The perfect Steak Marinade transforms your grilling game, ensuring your steak comes out juicy, tender, and packed with flavor.
The Best Steak Marinade
Ever since attending the grilling camp I shared about here I’ve been OBSESSED with grilling. Seriously, it’s my newest hobby and I’ve grilled just about every day this month. Before going to that bootcamp I grilled a bit, but it was usually just been chicken or shrimp and occasionally a grilled steak bowl.
Since coming back from the camp and reading just about everything I can about grilling (really, I’m so weird.), I can’t get enough.
And one of the things I’ve learned is that when grilling steak, the steak marinade you use makes a big difference. Lucky for you I have a great steak recipe I’m sharing with you below, complete with a steak marinade recipe as well.
Steak Marinade Ingredients
- Olive Oil, Soy Sauce, Worcestershire Sauce: These create a tasty and moist marinade. Use low-sodium soy sauce so you’re in control of the saltiness.
- Lemon Juice and Lemon Zest: Freshly squeezed lemon juice works best.
- Minced Garlic and Garlic Powder: Use finely minced fresh garlic for more intensity.
- Dried Basil, Parsley, Oregano: Finely diced fresh herbs also work!
- Ground White Pepper: Use black pepper if you like a stronger pepper flavor in your steak marinade.
- Coarse Sea Salt (optional): Sprinkle salt just before grilling to keep the meat juicy.
- Steaks: Pick well-marbled steaks for juicier, tastier results.
- Canola Oil: Prevents the steaks from sticking to the grill. Use an oil with a high smoke point, like canola, for best results.
What Are The Best Steaks To Grill?
I love this list of the top 10 steaks to grill by Steven Raichlen. (These photos are a NY Strip Steak, but my favorite GRILLED steak (right now) is probably a rib-eye)
Use a Meat Thermometer:
For the perfect grilled marinated steak, exactly how you like it, I highly recommend using a meat thermometer for the best results.
- Rare: 120-125°F
- Medium-Rare: 135°F
- Medium: 140°F
- Medium-Well: 150°F
- Well-Done: 160-175°F
Steak Marinade Tips
- Choose the Right Meat: For weeknight dinners, a good value steak from the grocery store works great. Butcher steaks are pricier and often just need salt and pepper.
- Steak Thickness: Aim for a steak at least 1 to 2 inches thick for a perfect red center.
- Trim The Skin: Before grilling, trim the edge silverskin, but keep the marbling fat for flavor.
- Oil the Grill: Heat the grill fully, clean with a wire brush, then oil the grates with canola oil using a paper towel.
- Preheat the Grill: Ensure high heat before adding meat for a juicy steak with a great char.
- Flip with Tongs: Avoid piercing the steak with a fork to keep the juices in.
- Diamond Grill Marks: Place steak diagonally on the grill, then rotate 90 degrees after 2-3 minutes.
- Rest the Steak: Let it rest for 5-10 minutes under foil to redistribute juices for a juicier steak.
Storage
Leftovers?
Refrigerate: Place the cooled steaks in an airtight container and store in the fridge for up to 3-4 days.
Freeze: For longer storage, place the steaks in a freezer-safe bag, remove the air, and freeze for up to 2-3 months.
Make-Ahead Steak Marinade: Mix all ingredients and store in an airtight container or sealable jar in the fridge for up to 5 days. Shake or stir before using.
More Summer Recipes:
Easy Steak Marinade
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup olive oil
- 1/3 cup reduced-sodium soy sauce
- 2 large lemons
- 1 tablespoon minced garlic
- 1/4 cup Worcestershire sauce
- 3 tablespoons dried basil
- 1-1/2 tablespoons garlic powder
- 1-1/2 tablespoons dried parsley
- 1 tablespoon dried oregano
- 1 teaspoon ground white pepper
- Coarse salt optional
- Steaks of your choice
- Canola oil for grill grates
Instructions
- Zest and juice lemons to get 1/2 teaspoon zest and 1/4 cup juice. In a medium bowl, add olive oil, soy sauce, lemon juice, lemon zest, minced garlic, Worcestershire sauce, dried basil, garlic powder, dried parsley, dried oregano, and white pepper.
- Whisk until ingredients are combined and incorporated. Pour mixture over steaks of your choice (the pictures show a NY Strip Steak; read the post for the “best grilling steaks”).
- Cover (or seal the bag) and place in fridge for up to 6 hours (too much longer than that and the acidity starts to “cook” the meat).
- About 20 minutes before grilling, remove steaks and let sit (still covered) at room temperature (not outside).
- Heat grill to high heat. Once hot, clean it with a wire brush. Roll up a few paper towels and drench them in canola oil. Using tongs, rub the paper towel wad along the grill grates generously.
- Remove steaks from marinade and optionally sprinkle coarse salt over the top (Don’t add salt if you didn’t use a low-sodium soy sauce or are sensitive to salt).
- Place steaks on grill and cook about 4–5 minutes (rotate 90 degrees at 2 and 1/2 minutes for diamond grill marks).
- Using tongs, flip steaks over and continue to grill 3–5 minutes for medium-rare (internal temperature of 135°F; see note 1).
- The grill time will greatly vary based on your grill, your steak thickness, and the actual temperature of your grill. For best results, use a meat thermometer and remove meat when it is 5 degrees below your desired internal temperature. (It will cook a bit more after being removed.)
- Once steaks are cooked to your desired doneness, remove to a plate or cutting board and tent loosely with foil 5–10 minutes to give the juices a chance to redistribute (juicier steaks!) Enjoy!
Recipe Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
I will have to try it and see for myself….
I use this marinade all the time for rib eye steaks. It is delicious and our guests
Always love the steaks.
So happy to hear this! Thanks so much for your comment Gayle! 🙂
Hi Chelsea!
I’m Bill from SeasonalCookbook.com. I just wanted to post a comment here (your Contact Form isn’t working) to let you know that I added a link to your Best Steak Marinade Recipe.
You can view your link here: https://www.seasonalcookbook.com/cast-iron-skillet-steak/
It’s in the Section Headed ‘Other Steak Marinades Worth Trying’ about 1/2 way down the page.
Please let me know if you want any changes to the linking text or anything.
PS Love your site!
Bill
Thanks Bill! Looks great, so glad you enjoyed this steak marinade!
I am going to try this recipe
tomorrow…….
thank you
I hope you enjoy! 🙂
Could you use TRI TIP instead of steak for this and can you marinade it 24 hours ahead of time
Sure; I wouldn’t recommend that long of a marinade time; the acid in the marinade will start to “cook” the steak
what is the carb count in this recipe? Sounds delicious but need to know the nutritional info on this recipe. Thanks
Made steaks last night using this marinade using T-bones and it was very good. It did not over power the flavor of the steak as some others I have tried did!!
So happy to hear you enjoyed this recipe; thanks Toni! 🙂
I will never need to try another marinade! This was delicious and so easy – had all ingredients on hand. Thank you!! ????????????
I’m so happy to hear this Amy! Thanks so much for your comment! 🙂
Love it! Couple of changes after trying it the first time with choice NY Strip (as I have been cooking steaks for almost 30 years) – one, I swapped the parsley for thyme – it really pairs well with beef. Two, I added 2 tsps each of smoked paprika and liquid smoke. Three, instead of the grill (I have both a Traeger and charcoal grill), I cooked them in a cast-iron skillet. 2 tbsps EVOO, get it shimmering, then cook each side 2.5 mins. Then, take the skillet, and place in a pre-heated oven at 350 for 5 mins; place a pat of butter on each steak. Remove, tent with tinfoil for 15 mins.
Thank you again! Excellent marinade.