This Steak Marinade is olive oil, Worcestershire sauce, soy sauce and lemon juice, whisked with hot sauce, garlic powder, dried oregano, dry minced onion, salt and pepper. It covers 6 steaks of any cut. Marinate them in the refrigerator for at least 2 hours (overnight for thick or tough cuts, never more than 24 hours), then grill them over medium-high heat until they reach 145°F.
How to make it: Whisk the marinade in a small bowl and pour it over the steaks in a gallon-size bag. Seal, press out the air and refrigerate. Grill 4 to 5 minutes per side until a thermometer reads 145°F, throw away the used marinade, and rest the steaks 5 to 10 minutes under foil.
Why You’ll Love It
- 5 minutes to mix: four liquids and six pantry seasonings.
- Works on any cut: sirloin and ranch steaks get the most out of it; strip and ribeye take it well too.
- Salty, tangy and a little spicy: soy and Worcestershire for depth, lemon for brightness, hot sauce for a kick.
- Make-ahead friendly: bag the steaks in the morning and grill at dinner.
Ingredient Notes
Olive oil, Worcestershire sauce, soy sauce and lemon juice: 1/4 cup of each. The lemon juice is the acid that helps soften tougher cuts.
Hot sauce: 2 teaspoons of any hot sauce you like. Warn your guests if it’s a very hot one.
Dry seasonings: 2 teaspoons each of garlic powder, dried oregano, dry minced onion, salt and black pepper.
Steaks: 6, any cut. Cheaper cuts like sirloin and ranch steaks benefit most; New York strip or ribeye work too.
Ingredients
- 1/4 cup olive oil
- 1/4 cup Worcestershire sauce
- 1/4 cup soy sauce
- 1/4 cup lemon juice
- 2 teaspoons hot sauce (any hot sauce you like)
- 2 teaspoons garlic powder
- 2 teaspoons dried oregano
- 2 teaspoons dry minced onion
- 2 teaspoons salt
- 2 teaspoons black pepper
- 6 steaks (any cut; sirloin and ranch steaks are a good fit, New York strip or ribeye work too)
How to Make Steak Marinade
1. Mix the marinade. Whisk the olive oil, Worcestershire sauce, soy sauce, lemon juice, hot sauce, garlic powder, oregano, dry minced onion, salt and pepper together in a small mixing bowl.
2. Bag the steaks. Place the steaks in a gallon-size food storage bag. Pour the marinade over the steaks, seal the bag and press out any excess air.
3. Marinate in the refrigerator. Refrigerate for at least 2 hours, or overnight for thick or tough steaks, and no longer than 24 hours. Never marinate on the counter.
4. Heat the grill. Preheat a grill or grill pan to medium-high heat.
5. Grill the steaks. Use tongs to lift the steaks out of the marinade, letting the excess drip back into the bag, and put them on the hot grill. On a grill pan, cook in batches if needed. Cook 4 to 5 minutes, flip, and cook another 4 to 5 minutes, until a food thermometer reads 145°F. Thicker steaks take longer. Throw away the marinade left in the bag.
6. Rest and serve. Move the steaks to a clean platter, cover loosely with foil and let them rest 5 to 10 minutes before serving warm.
How Long to Marinate Steak
It depends on the cut:
- Tender cuts such as New York strip, ribeye and filet mignon are already tender. They need only a short soak, 15 minutes to 2 hours, or just salt and pepper.
- Thicker or tougher cuts such as sirloin do better overnight, about 8 hours, and can stay up to 24 hours.
- The minimum: this recipe calls for at least 2 hours.
Can you marinate steak too long? Yes. Stop at 24 hours. After that, the lemon juice keeps working on the meat and the steak turns tough and mushy. If plans change and you can’t cook within 24 hours, freeze the steaks in the marinade and thaw them in the refrigerator before grilling.
Marinade Safety
- Always marinate in the refrigerator, never on the counter. Keep the steaks cold until they go on the grill.
- Don’t reuse the marinade. Marinade that touched raw steak goes in the trash. If you want to brush it on or serve it, boil it for a few minutes first.
- Want a sauce? Set some marinade aside in a separate container before the raw steak goes in.
