Balsamic Steak Marinade

Name: Balsamic Steak Marinade
Prep time: 25 min
Cook time: 14 min
Total time: 39 min
Yield: 4 servings
Cuisine: American
Ingredients: ½ cup (120 ml) balsamic vinegar; ¼ cup (60 ml) extra-virgin olive oil; 3 tablespoons (45 ml) Worcestershire sauce; 2 tablespoons (30 ml) soy sauce; 2 tablespoons (30 g) Dijon mustard; 4 large cloves (20 g) garlic cloves, peeled and finely minced or grated; 1 tablespoon (13 g) light brown sugar, packed; 1 teaspoon (1 g) dried thyme; 1 teaspoon (2 g) black pepper, freshly ground; 2 pounds (four 8-oz steaks, about 1 inch thick) (900 g) boneless beef steaks (sirloin, ribeye, or strip), patted dry with paper towels; ½ teaspoon (3 g) kosher salt, for seasoning after marinating (Diamond Crystal; use half if using table salt); 1 tablespoon (14 ml) avocado oil or other high-heat oil

From the MyKitchenBank Kitchen

A tangy, savory marinade built on balsamic vinegar, Worcestershire, soy sauce, Dijon and plenty of garlic. It tenderizes and flavors four steaks in just 2 hours, and it gives a deep mahogany crust on the grill or in a cast-iron skillet. A portion is set aside before marinating to use as a safe, glossy drizzle.

Prep: 25 min
Cook: 14 min
Wait: 2 hr 30 min
Total: 3 hr 9 min
Makes: 4 marinated steaks (about 1¼ cups / 300 ml marinade)

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Ingredients

4 servings

For the marinade
½ cup (120 ml) balsamic vinegar
¼ cup (60 ml) extra-virgin olive oil
3 tablespoons (45 ml) Worcestershire sauce
2 tablespoons (30 ml) soy sauce
2 tablespoons (30 g) Dijon mustard
4 large cloves (20 g) garlic cloves, peeled and finely minced or grated
1 tablespoon (13 g) light brown sugar, packed
1 teaspoon (1 g) dried thyme
1 teaspoon (2 g) black pepper, freshly ground
For the steaks
2 pounds (four 8-oz steaks, about 1 inch thick) (900 g) boneless beef steaks (sirloin, ribeye, or strip), patted dry with paper towels
½ teaspoon (3 g) kosher salt, for seasoning after marinating (Diamond Crystal; use half if using table salt)
1 tablespoon (14 ml) avocado oil or other high-heat oil

Equipment (8)

Large mixing bowl or 4-cup (1 L) measuring jug
Whisk
1-gallon (3.8 L) zip-top bag or a shallow non-reactive dish (glass or ceramic) large enough to hold the steaks in one layer
12-inch (30 cm) cast-iron skillet or an outdoor grill
Tongs
Instant-read thermometer
Paper towels
Cutting board and sharp knife

Steps

Before you start

Plan on 2 hours of marinating (minimum 30 minutes, maximum 8 hours). Longer than that and the vinegar makes the surface of the meat mushy.
Choose steaks about 1 inch (2.5 cm) thick, such as sirloin, ribeye, strip, or flat iron. Thinner steaks overcook before they develop a crust.
Reserve part of the marinade BEFORE it touches raw meat. Marinade that has contacted raw beef must never be used as a sauce unless boiled.
Have an instant-read thermometer ready. Steak doneness is hard to judge by eye.

