The process of marinating or soaking the meat in liquid spices aims to make the steak more tender and flavorful. The sweet and salty taste of the marinade will seep into the meat when left in the refrigerator. When cooked, this meat will produce a steak that is fragrant and fresh and juicy. Read on for how to marinate steaks and three delicious marinade recipes.
Step
Method 1 of 2: Marinating Steaks
Step 1. Select the cut of meat
Cuts of beef that are tougher and/or lower in fat such as hip meat, sirloin, skirt, flat iron, round, and hanger steak are best suited for marinating. The marinade will seep into the meat, adding flavor and helping to tenderize the meat.
- Don't spoil an expensive cut of meat by marinating it; Quality cuts of meat such as rib-eye, porterhouse, T-bone, filet mignon, and NY strip don't need to be marinated.
- For more info, see How to Understand the Types of Beef Cuts.
Step 2. Cut the meat into thin slices
Marinade seasoning can soften the meat because the acid content will break down muscle tissue. This process is slow so if the meat is too thick, it will take a long time for the marinade to soak through the center of the meat. And meanwhile, the outside of the meat can become sour due to prolonged exposure to the acidic marinade. Cutting the meat into thin slices will prevent this from happening and the spices will soak in more quickly and evenly.
In general, the more surface area the marinated meat has, the better the marinade will be
Step 3. Mix your marinade ingredients
The base marinade consists of an acidic liquid (which will break down the muscle fibers of the meat), oil, and seasonings, such as sweeteners and/or spices. Marinades can be sweet and salty, Italian flavours, grilled or barbecued - if you like you can make them into marinades. Choose a bottled marinade or make your own using one of the ingredient lists in this article.
- Most marinades use one of the following acids as a softener: wine, vinegar, or lemon juice. Don't overdo it, though: although acids will tenderize the meat by breaking its protein bonds, soaking the steak in a highly acidic seasoning (pH about 5 or lower) for more than two hours has the opposite effect, tightening the protein bonds and absorbing the water from the meat so it will break down. make the meat tougher and tougher.
- There are also meat-tenderizing enzymes in ginger, kiwi, papaya, and pineapple. There is also the possibility of over-tenderizing with these ingredients causing the steak to crumble like mush.
- Dairy products such as Greek yogurt and buttermilk can also have a softening effect, although the mechanism is not fully understood. Most likely because these products contain lactic acid.
Step 4. Place the meat in a container and add the seasonings
You can use any type of food storage container, whether it's plastic, glass, or ceramic. Pour enough marinade over the meat until it is completely covered. Don't worry about adding too much.
- Marinating flat cuts of meat in a plastic ziploc bag can be very useful because you will need less seasoning to completely cover the meat than using a bowl.
- If you don't have much time, you can do a marinade by massaging the meat in the spices. If you have plenty of time, then let time do the work of marinating the meat.
Step 5. Cool the meat in the marinade
Place the covered container with the meat and marinade in the refrigerator for 2 to 24 hours, depending on the strength of the marinade.
Step 6. Cook the meat
Shake off the excess marinade and allow the meat from the refrigerator to come to room temperature, then grill, broil, fry, or cook the meat to your liking.
Method 2 of 2: Making Marinade Steak
Step 1. Make the balsamic seasoning
This marinade is a classic steak seasoning that will bring out the best in the flavor of the meat. The combination of sweet and savory flavors of this spice will make you very appetizing. Mix the following ingredients to make your marinade:
- 2 medium red onions, chopped
- 1 tablespoon dry thyme (thyme)
- 3 tablespoons palm sugar
- 1/4 cup soy sauce
- 3 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
- 2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
- 1/3 cup vegetable oil
Step 2. Try the salt and pepper marinade
Soaking the steak in the salt and pepper mixture overnight will allow the ingredients to seep into the cutlet, so you'll smell the savory aroma all the way to the center of the meat when you cook it. Here's what you'll need to make this condiment:
- 1 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 2 teaspoons pepper powder
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/4 cup water
- 1/4 cup vegetable or canola oil
- 2 tablespoons white vinegar
Step 3. Make the Italian-style honey marinade
This seasoning is perfect for beef, but you can also use it for chicken or pork. It's very easy to mix them together. Mix the following ingredients until evenly distributed, then pour the spices over the meat:
- 1 1/2 cups steak sauce
- 1 tablespoon soy sauce
- 1/3 cup Italian salad dressing
- 11/3 cup honey
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
Tips
- If you want to use leftover marinade as a steak sauce, be sure to boil it first to avoid food poisoning.
- One of the secrets to a successful marinade is getting the meat in full contact with the marinade, right down to the inside. Using a ziploc plastic bag and blowing out all the air when you close it is one way to do this. You can also place the plastic bag containing the spices and meat in a bowl, so that the marinade liquid rises and makes contact with the sides and top of the meat. Placing the marbles in the bowl (out of the bag!) can also be used to raise the level of the marinade so that it completely covers the spices.
- You can also use a vacuum pack for the marinade process. For this, you will need a vacuum plastic packaging that matches the vacuum sealer you have. This method will speed up the marinade time, reducing the time to about 75%.
