Steak Marinade Rundown

With grilling season upon us, I thought we would all enjoy a little review of a basic marinade recipe. Use the ratio below for an endless variety of marinades.

Adapted from My Recipes

General rule of thumb: 1/2 cup marinade per pound of meat

Marinade ration: 3 parts oil (1/2 cup), 1 part acid (3 tablespoons),

Oil: the foundation of the marinade! You want you marinade to be 3 parts oil to 1 part acid. So if you use 1/2 cup oil, then you want 3 Tablespoons acid. Options include: canola, olive, avocado, peanut, toasted sesame

Acid: consider citrus juice and/or vinegars. Don’t forget that 3 parts oil to 1 part acid ration! And don’t use too much acid or you

Sugar: use what you have! Cane, brown, coconut, honey, maple syrup, agave syrup, they all work great. Start with 2 Tablespoons of sugar per 1/2 cup oil.

Salt: use a salty liquid or fine sea salt instead of anything coarse! The salt and sugar are what penetrates the meat so the smaller the granule, or if you are working with liquid, the more likely the salt will stay suspended in the marinade and get into your meat (instead of falling to the bottom of the bowl). Try soy sauce, Worcestershire sauce, fish sauce, or fine sea salt. Taste your marinade before adding the meat and add more if you need. If it is a salty marinade, then you’ll want to finish with less salt after your meat is cooked.

Aromatics and dried spices: this is where you get to make it your own! Check out what you have in your kitchen/pantry and go from there: fresh herbs, citrus zest, fresh garlic/onion/ginger, lemongrass, dried pantry spices, … this list goes on. Don’t forget to taste before you add your meat.