The Best Steak Marinade

Why I love this marinade

I’ve been using this recipe for several years now and I haven’t changed a thing! This steak marinade recipe was inspired by my mother-in-law’s marinade recipe. She used soy and brown sugar along with a few other ingredients to marinate filet mignons one Sunday evening and we all raved how good they were – it was literally love at first bite. I took her recipe and added my own spin on it, adding fresh herbs and some dijon mustard just to elevate the flavor a bit more.

Talk about an easy way to add flavor to a steak. Marinating any type of meat is a simple way to change the entire flavor profile of the dish. For example, let’s make a meal compromised of  steak, asparagus and potatoes. You can give this meal an Asian twist, Italian twist Mediterranean twist depending on what marinade is used. This is the fun part about marinades – the combinations are endless!

What is a steak marinade? 

A steak marinade is a flavorful liquid mixture used to soak steaks in before cooking, enhancing their taste and tenderness. It typically combines acidic ingredients like apple cider vinegar, balsamic vinegar or lemon juice, which helps break down the meat’s fibers, with oil to keep it moist. It’s used often with tougher cuts of meat to help tenderize the meat.

The marinade often includes aromatics like garlic, onions, and herbs such a rosemary or thyme, along with spices like black pepper, paprika or cayenne for a kick. Sweet elements like honey or brown sugar may be added for a caramelized finish, while soy sauce or Worcestershire sauce can introduce umami depth. The steak should marinate for at least 30 minutes to several hours, depending on the desired intensity of flavor. 

Steak Marinade Ingredients: 

• Filet mignon: Filet is my favorite cut of meat, but feel free to use other cuts as well.
• Soy sauce: Soy sauce gives the steak a nice salty umami flavor. 
• Olive oil: Olive oil keeps the steak moist but also necessary while cooking so they don’t stick to the pan. 
• Minced garlic: I put garlic in everything. That’s all!
• Dijon mustard: Dijon helps balance the salty and sweet flavors.
• Brown sugar: My favorite ingredient in this marinade! Brown sugar helps caramelize the steaks while giving them a touch of sweetness. 
• Fresh thyme: I love thyme so that’s why I use it. I love the earthy flavor. You can use other herbs, such a rosemary, too!
• Black pepper: Pepper adds a little punch to the overall marinade. 

How to Make The Best Steak Marinade:

Substitutions:

• You can use chicken, pork or beef for this recipe. I like to use filet mignon. 
• You can sub coconut aminos for the soy sauce.
• Herbs like rosemary, sage, oregano and bay leaf would be good substitutions for the thyme. You can also use them together to create a more robust flavor profile. Italian seasoning would also be a good option!
• Don’t have fresh garlic? Substitute a teaspoon of garlic powder. 

Tips For Success:

• Marinate steaks for 2 hours.
• Bring steaks to room temperature before cooking – if the steaks are cold, they will take longer to cook and cook unevenly. 
• Pat the steaks dry before searing – this will create a nice crust.
• Let steaks rest on a cutting board after they’ve cooked for at least 15 minutes. If they rest in the pan, they will continue to cook. Resting
• Prepare the ingredients before starting – get ingredients out, measure, chop, etc. Doing this prevents mistakes. 
• How thick the steak is, will depend on how quickly it cooks. If the steaks are thinner, they will cook more quickly so adjust the time in the oven. If the steaks are thin, they may not even need to be cooked in the oven.

That’s it folks! I hope you enjoy the best steak marinade recipe as much as I do! If you like this recipe, check out my Flank Steak Recipe, Roasted Beef Tenderloin with Mushrooms and my Bacon Wrapped Filet Recipe. Please rate and leave a comment. I love hearing from you and appreciate the support!

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Yield: 2 filets

The Best Steak Marinade

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A delicious steak marinade consisting of oil, soy sauce, garlic, dijon mustard, brown sugar, fresh thyme and pepper.

Prep Time 2 hours

Cook Time 11 minutes

Additional Time 15 minutes

Total Time 2 hours 26 minutes

Ingredients

• 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
• 1 teaspoon minced garlic
• 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
• Good pinch of salt
• 2 tablespoons brown sugar
• 1 tablespoon soy sauce
• 1 tablespoon + 1 teaspoon dijon mustard
• a pinch of red pepper flakes (optional)
• 1 tablespoon chopped fresh thyme (sub rosemary, oregano sage or bay leaf)

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
2. Add Filets to a gallon size zipper bag.
3. In a bowl, mix all of the ingredients with a whisk and then pour into bag.
4. Massage the marinade into the filets and put in refrigerator for at least 2 hours. The longer the meat sits in the marinade, the better it will be.
5. Remove the steaks from the refrigerator and bring them to room temperature for 30 minutes. Pat them dry with a paper towel before searing.
6. To cook the filets, add oil to an oven proof pan or skillet and place over medium-high heat. Let the pan heat up slightly then add the filets - they should sizzle. Cook filets for about 2-3 minutes or until a dark crust forms. Turn steaks and do the same on the other side. Then place the pan in the oven and cook the filets for an additional 7 minutes for rare doneness. Let steaks rest for 15 minutes before enjoying to prevent juices from running out. Add a few more minutes if you like your steak more done. See notes below for desired temperatures. Enjoy!

Notes

The thickness of your steak will also depend on how long you cook it - keep this in mind. Use a meat thermometer to get exact temperature for doneness.

Rare: 110-120 degrees F

Medium rare: 120-130 degrees F

Medium: 130-140 degrees F

Medium well: 140-150 degrees F

Well done: 150-160 degrees F

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