Rare: 3 minutes on each side 
• Medium Rare: 4 minutes on each side
• Medium: 5 minutes on each side

what to Serve with Steak:

• Roasted Vegetables
• Fried Zucchini
• Roasted Brussel Sprouts
• Easy Baked Beans
• Mashed Potatoes

Storing info

Freeze marinating meat. Freezing stops the marinating process so it is safe to add your meat to a marinade and then keep it in the freezer until ready to thaw and cook. 

• Meat must be frozen before the freeze-by date.
• For best results, do not freeze in a marinade for longer than 3 months.
• Thaw in the fridge.

STORE. After cooking the meat in the homemade steak marinade, store it in a Ziploc bag and place it in the fridge for 3-4 days.

FREEZE. Wrap the steak tightly and place it in a freezer bag for up to 3 months.

Using leftover steak

If we have leftover steak, we also like to use it in these recipes:

• Chimichangas
• Quesadillas
• Quick Caprese Salad
• Breakfast Burritos
• Breakfast Tacos

Recipe FAQ

For More Grilling Recipes, Try:

• Huli Huli Chicken
• Bacon Wrapped Asparagus Skewers
• Chicken Souvlaki
• Best Chicken Marinade
• Fajita Marinade
• Carne Asada Marinade