1
Mince the garlic
- Peel the 4 garlic cloves and mince them as finely as you can, or grate them on a microplane.
- Finely minced garlic spreads its flavor through the marinade and is easy to wipe off before cooking.
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Ready when: Garlic is a fine, wet paste or tiny bits with no visible chunks.
Tip: Large garlic chunks burn on a hot pan and taste bitter, so keep the mince fine.
2
Whisk the marinade
- In a large bowl, combine ½ cup (120 ml) balsamic vinegar, ¼ cup (60 ml) olive oil, 3 tablespoons (45 ml) Worcestershire sauce, 2 tablespoons (30 ml) soy sauce, 2 tablespoons (30 g) Dijon mustard, the garlic, 1 tablespoon (13 g) brown sugar, 1 teaspoon dried thyme, and 1 teaspoon black pepper.
- Whisk for about 30 seconds.
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Ready when: The marinade looks slightly thickened and glossy, with the mustard and sugar fully dissolved and no separate oil layer.
Tip: Whisk vigorously; the Dijon acts as an emulsifier that keeps the oil blended and helps the marinade cling to the meat.
3
Reserve some marinade
- Pour ¼ cup (60 ml) of the marinade into a small covered container and refrigerate it.
- This clean portion will be drizzled over the sliced steak at the end.
- Do not let raw meat touch it.
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Tip: Do this now. Once the steaks go in, the remaining marinade is considered raw-meat contaminated and must be discarded.
4
Marinate the steaks
- Pat the 4 steaks dry with paper towels, then place them in a zip-top bag (or a single layer in a shallow glass dish).
- Pour in the remaining marinade, press out the air, and seal.
- Massage the bag so every surface is coated.
- Refrigerate for 2 hours, flipping the bag once at the halfway point.
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Ready when: The steaks are evenly coated and the surface looks slightly darker.
Tip: Do not exceed 8 hours; the acid will turn the outer layer of the meat mealy.
5
Dry and temper
- Remove the steaks from the bag and discard the used marinade.
- With your fingers, scrape off most of the garlic and herb bits.
- Blot every surface thoroughly with paper towels, then sprinkle both sides with ½ teaspoon kosher salt in total.
- Let the steaks sit on a plate at room temperature for 20 minutes.
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Ready when: The surface of each steak feels tacky-dry, not wet or slick.
Tip: A dry surface is the secret to a brown crust. Wet steaks steam instead of sear.
6
Heat the pan
- Set a 12-inch (30 cm) cast-iron skillet over high heat for about 5 minutes until very hot, then add 1 tablespoon (14 ml) avocado oil and swirl to coat.
- If grilling, preheat to high (around 475°F / 245°C) and oil the grates.
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Ready when: The oil shimmers and wisps of smoke just begin to rise from the pan.
Tip: Turn on your exhaust fan; the sugar in the marinade makes some smoke at this temperature.
7
Sear the steaks
- Lay the steaks in the pan, leaving space between them (cook in two batches if needed).
- Sear without moving for 4 minutes until a deep brown crust forms.
- Flip and cook 3 to 4 minutes more for medium-rare.
- Insert an instant-read thermometer horizontally into the center of the thickest steak and remove the steaks when they hit 130°F (54°C) for medium-rare or 140°F (60°C) for medium.
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Ready when: Both sides are deep mahogany brown, and the thermometer reads 130°F (54°C) for medium-rare or 140°F (60°C) for medium.
Tip: If the crust is darkening too fast, reduce heat to medium-high after the flip. The temperature will rise 5°F (3°C) while resting.
8
Rest the steaks
- Transfer the steaks to a cutting board and tent loosely with foil.
- Rest for 10 minutes, so the juices redistribute through the meat instead of running onto the board.
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Ready when: The internal temperature climbs to about 135°F (57°C) for medium-rare.
Tip: Do not skip the rest, or the juices pour out on the first cut.
9
Slice and drizzle
- Slice the steaks against the grain into ½-inch (1.25 cm) strips.
- Fan the slices on plates and spoon about 1 tablespoon of the reserved, refrigerated marinade over each serving.
- Serve right away.
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Ready when: Slices are rosy pink in the center with a dark brown edge, and the drizzle looks glossy.
Tip: Look for the lines of muscle fiber running through the steak and cut across them, not parallel, for the most tender bite.

Good to know

Tips

Use a decent but not expensive balsamic vinegar. Very syrupy aged balsamic is wasted here and can burn.
Always wipe garlic and sugary bits off before searing; they scorch long before the steak is cooked.
For grill-marked steaks, cook over direct high heat, then move to a cooler zone if flare-ups occur from the dripping oil.
Slice against the grain; it makes even a leaner cut like sirloin taste more tender.

Make ahead

"The marinade can be whisked up to 3 days ahead and refrigerated in a sealed jar; shake well before using. You can also freeze steaks in the marinade in a freezer bag for up to 3 months; thaw overnight in the fridge, which counts as marinating time (it should not exceed 8 hours of total contact once thawed)."

Storage & reheating

"Cooked steak: refrigerate in an airtight container up to 3 days; do not leave at room temperature more than 2 hours. Freeze sliced steak up to 2 months. Reheat gently in a skillet over medium-low heat with a splash of water or broth, covered, for 2 to 3 minutes, to avoid overcooking. Unused (never-contacted-meat) marinade keeps in the fridge up to 5 days. Used marinade must be discarded."

Substitutions

soy sauce → tamari or coconut aminos. Tamari makes it gluten-free (check the Worcestershire label too); coconut aminos are sweeter and less salty, so add a pinch more salt before cooking.
light brown sugar → honey or maple syrup. Use 1 tablespoon (15 ml). Both brown a little faster, so watch the pan.
dried thyme → dried rosemary or Italian seasoning. Crush rosemary between your fingers and use ½ teaspoon, since it is stronger.
boneless beef steaks (sirloin, ribeye, or strip) → flank or skirt steak, or bone-in pork chops. Flank and skirt steak take only 3 to 4 minutes per side. Pork chops should reach 145°F (63°C).