Here’s a super-quick 3 ingredient steak marinade recipe that will make your next steak juicier and more flavorful than ever before. This marinade uses three simple ingredients you may already have and takes less than 5 minutes to make. Try it and let me know what you think!
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Marinades don’t have to be difficult!
In fact, this 3 Ingredient Steak Marinade is so simple, it takes less than five minutes to prepare.
Characteristics Of A Great Steak Marinade:
- Contains ingredients that help tenderize the beef
- Takes almost no time to make
- Enhances the flavor of the meat
- Uses very few, common everyday ingredients
SeasonalCookbook.com Mission
If you’re already a frequent visitor to this site, you’ll know I strive to share simple, easy recipes that use very few ingredients.
One good example is my Quick Gyoza Dipping Sauce, which uses only two ingredients!
Another SeasonalCookbook.com recipe that also uses very few ingredients is this Wingstop Ranch Copycat Recipe.
My mission is to share recipes that are not intimidating, so that you will be encouraged to try making these recipes, too!
I hope this 3 Ingredient Steak Marinade recipe accomplishes that mission.
Why You’ll Love This 3 Ingredient Steak Marinade
I think you’ll love this recipe because it:
- Uses very few ingredients
- Is quick and easy to prepare
- Elevates the flavor of any cut of beef
- Tastes delicious
You’ll notice I mentioned that my mission on SeasonalCookbook.com is to share simple, seasonal recipes that use very few ingredients.
I don’t know about you, but I don’t tend to make recipes that use a lot of ingredients.
I find them intimidating.
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I also don’t really like shopping for ingredients, so I’ll tend to buy the ingredients I need for my recipes online at Amazon’s Whole Foods Market (affiliate link).
And if I am not making one of my own recipes, I usually have one of these 15-minute recipes with ingredients delivered to me by Gobble.
But let’s talk about the necessary ingredients for THIS recipe!
3 Ingredient Steak Marinade – The Ingredients
As you can see from the photo above, this marinade only requires 3 ingredients:
- Soy Sauce (Dark)
- Minced Garlic
- Dark Beer (Any Stout)
This recipe consists of nothing more than Soy Sauce (Dark), Minced Garlic, and a Dark Beer (I prefer using a stout), but any dark beer will do.
Each ingredient I chose even has a special purpose in this recipe.
Dark Soy Sauce
The dark soy sauce adds a tremendous amount of flavor and a level of tangy sweetness and saltiness to the meat.
In addition to the flavor, beef that has been marinated in soy sauce caramelizes more quickly.
This caramelization adds a deep brown color to the meat as it cooks.
This ‘browning’ of the beef helps identify when it’s done cooking – just look for a caramel brown surface on each side!
Minced Garlic
Minced garlic like this could be classified as an aromatic.
It has a strong, concentrated flavor and when combined with the Dark Soy Sauce, gives the steak(s) a subtle Asian flavor.
Dark Beer (Stout)
The dark beer, or stout, is really what I consider the secret ingredient in this simple marinade recipe!
Marinating (or soaking) steaks in dark beer helps accelerate the tenderization of the meat.
The acid in a dark stout helps to break down the fat in the steaks, which makes the meat more tender.
This added tenderness means that the beef will be easier to cut, more pleasant to chew and more flavorful.
Recipe Equipment Needed
There is hardly any cookware required for this recipe:
- Mixing Bowl
- Plastic Food Storage Container
- Spoon (a fancy spoon like this isn’t required, but still fun!)
- Pyrex Measuring Cup
When making a steak marinade like this, you really don’t need any fancy recipe equipment.
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A mixing bowl, spoon, and measuring cup are all you need to mix the 3 ingredients for this steak marinade together.
And a good plastic food storage container like the one shown in the first photo above is ideal for marinating two cuts of prime beef!
Since I am usually cooking for two, the container above is the perfect size.
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How I Marinate My Steak In This 3 Ingredient Steak Marinade
Once I’ve mixed this simple 3 ingredient steak marinade, marinating the steak is a very simple process.
Transferring The Marinade
First, I transfer all of the marinade from my mixing bowl into a plastic food storage container like this (similar to the one shown below).
Make sure that the container in which your steaks will be marinating is large enough to hold as many cuts of beef as you plan on cooking.
That last concept is important!
Use A Food Storage Container Large Enough To Hold Everything!
Above, I am marinating two 10 ounce cuts of Top Sirloin.
My plastic food storage container is big enough to hold both cuts!
Fully Saturate Each Cut Of Meat
Next, I make sure that each cut of beef is fully coated with my marinade before refrigerating.
I am very deliberate about this!
As I add each steak into the marinade, I move it back and forth several times.
I then turn each steak over and move it back and forth in the marinade several more times.
My goal is to fully soak each cut of meat in the marinade even before letting is rest and refrigerate.
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I used two steaks in my example above, but no matter how many you are preparing, just make sure each cut of beef is fully saturated.
This is essential for getting the marinating process started.
Cover And Refrigerate
Once each steak is soaked in the marinade, place the lid on the plastic container and refrigerate.
Is A Large Plastic Food Container Really Necessary For Marinating Steaks?
That all depends on how may cuts of before you plan on cooking.
Anytime I am planning on making two (or more) steaks, I immediately reach for an air-tight plastic food storage container like this one.
