A lot of elitists will tell you that it’s sacrilege to marinate an expensive steak.
But they’re probably not eating it.
The fact is, some folks love the way beef tastes. Others want something a little more.
Marinating your steaks is sometimes necessary, like if you’re cooking a flank or skirt steak for fajita.
Other times, you want something a little different.
The Benefits of Marinating Your Steak
There are a number of benefits to marinating all cuts of beef–yes, even steaks.
A More Tender Steak
Marinades typically contain an acidic substance–vinegar, or orange juice, or Worcestershire Sauce are a few examples.
These not only provide a ton of flavor but also break down muscle tissue. If left to marinate for enough time, this process will result in an even more tender cut of meat.
This process is essential for tougher cuts of meat, like sirloin, flank, and skirt steaks, but even some of the more tender cuts can benefit from a marinade breaking down some of the muscle fibers.
This same process occurs when brining cuts of meat, and both pastrami and corned beef are excellent examples of the results of this process.
A Different Flavor Profile
By far, one of the best reasons to marinate your beef, a marinade can impart a lot of flavors. You get total control over the final flavor profile by using ingredients like
Soy sauce to introduce umami
Orange juice for a sweet, zestiness
Worcestershire sauce for depth of flavor and richness
Brown sugar and molasses for sweetness
With the right marinade recipe, you can impart any flavor you’d like to your beef. Some recipes–like fajitas–are “made” with the marinade.
A Juicier Bite
Most marinades contain some amount of salt. While the acidic liquid breaks down the muscle fibers, the salt in the marinade draws in the liquid and holds it there.
The salt helps the meat retain that liquid throughout cooking. This creates a juicier bite that’s chock full of flavor.
It’s Simple for New Cooks
Cooking beef–especially steaks–is difficult for people who haven’t cooked a lot or don’t eat beef very much.
Overcooked beef is extremely unpleasant, especially tougher cuts. Some more expensive steaks will still be edible, but if you don’t like well-done steak it’s going to be an unpleasant experience. To add insult to injury, beef can be quite expensive.
Using a marinade helps new cooks avoid accidentally overcooking their cut of meat.
Picky Eaters Love Them
Marinades give you complete control over the flavor of your beef. This is great for parents of picky eaters who may not like the way beef tastes “plain.”
With a marinade, you can appeal to your picky eater’s preferred flavor profile.
The Formula for Making Your Own Marinade
It is really easy to come up with your very own marinade. It improves the flavor and allows you to customize some of your favorite recipes.
It’s hard to mess a marinade up, and it’s easy to make them if you have a few simple ingredients:
Oil
Oil binds the rest of the ingredients together. If you’re sparing, you can choose a neutral oil, like Vegetable or Avocado oil, or a flavored oil, like Olive Oil (which is very popular) or Truffle oil.
Some popular oils for marinades are
- Extra virgin olive oil
- Canola oil
- Peanut oil
- Coconut oil
- Toasted sesame oil
- Infused oils
Acid
Acid is the most important part of the marinade. The acidity helps break down the muscle fibers and tenderize the meat. You want approximately 2 parts acid to 1 part oil. Some popular acids include
- Citrus juices
- White or red wine
- Vinegars, including balsamic, red, and white vinegar
- Soy sauce
- Worcestershire sauce
- Sake
- And more
You can also use buttermilk and yogurt as part of your marinade, but we wouldn’t really recommend it for beef. It is, however, very popular with chicken.
Flavoring & Aromatics
This is the really fun part! You can choose any number of flavors to add to your marinade. There so many, we’ve broken them down by flavor profiles
Chiles
You can use either dried or fresh chiles. As a bonus, you can roast them to deepen the flavor of your marinade. Popular choices include
Chipotles and Ancho
Habanero
Thai chilis
Serrano
Poblanos
Anaheim
Hatch
Asian Flavors
Garlic
Ginger
Tamarind
Green onion
Lemongrass
Soy sauce
Mexican
Anchiote
Cilantro
Chile
Citrus
Indian
Cardamom
Ginger
Turmeric
Various chiles
Japanese
Soy sauce
Sake
Sugar
Ginger
Teriyaki sauce
American
Garlic
Onion
Thyme
Rosemary
Chili powders
Salt
Salt is an essential part of any marinade. The salt is there to penetrate the meat to help it absorb and retain the marinade.
You want to be careful. A lot of the ingredients in your marinade may already have sufficient salt, so check your ingredient labels. Too much salt can ruin a cut of beef just as quickly as burning it.
A half teaspoon is normally more than enough.
Ready to Try Your Own Marinade? Bid on Texas Beefhouse Today
Texas Beehouse beef is available exclusively at Bid on Beef. If you’re eager to see how your marinade can improve an already great cut of beef, become a member today.