Marinating steak recipes?

[gildo]

Hey CPers....best advice I always get is from CPuck, having a few people over on Saturday finally got a house & purchased a barbecue so I am a rookie but going to tackle Barbecuing Steaks just looking for some simple tips from you guys / gals on your best (& easiest plus cheapest but good) marinating methods. Thanks so much for any tips...

[wpgflamesfan]

Salt.Pepper.Grill.

[Derek Sutton]

Cattle Boyz BBq sauce (or any bbq sauce), Zesty Italian Salad Dressing, Mtl Stk Spice, mix, soak, grill. I pretty much always use the Zesty Italian mixed with a combination of spices, I enjoy trying to make new flavors. Just be careful with using too much BBQ sauce, the sugar in it can turn your nice strip loins to burned charcoal in no time flat. Make sure you ask how everyone likes their steaks cooked, and add them to the grill accordingly. So many times I see people put all the steaks on at once and then move them around, mess with the flame, stack them on top of one another etc.. in an attempt to keep one rare, and two med rare while waiting for the well done steak to finish. And remember, low and slow.

[silentsim]

Rock salt, pepper, and a little olive oil.

[Daradon]

A simple one I like and use all the time is:

1/3 bottle beer
Generous amounts of soy sauce
Couple splashes balsamic vinegar
Several shakes of Club House Steak Spice (really just pepper, salt, dried onion etc. if you use the real ingredients cracked pepper and sea salt works much better than the ground up versions)

Volumes can change based on steak size, container size, and your own taste, but you'll obviously have to try the steak once to see what you like. Dip both sides of the steak in the mixture before you seal it up, and then flip it a few times before you grill it so both sides get some time to soak. You can do more than one at a time as well, I try not to have them on top of each other though, instead side by side, so they can both be in the marinade.

I like a stronger taste so I'll often marinate it for up to a day in the fridge, often pulling it out the day before so it can defrost naturally (skip the step if the steak is fresh obviously) and then marinate overnight. But 3-4 hours will allow enough time for the flavor to soak in and the meat to soften a little.

As others have mentioned, many salad dressings work great as marinades as do some barbeque sauces. It can be very fun to experiment. Think of the spices and flavors you like and try some of your own once you get a feel for what flavors work good together.

EDIT: If you are a rookie make sure you don't overdo them! Sometimes it gets a while for them to get going, but once they start cooking it can be a very short time between rare, medium rare, and then (way too) well done. Make sure you ask your guests how they like them and put the medium ones on first, with the rarest going on last. Also know your barbeque, some spots can be hotter than others. A lot of it is just trial and error.

[Itse]

Neither of these technically marinate (meaning: soften the meat), but are damned good anyway. Goes with pork and beef equally.


Here's a real beginners recipe:
4 cloves garlic
2 tablespoons of rock salt
2 tablespoons of brown sugar
1/4 cup of canola oil
½ tablespoon sesame oil
(for 2 pounds of meat)

Mix ingredients, add 2 pounds (or so) of meat, let stand for ½ hours.


And here's my favourite recipe:

1 part fresh garlic, minced (I use 4+ cloves, but 2 is enough)
1 part fresh gingerroot, minced
1 tablespoon soy sauce
1 tablespoon brown sugar
2 teaspoons rock salt
1 teaspoon sesame oil (if you're not used to it, sesame oil smells terrible straight from the bottle; just trust me, it's great for this. If you're really afraid of ruining your meat, just use half a teaspoon to start with).

Pepper to taste (using just one sort is best, any colour works, I usually use black)

Mix in a bowl, add meat, marinate for hour. This is for 1½ pounds of meat, but the amount of meat doesn't matter that much. If the meat doesn't have a lot of fat in it or there's a lot of it, I sometimes add a tablespoon (or so) of oil just to make it easier to spread equally.

[Rathji]

You shouldn't marinate unless you are getting a cut of beef that requires it, for simplicity sake, assume that it will say on the package if it does.

If you don't marinate, then I suggest Montreal Steak Spice and/or Hy's Seasoning Salt rubbed in.