However, if I am only making a petite Filet Mignon for myself, then I can easily marinate a 4 – 6 ounce filet in a Ziploc Storage Bag.
Just be careful because if you don’t lock the Ziploc bag well, you could have a giant mess on your hands!
Not that I would ever, ever do that in a million years…..LOL!
How Long Should I Marinate My Steak?
There’s a lot of debate about how long to marinate a steak before cooking.
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Some chefs swear that marinating steaks overnight (24 hours) is the only way to go.
Other food bloggers say 2 – 3 hours.
I tend to marinate my steaks for between 4 to 6 hours.
I find that 4 – 6 hours is a good compromise between some of the ideas above.
It is long enough for the marinade to infuse all of it’s flavors and tenderize the beef.
But 4 to 6 hours is not so long that you forgot you were marinating something!
Which Cuts Of Beef Are Best For Marinating?
The best cuts of beef to marinate are the cuts that have some fat content.
The Top Sirloins I used (below) , have a nice marbled texture.
The level of marbling (white) in each cut indicate the fat content.
I believe the fat, or marbling, helps absorb extra marinade.
Fat also adds to the flavor – but not necessarily – the tenderness of the steak.
This marinade can certainly help make leaner cuts of beef more tender, however!
Tips & Substitutions
I mentioned a few things above, but I’ll reiterate the most important tips here.
More Fat Is Where It’s At
Use a cut of beef with a healthy fat content and make sure each steak is fully saturated in the marinade before refrigerating.
Minced Ginger, Olive Oil – Try Both!
As far as substitutions go, here are a couple suggestions:
- Substitute minced ginger or chopped ginger for the minced garlic (if you are not a fan of garlic)
- Add olive oil directly into your marinade
Swapping out the minced garlic for ginger still maintains the Asian flair of this recipe and also tastes quite good!
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Trap Those Juices
Adding a couple tablespoons of olive oil directly to this marinade can help to seal in the juices of the meat after marinating.
This will add to the moistness and juiciness of the steaks once cooked.
Pat Steaks Dry Before Cooking
This recipe is all about the marinade!
However, if you are going to make this Cast Iron Skillet Steak or any other steak recipe, then remember to pat your steaks dry before cooking.
Paper Towels To The Rescue!
Another thing I sometimes do is to lay each cut of beef on a highly absorbent paper towel like these Bounty Paper Towels.
Then let each steak rest for a couple minutes before turning them over.
You may need to replace the paper towel once or twice for best results!
Now, onto the recipe…
3 Ingredient Steak Marinade
2
servings5
minutes0
minutes96
kcalThis simple, quick 3 ingredient steak marinade takes only about five minutes to prepare and will give any cut of beef an infusion of delicious flavors! For best results, marinate your steak for 4 – 6 hours in this marinade prior to cooking.
(NOTE: You may already have these ingredients at home, but just in case you don’t I have added some Amazon ingredient links below. If you purchase any of these ingredients through one of my links, I will receive a small commission at no additional cost to you).
Ingredients
1/4 cup Dark Soy Sauce
2 tsp Minced Garlic
3/4 cup Dark Beer (Stout)
Directions
- Add 3/4 cup of dark beer or stout to a small mixing bowl
- Add in 1/4 cup of dark soy sauce and mix vigorously with spoon
- Add in 2 teaspoons of minced garlic and stir thoroughly.
- (Optional) I taste-test my marinade here. I like it to have a nice garlic flavor, but one that is not too powerful.
Notes
- Any dark beer will work in this marinade, but I prefer a nice stout.
- I prefer using garlic as one of my three ingredients, but you can substitute mined or ground ginger if you are not a fan of garlic.
- Marinating the steak(s) for 4 – 6 hours seems to work best for me – but there is no problem marinating overnight if you need to.
- (OPTIONAL) Olive oil is a good extra ingredient to add to the marinade. It helps seal in the juices in the meat, however it is not a necessary ingredient in this recipe.
- *****Tired of planning your own meals? Get All the Ingredients You Need for Making Healthy, Delicious 15-Minute Meals At Home Delivered Directly to Your Door with Gobble!*****
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Can This 3 Ingredient Steak Marinade Be Made Ahead Of Time
Yes, most steak marinades can be prepared in advance.
How To Store This 3 Ingredient Steak Marinade
This easy marinade can be stored in the mixing bowl you made it in if you are not planning on using it right away.
Simply, cover the bowl with a good plastic wrap – like Saran Wrap – and refrigerate.
If you plan on storing your marinade for an extended period of time, seal it tightly in a freezer-safe air-tight storage container.
How Long Will This Marinade Last In The Fridge?
Any steak marinade can last for up to 3 months if stored in a proper air-tight storage container or Zip-Loc freezer bag.
One thing I will mention – I do NOT like to store marinades containing beer for an extended period of time.
I think doing so dulls the flavor (beer becomes flat) and prevents the marinade from tasting its best.
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So, What Do You Think About This 3 Ingredient Steak Marinade Recipe?
Do you have any tips or suggestions of your own?
How do you marinate your steaks and what are your favorite marinade ingredients?
Please post a comment in the Comments Section below – I would LOVE to hear what you think!
Until next time…
Happy Cooking!
