Homemade Steak Marinade for Grilling - Creations by Kara (2024)

This homemade Steak Marinade makes steaks that are tender, juicy, and exploding with flavor! It’s easy to make, and I bet you have all of the ingredients on hand.

Trust me, this is some seriously good steak marinade! If you cook it properly, you will end up with steaks that rival the ones you order at your favorite steakhouse. And you will save yourself a lot of money!

BEST STEAK MARINADE RECIPE

Truth be told, I am usually a grilled chicken girl, and I only enjoy steak if it is amazingly tender and delicious. The first time we whipped up steaks using this steak marinade recipe, I was in love after just one bite!

I found it on Allrecipes and gave it a try because it had so many great reviews. I am soooo glad I did! We had a pretty quiet dinner, because all of us were busy stuffing our faces and moaning with delight. 😉

Don’t be put off by the large quantity of basil. I thought it was strange too, but trust me, it is not overpowering. This is the best steak marinade ever!

Should you marinate steak before grilling?

If you are using prime tender cuts of meat, it is not mandatory to marinate them, you can just sprinkle them with seasoning before you cook them. However, even the most expensive, marbled cuts of meat will benefit from a great marinade, because marinating allows the meat to absorb the flavors.

How long to marinate steak?

The amount of time you need to marinate your steak depends on your cut of meat. More tender cuts of meat such as ribeye, New York strip steak, and top sirloin don’t need much time marinating. An hour is enough. In fact, you don’t want to marinate them too long or the acid in the marinade can break them down too much.

If you are using tougher cuts like flank, skirt, or tri tip steak, they will be better marinated overnight. The acid will break down the tough fibers, resulting in a more tender steak. If your meat is really tough, it’s best to use a good meat tenderizer before adding it to the marinade.

HOW TO MAKE STEAK MARINADE

Ingredients:

• soy sauce – Adds flavor and salt to the steak.
• olive oil – Seals the juices into the steak, and helps prevent it from sticking to the cooking surface.
• lemon juice – The acid in the lemon juice tenderizes the meat, and it also adds a fresh flavor.
• Worcestershire sauce – One of the best ingredients for adding rich flavor to any red meat!
• dried basil – Don’t be alarmed by the amount of basil. It seems like a lot, but it adds so much flavor!
• dried parsley – Adds a pop of color and freshness to the marinade.
• black pepper – Freshly ground pepper adds the most flavor, but any black pepper will work.
• fresh garlic cloves and garlic powder – If I have fresh garlic on hand

It doesn’t get much easier than this beef marinade. I don’t even mix my ingredients in a separate bowl first. If you will be using a baking dish, just stir the ingredients together in the pan. Add the steak, then flip it to coat the other side. Cover tightly.

For a ziplock bag, just add the ingredients to the bag, then add the steak. Seal the bag and simply squish the marinade around.

Place the steak in the fridge and chill for at least an hour.

Let steak sit at room temperature for about 20 minutes before you cook it. Cook it on a grill, in a skillet, or broil it in the oven till it is the doneness you desire.

PRO TIPS:

• You can make the marinade ahead of time and store it in the fridge for a week or two. I like to store it in a mason jar.
• To prevent your steak from sticking to the grill, only flip it once.
• Cover your cooked steak with foil and let it sit for 5 minutes before slicing into it. This allows the meat to hold onto all the juices. If you cut it too early, all the juice ends up on the plate.
• For extra tasty steak, top it with a pat of salted butter (or garlic butter) before serving.

How Do you Know your Steak is Done?

Char marks are not an indication of whether your meat is completely cooked, you must go by internal meat temperature. Rare steak is done at 125°, well done reaches 160°.

The longer you cook your steak, the less juicy and tender it will be. We like ours medium rare. If you aren’t sure what temperature to cook your steak, check out my free printable meat temperature chart.

Never try to check your steak by cutting into it. That releases all of the juices. If you cook meat often, a good meat thermometer is a must!

WHAT TO SERVE WITH STEAK:

• Cheesy Au Gratin Potatoes
• Skillet Corn
• Salad with Raspberry Poppyseed Dressing
• Garlic Rolls
• Oven Roasted Cauliflower

MORE TASTY BEEF MAIN DISH RECIPES:

• Sirloin Tip Roast (slow cooker)
• Mexican Lasagna Recipe
• Hamburger Rice Casserole
• Waikiki Meatballs
• French Bread Sandwich
• Goulash with Rice

SIRLOIN STEAK MARINADE FOR GRILLING

I first published this recipe on 3/23/2012, it was updated on June 2020 with new photos and tips.

Whether you are using a prime cut of beef, or a more economical cut, I think that after one bite, you will agree that this is a great steak marinade recipe!