- Use a thermometer. Grilled steak browns fast on the outside, so color can fool you. Cook it to 145°F, then rest at least 3 minutes.
- Use a clean platter and clean tongs for the cooked steaks, not the ones that touched the raw meat.
Tips
- Press out the air when you seal the bag, then squish the marinade around so every steak is coated.
- Short on bag space? Use a large dish covered with plastic wrap and turn the steaks once.
- Slice against the grain for the most tender bites.
- Make the marinade ahead. Before it touches raw meat, it keeps 2 to 3 days in the refrigerator.
Variations
- Swap the acid: use lime or orange juice, a few tablespoons of balsamic or apple cider vinegar, or a tablespoon of Dijon mustard instead of lemon juice.
- Soy-free: use coconut aminos for the soy sauce.
- Three ingredients: olive oil, soy sauce and Worcestershire, with a pinch of Italian herbs.
- Steakhouse style: add balsamic vinegar, brown sugar or honey, Dijon mustard, fresh garlic, thyme and rosemary.
- Red wine: red wine, olive oil, a little lemon juice, garlic, rosemary, salt and pepper.
- Skillet: sear in a hot skillet about 3 minutes per side, then lower the heat and cook to 145°F.
Storage & Reheating
Raw steaks in the marinade: refrigerate up to 24 hours, or freeze in a freezer bag up to 3 months. Thaw in the refrigerator.
Cooked steak: refrigerate within 2 hours in shallow covered containers; it keeps 3 to 4 days, or freeze 3 to 4 months.
Reheating: reheat covered until it reaches 165°F. Don’t reheat leftovers in a slow cooker.
What to Serve With It
Pair the steaks with garlic herb roasted potatoes, carrots and zucchini, roasted asparagus and carrots or smothered green beans with potatoes. Leftover sliced sirloin is great in loaded steak quesadillas.
No time to marinate? Rub the steaks with Texas Roadhouse steak seasoning. For bite-size pieces seared in a skillet, make steak bites.
Frequently Asked Questions
How long should you marinate steak?
At least 2 hours in the refrigerator. Tough or thick cuts do best overnight; never go past 24 hours.
Can you marinate steak too long?
Yes. After 24 hours the lemon juice breaks down the meat and the texture turns mushy.
Can you reuse steak marinade?
Not without boiling it for a few minutes first. It’s easier to set some aside before adding the raw steak.
Does marinade make steak tender?
The acid, here lemon juice, helps soften tougher cuts like sirloin, and the marinade adds flavor to any cut.
What temperature should steak reach?
145°F on a food thermometer, then rest at least 3 minutes.
Final Notes
Whisk, bag, chill and grill, with a thermometer in hand. If you try it with the balsamic swap, tell me in the comments how you liked it.
Steak Marinade
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Ingredients
- 1/4 cup olive oil
- 1/4 cup Worcestershire sauce
- 1/4 cup soy sauce
- 1/4 cup lemon juice
- 2 teaspoons hot sauce any hot sauce you like
- 2 teaspoons garlic powder
- 2 teaspoons dried oregano
- 2 teaspoons dry minced onion
- 2 teaspoons salt
- 2 teaspoons black pepper
- 6 steaks any cut; sirloin and ranch steaks are a good fit, New York strip or ribeye work too
Instructions
- Whisk the olive oil, Worcestershire sauce, soy sauce, lemon juice, hot sauce, garlic powder, oregano, dry minced onion, salt and pepper together in a small mixing bowl.
- Place the steaks in a gallon-size food storage bag. Pour the marinade over the steaks, seal the bag and press out any excess air.
- Refrigerate for at least 2 hours, or overnight for thick or tough steaks, and no longer than 24 hours. Never marinate on the counter.
- Preheat a grill or grill pan to medium-high heat.
- Use tongs to lift the steaks out of the marinade, letting the excess drip back into the bag, and put them on the hot grill. On a grill pan, cook in batches if needed. Cook 4 to 5 minutes, flip, and cook another 4 to 5 minutes, until a food thermometer reads 145°F. Thicker steaks take longer. Throw away the marinade left in the bag.
- Move the steaks to a clean platter, cover loosely with foil and let them rest 5 to 10 minutes before serving warm.
