Easy Steak Marinades
How to Season a Steak for a Beautifully Balanced Flavor
Some people like to use salt and pepper on their steaks to give it some flavor and other people prefer to use a steak marinade recipe. The great thing about using a steak marinade is that there are plenty of easy steak marinades you can choose from. Some steak marinade recipes are sweet, some are spicy, some are mustard or horseradish based, and others are soft and fruity. The sky is the limit when it comes to steak marinades.
The only real limit on how to season steak is your imagination. Marinating steak can be preferable to using a steak rub, especially if you are using a tough cut of steak, because a steak marinade breaks down the fibers in the meat, making it tender and soft. The best steak marinade is one that tenderizes your steak to perfection as well as adding exactly the right amount of flavor.
Basic Steak Seasoning Tips
You should start off with a good cut of steak like rib-eye or New York strip. Coat the steak lightly with oil and pick an oil with a high smoke point so you do not get too much smoke. Coat the steak all over with the oil because the lubrication helps to conduct the heat into the steak. Season the oiled steak with coarsely ground sea salt or kosher salt and coarsely ground black pepper. The oil will hold your seasonings in place.
You can also add dried herbs such as parsley. Do not go overboard with the herbs because you want to maximize the flavor of the steak, not overpower it with herbs. If you do not want herbs or pepper you will still need the salt because it reacts with the surface of the steak and brings out the flavor.
Handy Hints for the Best Steak Marinade Recipes
A marinade is a seasoned mixture used to add flavor and tenderize steak. If you are using tender beef cuts, you will only need to marinate the meat for fifteen minutes to two hours because it will not require tenderizing. Chuck, flank, round and skirt steak is tough to begin with so you might need to leave it marinating for several hours or overnight for the best results. Never marinate a steak for over twenty-four hours else it might go mushy.
Marinate steak in a non-reactive stainless steel or glass dish or in a food-safe plastic bag, turning the steaks occasionally to give them even exposure to the marinade. Always marinade in the refrigerator and never at room temperature where bacteria could grow on the meat.
If you are going to use the marinade later for making a sauce or for basting, reserve some of it before adding the beef to the rest so the sauce or basting juice will not have been in contact with the raw meat. If it has been in contact with the meat, you will have to bring it to a rolling boil before using it. Never save and reuse a marinade.
Marinades for Tenderizing Steak
Acidic ingredients for tenderizing include lemon juice, limejuice, Italian dressing, yogurt, wine, salsa, and vinegar. Tenderizing enzymes are found in pineapple, honeydew melon, mango, papaya, fresh ginger, figs, and kiwi fruit. A tenderizing marinade will penetrate about a fourth of an inch into the steak over the course of the marinating time.
How Much Marinade for How Much Beef?
You should allow a fourth to a half a cup of marinade for every one to two pounds of beef. If you want to know how to season an unmediated steak with dry ingredients, use enough oil to coat the steak then give it a good, even sprinkling of salt and pepper on both sides before you cook it.
