The 4 Components For A Perfect Steak Marinade Every Time

Regardless of the actual ingredients, most steak marinades follow a specific formula and call for ingredients in four categories: acid, fat, seasonings, and aromatics.

The more correct you get the proportions of the four components of the recipe, the more tender and flavorful the steak cuts will become. This should be the goal of a marinade.

Start with ½ cup of oil per pound of meat, and per every ½ cup of oil, use ¼ cup of acid. A full half of the marinade should be oil, with everything else proportionate to that.

When it comes to seasonings and aromatics, sugar and salt are important: salt breaks down the meat and helps it retain moisture, while the sugar gives it a sweet, caramel coating.

Other common seasonings and aromatics include Dijon mustard, Worcestershire sauce, Sriracha, rosemary, thyme, pepper, and ginger, but you can add whatever you like.