Don't Bust the 6 Sacred Steak Marination Rules

A gorgeous ribeye needs nothing more than a hefty dose of salt and a little black pepper to make it perfect. But what if you’re in the mood for something different? And what if you're working with a cut of steak That isn’t quite as naturally tasty as ribeye. It's time for a change. marinade .

What Steak Marinades Can (and Cannot) Accomplish

At its core, a marinade consists of a mixture containing fat, salt, sugar, acid, and aromatics. As stated by Ashley Lonsdale, who serves as the chef-in-residence, ButcherBox A marinade "adds flavor and improves the texture of steak" by boosting its ability to retain moisture. Additionally, it promotes better browning. Therefore, you get a moister, more flavorful cut of meat.

Despite common beliefs, marinades aren't effective at making steaks more tender. While both acidic ingredients and salts in the marinade can alter protein structures, causing the exterior of the meat to become softer, this doesn't equate to true tenderness.

Rosemary Trout Kerry Bajaksouzian, the program director of culinary arts and food science at Drexel University, warns that leaving your steak to marinate for an extended period or in excessive acid can result in "sourness and a soft, almost mushy exterior." Yikes!

Creating an excellent marinade isn't complicated (a recipe isn't even necessary!). However, certain fundamentals should be considered. Below are all the details you'll require to master the art of marinating consistently.

1. What Are the Best Steaks for Marinading?

Steaks that greatly improve with a marinade tend to be those that require additional enhancement. These cuts are often thinner and tougher, such as flank or skirt steak. Other times, they lack intramuscular fat which would normally provide natural flavoring, similar to a sirloin tip. Alternatively, these might have an abundance of connective tissue that usually needs extended cooking to become tender, much like a bottom round cut. When they aren’t inherently juicy and flavorful on their own, these cuts make excellent candidates for marinades.

2. Ingredients to Add to Your Marinade

While you don’t need a recipe to make a marinade, there are a few key types of ingredients you always need to include.

Salt: According to Lonsdale, this is “the key component for a marinade.” Unlike all the other ingredients in a marinade, salt actually travels beyond the surface of the steak, seasoning it throughout and increasing its moisture retention, resulting in a juicier piece of meat.

Fat: A little fat (usually oil) in a marinade helps to distribute the salt as well as the flavor of other aromatics around the meat. It also helps prevent the steak from sticking while it’s being cooked.

Sugar: The sweetness derived from honey, maple syrup, or simple table sugar can offer a pleasant counterbalance to the savory richness of the meat. Additionally, sugars aid in caramelizing the steak, which develops deep, well-browned tastes.

Acid: Although it’s not essential, adding a touch of citrus juice or vinegar can enhance the flavor profile of your marinades and balance out the heaviness of the oil and seasonings. However, ensure you don’t overdo it with acidity; otherwise, the meat could become overly tenderized and develop an unpleasant texture.

Aromatics: Garlic, scallions, and shallots—along with robust herbs like rosemary and thyme—are excellent components for a marinade. However, proceed cautiously with highly pungent ingredients such as fully grown raw onions, since they might become overwhelmingly strong when soaked with the meat for an extended period.

3. Taste Your Marinade

Before drizzling your marinade over the steak, take a moment to sample it! Is it lacking in salt? Should it have an extra touch of sweetness from sugar? Perhaps it needs additional aromatic elements? Make adjustments as needed and then test for seasoning once more. As Lonsdale points out, "The marinade should be deliciously well-balanced." Keep in mind, if you find joy in the taste of the marinade alone, you'll thoroughly enjoy how it complements the steak.

4. Timing of Your Marinade Matters

There’s no hard and fast rule for how long to marinate a steak; it really depends on the size of the steak and how much (if any) acid is in the marinade. As Trout warns, leaving the meat in an acidic solution for too long will cause the meat to take on an “overly sour flavor.” If your marinade isn’t too acidic, Lonsdale’s recommends “anywhere from 4 to 6 hours." If your steak is small, you might be able to get away with less.

5. Slice Your Steak—or Skip It

To minimize marination time even further—yes, we're punning here!—think about cutting the steak into thinner slices prior to marinating. As Trout points out, doing so enables the marinade "to reach more surfaces rapidly," thus decreasing the total soaking period required. This technique particularly benefits tougher cuts like flank or skirt steaks; they become more delicate when sliced finely across the fibers and cooked swiftly under intense heat. However, keep in mind that this approach may not suit every preference: occasionally, you might prefer serving an entire big slab of beef carved at the dining table. Should that be your choice, simply avoid dicing up the steak altogether.

6. Prepare It Perfectly (In Fact, Medium-Rare)

When preparing either marinated or non-marinated pieces of steak, similar guidelines should be followed. Thinner and less fatty parts such as flank or skirt tend to fare well under high-heat techniques like grilling or broiling; however, bigger portions containing plenty of connective tissues are best suited for slow-cooking processes including braising or stewing. Prior to cooking, make certain you take the steak out of the marinade and thoroughly dry it off. Leaving residual dampness on the steak can lead to excessive splattering upon contact with a heated pan, which may result in steaming instead of proper sealing. Nobody desires steamed steak.