Mom’s Sizzlin’ Steak Marinade

Does marinade tenderize tough cuts of steak?

Inexpensive or tough cuts of steak are often chewy. With a little extra effort, you can tenderize budget friendly cheaper cuts of meat if you are using the right kind of marinade.

You will need to use an acidic marinade. Here are some ways to tenderize tough cuts of steak.

1. Pound with a kitchen mallet to break down tough muscle fibers in the meat.
2. Marinades with acidic ingredients like lemon juice and vinegar break down tough proteins.
3. Salting your meat before cooking helps with tenderizing.
4. Cook your meat low and slow. The tough muscle fibers separate during braising and the collagen breaks down while cooking in the liquid.

do marinades make steak tender?

Marinades definitely add flavor to your meat. But they don’t always tenderize. It depends on the composition of your marinade.

There are 2 popular types of marinade. One is an acidic marinade using citrus, vinegar, or wine. The other marinade is enzymatic made with papaya or pineapple.

Marinades with acidic ingredients like buttermilk, lemon juice, and vinegar will make your steak tender.

the best way to marinate a steak

Add the marinade ingredients into a big ziploc bag or an airtight container that won’t leak.

Place steak in the marinade and let soak up the flavor while it tenderizes. Turn the steaks over partway through the marinating.

We like to marinade the steak for 8 hours and sometimes we have let it marinate overnight. If you are in a hurry, try to let it marinate for at least 4 hours.

how to make steak marinade 

1. Mix all of the marinade ingredients together in a medium-sized bowl.  Pour it into a ziploc bag or an airtight container.
2. Then add the steaks to the marinade. You will want them to be immersed at least halfway.
3. Leave in the fridge for about 8 hours to soak up the flavor and to tenderize. Turn them over halfway through.
4. Remove from container and grill over medium-high heat on your grill until done.

helpful items for this recipe

• Mixing Bowl – We like this nesting set that comes in a variety of sizes.
• Rubbermaid Container – This container is great for marinating.
• Meat Tongs– great for turning your steaks on the grill.
• Blackstone Grill– We love our Blackstone grills.

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