What's new
By:
Filters

Steak Marinade

FleshEater

FleshEater

Ordinary Average Guy
Joined
May 21, 2020
Member Number
832
Messages
3,633
Loc
Pennsylvania
Anyone have a good recipe for a steak marinade? I don’t ever use marinades, but want to try it.
 
I rarely ever marinade but when I do I'll take a big zip lock bag and add 1/4 can of beer, 1/4 to half cup of soy sauce or teriyaki (better) some ginger fresh or in a jar and 2 or 3 cloves of garlic chopped up pretty fine.

I'll use cheap cuts of steak for this and poke them full of holes with a fork.

Add steaks to the bag and let 'em soak for at least 2 hours.

When you pull them out and cook them up they're gonna look pretty black. It's ok they will be fine just don't be lookin' for any pink when ya cut them up.:laughing:

I'll serve them with rice, spring rolls and a salad made of iceberg lettuce and shredded carrots with any old sort of Japanese salad dressing.
 
We were in Colorado last month for a wedding and the caterer cooked the most amazing steak I’d ever had. It was over an open fire, but it had a very light marinade flavor to it.

Then we went to a local steakhouse this past weekend and I swear they marinaded theirs, too.

It adds a nice light flavor. Not looking for overbearing.

I might try the above and ask the wife to make sushi rice and an Asian styled veggie with it. :smokin:
 
Sometimes I'll do olive oil (garlic infused is great, but regular is fine), worcestershire and fresh ground salt and pepper. This will give you a light flavor. You can switch out the salt and pepper for montreal steak seasoning if you want more flavor. I use the latter on deer backstrap because it will cover up any gamey flavor for the wife.
 
gbiddlec said:
Sometimes I'll do olive oil (garlic infused is great, but regular is fine), worcestershire and fresh ground salt and pepper. This will give you a light flavor. You can switch out the salt and pepper for montreal steak seasoning if you want more flavor. I use the latter on deer backstrap because it will cover up any gamey flavor for the wife.
Click to expand...

I’m definitely trying this one.
 
Teriyaki, garlic, pepper, sesame seeds, and some sesame oil isn't bad. I usually start the marinade when I get home from work and grill it 2+ hours later.

Kinder's fajita sauce is pretty good. I usually let it soak overnight.

My boss is a fan of 50/50 vinegar and olive oil overnight with Montreal steak seasoning. It comes out really tender.

I only buy cheap steak tips, nothing high quality.
 
Don't use a marinade on a steak any longer, but I remember Guinness Stout with fresh minced garlic being tasty. Using a fork poking the steak to help the marinade would depend on how soon I needed to cook the steaks.
 
I’ve never been a fan of marinades, unless I’m soaking some boneless skinless chicken thighs in teriyaki :smokin:

I have always been suspicious of marinated beef. A family friend used to bring over marinated tritip once in a while from a butcher shop in Jackson. On more than one occasion I would get a slice off of a tritip that had a “different” texture 🤢.

Around here, beef gets a light dusting of a dry rub :homer:
 
trampas said:
A simple "never fail" steak marinade

1 cup of soy
Few tablespoons brown sugar
Couple tablespoons honey (tenderizer)
As much minced garlic as you like

4hrs in that @ room temp

Grill or fry to 135° or about there

SET ASIDE AT LEAST 10 MINS

Slice n enjoy
Click to expand...
That actually sounds pretty good.
 
The only time I marinade steaks is when I cut them up in cubes to make something similar to beef tips. The best part of the steak is the char, so cubed up, you are always eating char’d end :smokin:

I put my seasoning on (whatever your steak seasoning is), then a quick marinade in a 50/50 mix of Worcestershire and teriyaki sauce. It’s usually only on there for about 30 minutes or so as we prepare everything else. Doesn’t need to be on there real long, unless you want to.
 
Worcestershire sauce, salt and pepper...
just enough to coat the pan. Let rest while coming up to room temp, usually a hour or so each side but less is fine too.
 
I won't delve into the deep waters of buying better steaks, but that is probably the first place to start. I will make steak tartare as I am trimming the fat for the rest of the fam. If you can't eat it raw, you're going to need help (marinade, brine, or seasoning)

We use SPG (salt, pepper, garlic), possibly a light rub of cayenne and use some EVVO or avocado oil to help bind it. If you want another flavor, adding a little ground coffee to the rub sends it in a different direction (in a good way).

If you are going to make a marinade, you definitely need an acid to help break down the tissue. Lime mixed with Soy Sauce and garlic is a goto recipe (has been mentioned) . We use this for London Broils that we are going to cook hot and fast and then slice as thin as possible.

Dumb question from the cheap seats - how are you cooking these steaks (Yes this makes a difference) Sear vs Reverse Sear does have a different affect. I can do a sous-vide and reverse sear it but I prefer direct. Again, it matters how you are cooking. I only need a cast iron skillet and a hot as fuck flame and I can cook against the best (or so I say in my head)
 
Last edited:
I have been vehemently against any marinade. But these last two steaks I’ve had with rub/marinade have broadened my horizons.

I cook my steaks in cast iron pans with butter and fresh and fresh garlic cloves.

I’ve also cooked them on the pellet smoker/grill.
 
