🥩 Classic Steak Marinade
Enough for: 1½–2 lbs of steak
(Sirloin, ribeye, flank, skirt, or NY strip all work great)
🧂 Ingredients
-
¼ cup olive oil
-
¼ cup soy sauce
-
2 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
-
2 tbsp lemon juice (or red wine vinegar)
-
2 tbsp balsamic vinegar (optional, adds depth)
-
2 tbsp brown sugar or honey
-
3 garlic cloves, minced
-
1 tsp black pepper
-
½ tsp salt (optional — soy adds plenty)
-
1 tsp dried Italian herbs or fresh rosemary/thyme, chopped
👩🍳 Instructions
-
Mix it up:
Combine all ingredients in a bowl or zip-top bag and whisk until sugar dissolves. -
Add the steak:
Place steak in the marinade, coating all sides.
Seal or cover and refrigerate at least 30 minutes, ideally 2–8 hours.
(Overnight for flank or skirt steak = incredible tenderness.) -
Cook your way:
Remove from marinade, pat dry (for a better sear), and cook to your liking:-
Grill: 4–6 minutes per side (medium)
-
Pan-sear: 3–5 minutes per side in a hot cast-iron skillet
-
Broil: 4–5 minutes per side
-
-
Rest:
Let steak rest 5–10 minutes before slicing. This keeps it juicy.
🔥 Variations
1. Garlic Herb: Add extra garlic, fresh thyme, rosemary, and a splash of red wine.
2. Spicy Southwest: Add 1 tsp chili powder, ½ tsp cumin, and lime juice instead of lemon.
3. Asian-Inspired: Add 1 tbsp sesame oil, 1 tbsp rice vinegar, and a dash of ginger.
4. Sweet & Smoky: Swap honey for maple syrup and add ½ tsp smoked paprika.
💡 Tips
-
Always discard used marinade (or boil it for 5 min before using as sauce).
-
Don’t over-marinate delicate cuts like tenderloin — 1–2 hours is plenty.
-
To make it a steak sauce, simmer leftover marinade for a few minutes until slightly thickened.
Would you like me to give you a butter-based finishing sauce (like garlic herb or bourbon butter) to drizzle over the steak after cooking?
