How to Marinade Steak and Grill It to Perfection (5 no-fail tips)
by Ed
A couple of weeks back, I got together with some good friends- many of whom I hadn’t seen in years. It was a planned day of hanging out, catching up, drinking a few beers and grilling some meat.
I wanted something simple that would allow flexibility to do other stuff and not have to be chained to the BBQ all day. Not that there is anything wrong with that, but slow cooking ribs for 4 hours takes more attention than I was willing to give (- unless you’re using our super fast Instant Pot BBQ Ribs recipe, of course!).
Enter steak. It’s among the fastest and simplest crowd-pleasers out there. It is also dangerously easy to screw up. Overcook a steak and (with no due respect to those who order steaks ‘well done’) you’ve ruined it.
What follows is my recipe and how to marinade steak to restaurant perfection – plus my tips to perfectly grill steak every time.
Tips to Perfect Steak Grilling:
1) Buy good steak.
- Watch the sales sections and stock up when a good deal comes.
- But don’t buy a cheap cut – your jaw will thank you – I got five thick steaks at Costco on a discount for $30. $6 for a steak you’d pay $25 for at The Keg?
2) Freeze your on-sale steak:
- I know some purists will cringe, but I often will freeze my steaks and only partially defrost them before grilling. The middle will cook a little slower and stay pink longer.
- More margin of error to cook to medium-rare – Yes, please!
3) Cook almost everything else first.
- Have the potatoes baked and sitting together to stay warm. Have your salad prepped and anything else you need doing done.
- Save all of your focus for your steak and cook it last.
4) Heat your grill as a hot as it will go before you put the steak on.
- I don’t own a fancy Green Egg or what have you, but I still try and get my gas grill up to 450F+ before the steak goes on.
- Your goal is to sear the outside so that juices stay in.
- I cook each side twice, although many aficionados suggest only turning it once. I like the cross-hatched grill lines you get from turning it 45 degrees on the second flip – and the visual payoff is worth it.
5) Finally, make this perfect steak marinade.
- I was inspired to create this marinade after searching for ideas. Internet-lore says it is very similar to the recipe The Keg uses to make their delicious steaks.
- I like it because, while it works well with great cuts of meat, the acids in it can also help improve the tenderness of not-so-great cuts too. Oh, and like steak, the marinade is super easy to make.
Recipe: How to Marinade Steak Perfectly
I initially mixed all of the marinade stuff together in the measuring cup, but all the spices didn’t pour out nicely.
Don’t make my mistake; it wastes precious delicious seasonings.
Seal and mix everything around to coat the meat on all sides.
Before sealing, lay flat and carefully remove as much air as possible.
Refrigerate to marinate at least 4 hours or freeze for future enjoyment.
Recipe to Marinade Steak (and Grill it to Perfection!)
Inspired by The Keg steak marinade recipe! So tender and absolutely delicious.
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup red wine
- 1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
- 1 tsp Worcestershire sauce
- 1 Tbsp oil
- 1 tsp ground pepper
- 2 Tbsp Montreal Steak Spice
- 4 steaks - your choice of cut.
Instructions
- Combine the dry ingredients in a freezer bag, or flat dish if you are cooking the steak the same day. Pour the liquids in and stir/shake.
- Add the steaks and, turning occasionally, marinade for at least 4 hours.
- Alternatively, do my freezer hack and freeze the steaks and marinade together in the bag. Remove to the refrigerator the morning of the day you intend to grill - They will mostly thaw and continue to marinade and be ready for you by grilling time.
- Grill on high heat to the desired level of doneness, turning twice. About 3-4 mins per turn.
Other BBQ recipes to enjoy:
Robin and Ed are a DIY-loving couple with over 25 years of design and build experience. Also, Robin is a Nutritionist and former Registered Dietitian and Ed is an award-winning Business Educator. We share strategies for living a rich life on a DIY budget: creative money-savvy ideas for a stylish home, healthy meals and family fun. Our work has been published in the pages of Do It Yourself, Farmhouse Style and Better Homes & Gardens magazines.
Yummy! That steak looks marinated and cooked to perfection!
Oh it so good! Make restaurant quality steak at home – yes please! 🙂