Now we are getting somewhere. I would not ever mess with a proper cut of cow that has natural flavor like a rib-eye. Tenderloin / fillet-mignon needs all the help it can get. Those cuts are very moist and tender but little flavor; we wrap in bacon and pair with shrimp.

Any ideas what the original marinades were? Cow doesn't generally need the same amount of seasoning as pig so asking if you recall what was on it.

Also depends on a local animal vs commercially farmed - meaning I can tell the difference from our local cows/pigs vs the grocery store; the local meat is more flavorful vs the commercial stuff so I have to vary my cooking style depending on what's on deck. People not used to local harvested meat tend to like things over-seasoned but they are the same ones that pay a lot for a steak at Longhorn (lol)

I'll have to think on this and get back to you.
 
Last edited:
dwygrsshpr said:
Now we are getting somewhere. I would not ever mess with a proper cut of cow that has natural flavor like a rib-eye. Tenderloin / fillet-mignon needs all the help it can get. Those cuts are very moist and tender but little flavor; we wrap in bacon and pair with shrimp.

Any ideas what the original marinades were? Cow doesn't generally need the same amount of seasoning as pig so asking if you recall what was on it.

Also depends on a local animal vs commercially farmed - meaning I can tell the difference from our local cows/pigs vs the grocery store; the local meat is more flavorful vs the commercial stuff so I have to vary my cooking style depending on what's on deck. People not used to local harvested meat tend to like things over-seasoned but they are the same ones that pay a lot for a steak at Longhorn (lol)

I'll have to think on this and get back to you.
Click to expand...

I have no idea what the marinades were, but it tasted like hints of Worchestershire sauce and seasonings. Very light, but gave it a good flavor.

All my beef is locally raised, grain finished, good stuff. Porterhouse, Del Monico, rib steak, all the good stuff get pepper and salt. The other stuff I want to experiment a little.
 
dwygrsshpr said:
Dumb question from the cheap seats - how are you cooking these steaks (Yes this makes a difference) Sear vs Reverse Sear does have a different affect. I can do a sous-vide and reverse sear it but I prefer direct. Again, it matters how you are cooking. I only need a cast iron skillet and a hot as fuck flame and I can cook against the best (or so I say in my head)
Click to expand...

Usually on a propane grill, set to high. Medium rare- 5 minutes on one side, 3 on the other. Adjust as needed for thickness. Some of the fat drips and causes flare up, isn’t a bad thing:homer:
 
FleshEater said:
I have no idea what the marinades were, but it tasted like hints of Worchestershire sauce and seasonings. Very light, but gave it a good flavor.

All my beef is locally raised, grain finished, good stuff. Porterhouse, Del Monico, rib steak, all the good stuff get pepper and salt. The other stuff I want to experiment a little.
Click to expand...
We are on the same page and everyone else had great ideas that I am probably going to repeat.

Worcestershire is a great addition to beef (big fan of L&P). Perhaps I misunderstood your original question. When I think "marinade" it usually involves a day or more in the fridge with your mix of choice. I'd say beef doesn't need more than what was proposed already but if you want to experiment, I'd put a steak in a ziploc with SPG, worcestershire, a touch of cayenne and oil. I would not leave that to marinate overnight - a few hours is enough. And, I always bring meat back to room temp before cooking (there is a thread on that I believe).

If you really want to mess around, lime and ginger can bring other flavors but I tend to keep those aside unless I want a Mexican or Asian style of a cook (lime being Mexican and ginger being Asian respectively) but you can add both in small quantities to see what suits your palate.

I'm glad you can source local meat - most people can't.
 
Last edited:
dwygrsshpr said:
Dumb question from the cheap seats - how are you cooking these steaks (Yes this makes a difference) Sear vs Reverse Sear does have a different affect. I can do a sous-vide and reverse sear it but I prefer direct. Again, it matters how you are cooking. I only need a cast iron skillet and a hot as fuck flame and I can cook against the best (or so I say in my head)
Click to expand...
Fuck a reverse sear until the steak is over about 2-1/2lbs. Revers sear and sous vide are two of the most overused recommendations on the internets.
 
Agreed and didn't I say I prefer direct heat to cook steaks (pretty sure) :flipoff2:

Reverse sear and sous vide are crutches. That said, we use those methods when we have to pack for a three day canoe trip and want steaks on the river to feed about 30 people. Sous vide steaks keep very well in a cooler (already bagged and ready to go) and you would be surprised at how many steak houses use that method to keep the workload in the kitchen to a minimum. In order to plate everyone's dish at the same time is an extraordinary effort on the line folks, especially if people prefer different cooking temps*

I do bring my favorite cast iron pan on those adventures so I can at least get a little crust.

I use cheap red wine to glaze the bottom of the pan to lift the fond from the steaks to add to the onions and/or mushrooms that are accompanying said riverside meal

*anybody that orders a steak beyond medium is getting a split check at my table =)

ETA: cooking steak is always a personal choice on what hits for you. I rarely order food that I know I can cook better at home.
 
Last edited:
If I am going to marinate steak, I like to do olive oil and soy sauce with Montreal steak seasoning. I only marinate it for a couple hours. Too long and it starts to affect the texture in a bad way.
 
Light Montreal seasoning and some good olive oil is all I use now. Used to more often go the soy, Worcestershire, oil salt and pepper route.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top Back Refresh