Steak Marinade (Printable)

Tangy soy and balsamic blend that tenderizes steak and builds deep savory flavor for grilling, broiling, or pan-searing.

# What You'll Need:

→ Base

01 - 1/2 cup soy sauce
02 - 1/4 cup olive oil
03 - 1/4 cup Worcestershire sauce
04 - 2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
05 - 2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice

→ Aromatics and Flavorings

06 - 4 cloves garlic, minced
07 - 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
08 - 2 tablespoons brown sugar
09 - 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
10 - 1 teaspoon dried rosemary or 2 teaspoons fresh rosemary, finely chopped
11 - 1 teaspoon onion powder

# How-to Steps:

01 - In a medium mixing bowl, whisk together the soy sauce, olive oil, Worcestershire sauce, balsamic vinegar, and lemon juice until fully blended.
02 - Add the minced garlic, Dijon mustard, brown sugar, black pepper, rosemary, and onion powder to the bowl. Whisk all ingredients until marinade is homogenous.
03 - Arrange steaks in a large resealable plastic bag or shallow dish. Pour marinade over steaks to coat evenly.
04 - Seal the bag or cover the dish tightly and refrigerate for at least 2 hours, preferably up to 24 hours, turning steaks occasionally for even exposure.
05 - Remove steaks from marinade and pat dry with paper towels. Discard any remaining marinade before proceeding with grilling, pan-searing, or broiling as preferred.

# Expert Pointers:

01 -
  • Your steaks will emerge deeply flavorful, as if you’ve unlocked a secret steakhouse trick.
  • It’s forgiving and flexible, so you can improvise with what’s in your pantry and still get stellar results.
02 -
  • If you leave the steaks in marinade more than 24 hours the texture turns oddly mushy (trust me—don’t find out the hard way).
  • Patting the steaks dry before cooking is key—you’ll get that perfect crust instead of steaming them.
03 -
  • Whisk your marinade until you can’t see streaks from the mustard—it makes a big difference in how well it coats the steak.
  • Marinate your steak in a thin, single layer for even flavor absorption.