The Best Steak Marinade Recipe (2024)

FAQs

What is the secret to a good marinade? ›

What makes the best marinade? A good balance of fat, acid, and salt is key. Too much acid and the meat can taste pickled, too much salt and, well, it's too salty. Too much fat and the other ingredients won't have the proper concentration to work their magic.

A typical marinade is made up of three essential components: an acid (such as vinegar, wine, or citrus), an oil (such as olive oil or sesame oil), and a flavouring agent (such as herbs and spices). These elements work together to transform the taste and texture of your dish in different ways.

Make a marinade with acidic components—such as citrus juice, buttermilk, yogurt, wine, vinegar or soda—to help break down tough connective tissue and muscle fibers.

How long to marinate your steak depends on the size and variety of the cut you're using. Thinner cuts, such as skirt or flanks steaks, should be marinated for 2-4 hours. Tougher cuts, such as top sirloin or sirloin tip, will benefit from marinating overnight (about 8 hours).

Avoid marinating in metal containers as the metal can chemically react with the marinade and change the flavor of your dish. Not marinating in the refrigerator. Marinating in the refrigerator will help to prevent the growth of bacteria. Never marinate food at room temperature.

ANSWER: In general, you can substitute either one as the acid part of the marinade. The rule -of-thumb ratio for marinades is 3-to-1, three parts oil and 1 part acid.

Most marinade recipes will call for acid in the form of citrus juice (commonly lemon), vinegar or wine. Fats are usually added to marinades in the form of oils, although coconut milk or yogurt may also be used. They help distribute the seasonings evenly over whatever you are marinating.

Marinades typically feature an oil and an acid — but the sky's the limit for creativity: For your oil base, try olive, peanut, truffle, sesame, walnut, or chile oil. You can also use milk, coconut milk, buttermilk, or yogurt. For acids, experiment with different types of vinegar, wines, beers, lemon, or lime juice.

Dairy-based marinades, such as buttermilk or yogurt, are the only marinades that genuinely tenderize. The mild acids in these products don't toughen meats like citrus or vinegar marinades.

How does Texas Roadhouse tenderise their steaks? Season each side of the steak well with the seasoning and set aside to rest for about 40 minutes. This causes the salt to infiltrate the surface (through osmosis) and actually aids in the breakdown of muscle fibres, resulting in more tender meat.

What tenderizes steak the most? ›

Marinate with Acid

Not only does a tenderizing steak marinade imbue aromatic flavour, but the acidic ingredients in it also denature connective proteins in the meat. Regular or apple cider vinegar, wine or beer, lemon or lime juice, buttermilk or yogurt contain tenderizing acids.

The Aging. Most fine restaurants age their beef to intensify the flavor and improve the tenderness of the cut. Aging is done by letting the meat sit (in very controlled conditions) for several days or weeks.

It is suggested that after you have marinated meat for a length of time – you should wash it off prior to cooking. However, this is dependent on what oils and spices you use, often it is down to personal preference.

Always marinate foods in the refrigerator, not on the kitchen counter. Some older recipes call for marinating at room temperature. DO NOT FOLLOW THIS PRACTICE. Marinating at room temperature causes the meat to enter the “Danger Zone” (between 40°F and 140°F), where bacteria multiply fastest.

Recipe blog One Good Thing notes that the vinegar in Worcestershire sauce tenderizes steak, its sugar and molasses bring both sweetness and sheen, and ingredients such as onion, garlic, tamarind, and anchovy pack a wallop of umami flavor.

Plenty of herbs and spices

The higher the concentration of salt in the marinade, the more herbs and spices you need for the meat to absorb their taste. One of Otto's favorite herb mix marinades is an abundance of garlic, herbs, and spices: at least 3-4 cloves of garlic and at least one big tablespoon of chopped herbs.

Place the food to be marinated in a resealable plastic bag. Set the bag in a bowl or shallow dish in case the bag leaks. Pour the marinade over the food, seal the bag, and place it in the refrigerator. Turn the bag occasionally, so the marinade is distributed evenly over all sides of the food.

As a general rule, you shouldn't leave meat to marinate in acid for any longer than overnight. About 5-6 hours will impart the best flavour and texture, but even 10 minutes of marinating will add flavour. Non-acidic marinades can be left longer, but this won't make them work any better. Stick to 24 hours as a maximum.