The Best Steak Marinade

Tender, juicy steak begins with an incredible Steak Marinade. This simple marinade is made with olive oil, Worcestershire sauce, soy sauce, garlic, lemon juice, and a handful of spices for a quick & easy marinade that results in flavorful, melt-in-your-mouth steak every time.

An Easy Steak Marinade Recipe

There’s nothing quite like a good steak dinner. The boys love a good, juicy steak just as much as we do! Whether it’s for a special occasion or just because, we always whip up this easy steak marinade whenever we’re craving a juicy steak.

After experimenting with many, many versions, we’ve finally landed on this one as the best steak marinade recipe. It’s quick and easy to whip up plus we usually have all the ingredients in the cupboard. It produces the most wonderful steaks every time and guests are always asking for the secret recipe! (Though I guess it’s not a secret anymore!)

What Makes This The BEST Steak Marinade?

Oh let me tell you the reasons…

• It’s SUPER easy to make! Just toss the ingredients together and wait.
• It makes the steak super tender and juicy.
• There’s SO much flavor. Layers and layers of flavor from the different ingredients.
• Easy-to-find ingredients! There’s nothing crazy or unusual.
• It’s just so good! I can’t even completely put it into words but once you try it, you’ll understand!

The Ingredients

Here’s what you’ll need to make this easy steak marinade (the exact measurements and full recipe instructions are below in the easy to print recipe card):

• Soy sauce -Tto reduce the salt you can use a reduced sodium soy sauce.
• Lemon juice – Use fresh squeezed or lemon juice from a bottle.
• Olive oil – We used an organic extra virgin olive oil, but any olive oil you like will work well.
• Worcestershire sauce – Adds a savory flavor.
• Garlic – Use fresh garlic for the best results.
• Italian seasoning blend
• Black pepper
• Salt
• Red pepper – Just a pinch of warmth.
• Steaks – You can use this marinade with almost any type of steaks but ribeye and sirloin are my favorites.
• Butter – Cook the steaks in a pan with melted butter, then add a pat of butter to the top of each finished steak.
• Fresh parsley – The parsley adds flavor and color to the finished steaks.

How to Make The Best Steak Marinade

Marinating your steaks to perfection has never been so easy!

• Combine the ingredients. In a small bowl, whisk together the soy sauce, lemon juice, olive oil, Worcestershire sauce, minced garlic, Italian seasoning, pepper, salt, and red pepper.
• Marinate the steaks. Place the steaks in a zip lock bag or large bowl and pour the marinade on top. Turn the steaks to ensure all sides are coated in the marinade. Marinate in the refrigerator for 2 hours or overnight.

Tip: Place a gallon-size zip-top bag into a large cup or wide-mouth jar. Push the opening of the bag back so it’s open wide, then pour the marinade in. Pull the bag filled with marinade out of the cup or jar and add the steaks.

How Long Do You Marinate A Steak?

I recommend marinating your steaks for a minimum of 2 hours, to give time for the flavors to really absorb into the meat, as well as to allow the ingredients to tenderize the steaks. However, you can definitely let the steaks marinate for longer – up to 24 hours. You can add them to the marinade before work or even the night before, so they’re ready to cook when you get home from work.

How to Make Steaks in the Skillet

Now that you’ve made the marinade, it’s time to use it!

• Preheat the pan. Heat a large skillet or cast iron pan over medium-high heat.
• Sear the steaks. Add 1 tablespoon of butter then the place the steaks in the pan and cook on each side for 2-3 minutes or until outside is browned.
• Cook to desired doneness. Reduce heat to medium and cook the steaks to the desired doneness.
• Serve. Top each steak with a pat of butter and garnish with fresh parsley if desired.

Tips for Perfectly Cooked Steaks

For tender, juicy steaks here are a few things to keep in mind.

• Use a cast iron skillet. Cast iron is ideal for cooking steaks as it heats evenly and helps add a nice outside sear.
• Preheat the skillet. The skillet should be hot before the steak is adding to the pan, to ensure that it begins cooking immediately.
• Add the butter with the steak. Add the butter just before the steak, to prevent the butter from burning.
• Use a thermometer. Use a thermometer to check the internal temperature of the steak and see when it’s perfectly cooked to your liking.
• Allow the steak to rest before cutting. Once you remove it from the skillet, allow the steak to rest for 5 to 15 minutes. This allows the steak to continue cooking and for the juices to redistribute evenly.

How Do You Make A Steak Tender?

For most cuts of meat, the key is to use a marinade with an acidic tenderizer. In the case of this steak marinade recipe, that is the lemon. The acid in the lemon helps to break down the fibers and make the steak perfectly tender.

If you’re working with an already tough cut of meat, you can use a meat tenderizer to break down some of the fibers.

How Long Do You Cook Steak?

The amount of time needed to cook a steak depends on how you like your steak cooked. The amount of time it takes to cook a rare steak is several minutes less than what it takes to cook a well-done steak. The best way to tell when you’re steak is cooked to your desire is to use an instant-read thermometer. Generally speaking, below are the temperature you want depending on the doneness of your steak. I recommend removing it from the skillet a degree or two before the desired temperature as it will continue to cook.

• Rare 120º to 125ºF
• Medium-Rare 125º to 135ºF
• Medium 125º to 145ºF
• Medium-Well 145º to 155ºF
• Well-Done 155ºF+

Serving Suggestions

There are so many great sides to pair with a perfectly cooked steak. I like to stick with a carb or grain, like potatoes, and some veggies. A few of my favorite side dishes to serve with steak include:

• Brown Butter Mashed Potatoes
• Broccoli Salad
• Copycat KFC Coleslaw
• Crack Potatoes
• Loaded Sliced Baked Potatoes
• Crockpot Creamed Corn

Can I Freeze Steak Marinade?

Yes, absolutely. You can freeze unused steak marinade for up to 3 months. Store in a ziploc bag and then thaw in the fridge before adding the steak.

You can also store unused steak marinade in the fridge for up to 3 days.

How to Store Leftovers

Keep the leftover steak in an airtight food storage container in the refrigerator for up to three days. Reheat the steak in a skillet over medium heat.

More Steak Recipes:

• Spicy Bourbon BBQ Steak Kebabs
• Garlic Butter Steak Bites
• Philly Cheesesteak Soup in a Bread Bowl
• Philly Cheesesteak Cheese Bread