This Steak Marinade is proof that sometimes the simple things in life are the best things in life! All that stands between you and a juicy and flavorful steak is a quick soak in this amazing marinade and a few minutes on the grill. It couldn’t be simplier!
Another thing I really appreciate about this recipe is that it can be scaled to feed one person or a large group. Serve with a side salad, baked potato, and crusty bread and you’ll have a steak dinner that rivals any you can buy at a favorite restaurant.
Let’s get started with the marinade!
The Marinade
This steak marinade is made from a few basic ingredients you probably already have around the kitchen…soy sauce, vegetable oil, Worcestershire sauce, brown sugar, pepper, garlic powder, and a few minced chives (this is something you might have to buy unless you’re a much better gardener than myself!). You’ll be amazed at how these pantry staples come together to make something really special!
I like to combine everything together in a small measuring cup, that way I don’t have to dirty lots of measuring cups. I just measure everything directly in the cup as I go…1/2 cup, plus 1/4 cup, etc.
Next, pour the marinade into a gallon sized freezer bag with the steak, and seal completely. The steak only needs to marinade for 1 to 1 1/2 hours. So much flavor will transfer to the meat during this short soak. I don’t like to leave my steak in marinades for a really long time because I’ve noticed that long soaks tend to break down the texture of the steak a little, leaving it a bit mushy…1 to 1 1/2 hours is the sweet spot for flavorful and juicy steaks.
The Steaks
Let’s talk about the steak for a minute. You don’t need an expensive cut of steak for this marinade, I usually buy whatever is on sale that week..in this case it was sliced boneless ribeye. Save the really expensive cuts of meat (like filet mignon) for another day, this marinade has so much flavor it can make most any cut taste amazing.
I do like to find cuts that are on the thin side for this marinade, so the meat grills more quickly and the ratio of surface area to marinade is higher. The more flavor the better in my opinion! These steaks were only 1/2″ thick and cooked in less than 5 minutes. The steaks were orginally 1″ thick, but I asked the butcher if he could slice them in half for me and he was happy to help. Or you could even attempt it yourself if you have a sharp knife and a steady hand.
The Grill
Preheat your grill as high as it will go and let it preheat for about 10 minutes. Warning: This marinade has a lot of oil in it, so the fire will flare up when you first put the steaks on the grill. So be sure to step back and give it a little space to burn.
Grill each side for about 2 minutes, check temperature and flip again after 2 minutes if needed to reach desired temperature. The goal is just not to let it cook on one side for too long.
Here is a helpful guide if you’ve ever wondered what temperature to cook your steaks to:
Rare: 125 F (52 C)
Medium Rare: 135 F (57 C)
Medium: 145 F (63 C)
Medium Well: 150 F (66 C)
Well Done: 160 F (71 C)
I cooked my 1/2″ steaks to about 140 F and it only took about 5 minutes total.
Let the steaks rest for 5 minutes and then serve immediately. Enjoy!!
Steak Marinade
2 pounds of steak, any cut (I prefer the steak cut on the thin side)
1/2 c soy sauce
1/3 c vegetable oil
1/4 cup Worcestershire sauce
2 T brown sugar
1 teaspoon ground pepper
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder (or 4 cloves garlic, minced)
2 tablespoons fresh minced chives
Whisk together ingredients in a 2 cup measuring cup. Place marinade and steak in gallon-sized ziplock bag. Press out as much air as possible and seal bag. Refrigerate for 1 to 1 1/2 hours.
Remove steaks from marinade and grill to the desired temperature. (See above for a temperature guide)
Let steaks rest for 2 minutes before serving.
Goes well with: Baked Potatoes, Chopped Greek Salad, Rosemary Bread, Flourless Chocolate Cake with Salted Caramel Sauce
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