[OilKiller]

Originally Posted by Rathji

You shouldn't marinate unless you are getting a cut of beef that requires it, for simplicity sake, assume that it will say on the package if it does.

Why not? It's up to your tastes and what you like. It's not like it's a steadfast rule or something. Marinating can make steak simply taste different and it's a nice change.

One I use occasionally and it has always turned out very well with any cut of beef:

• 1 cup vegetable oil
• 1/2 cup soy sauce
• 1/3 cup red wine vinegar
• 1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
• 3 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
• 1 tablespoon freshly ground black pepper
• 2 tablespoons Dijon-style prepared mustard
• 1 onion, sliced
• 2 cloves garlic, minced

Directions

1. In a medium bowl, combine the oil, soy sauce, vinegar, lemon juice, Worcestershire sauce, ground black pepper, mustard, onion, and garlic. Mix together well, and use to marinate your favorite meat.

[Oliwa]

bbq sauce. yellow mustard. soy sauce. mtl steak spices.

[Hockeyguy15]

Screw BBQ sauce and marinades. If you really want to impress go to a butcher and get some really good beef. Get a good enough cut of beef and why would you want to hide the awesome taste under BBQ sauce and marinades?

If you are in the NW Master Meats can help you out.

[Rathji]

Originally Posted by OilKiller

Why not? It's up to your tastes and what you like. It's not like it's a steadfast rule or something. Marinating can make steak simply taste different and it's a nice change.

I didn't say you shouldn't marinate, there are times when it is essential to having a good steak. What I meant was if you are marinating, buy a marinating cut of beef or you are wasting your money. Note: Some of these marinades listed here are not actually marinades, so this doesn't apply to. A marinade should contain some acidic content (often vinegar or lemon juice), otherwise it is really just a liquid seasoning.

If you like the taste of the beef, then buy a grilling cut and just season it.

The best grilling steaks are Rib and Strip Loin. If cost is an issue, because grilling cuts are more expensive, you can get by with a (top or bottom) Sirloin cut , but not Sirloin Tip. Most of the time I get a Sirloin Cap because they are a smaller portion and grill fairly quickly, but they certainly are not a big slab of meat like some people might want. They really are the low end of what you should grill though, and many steak snobs would never grill them.

[Maritime Q-Scout]

Here's all I do

Before grilling take the steak and sprinkle Montréal Steak Spice on one side, rub it into the steak and flip, repeat on the other side

Now take a pepper mill and put some fresh pepper on one side, rub it into the steak, flip and repeat on the other side.

Now got to the BBQ, start it, and let it heat up

Once the BBQ is nice and hot put the steak on for 90 seconds, flip and spread on President's Choice Smokin' BBQ Sauce

Wait 90 seconds, flip and apply BBQ Sauce

Wait 30-60 seconds, flip, wait 30-60 seconds and remove

Very simple, and tastes great

[Northendzone]

Originally Posted by Derek Sutton

And remember, low and slow.

so what is the consensus on this? it has always been my understanding that low and slow dries out steak.

i have always cooked them on high, and turned them over as few times as possible. once i take them off the grill, i tent em, and let em rest for a couple of minutes.

[username]

As many have said on this thread, you shouldn't need to marinate a steak unless it's a bad cut of meat. That doesn't mean you shouldn't create your own sauce - in fact I'd encourage it if you don't like the standard bbq sauce and steak spice. So depending upon what type of meat you're serving should determine whether or not you want the meat to marinate over night. A marinate should have something acidic in it to break down the proteins in the meat. This is what make a bad cut of meat more tender.

For a simplified breakdown of meats check out this simple site:

http://johndlee.hubpages.com/hub/Cut..._steak_is_best

[Rathji]

^

A marinating steak should be cooked low and slow, because it is often a tougher cut of meat and that helps it become more tender. Note: This does not mean they should be overcooked!

A grilling steak generally should be cooked at a higher heat. You can sear each side for 60-90 seconds then a few mins on each side depending on how thick the cut is. I use a pressure test to determine if to is done, using the firmness of the ball of your hand in different positions.

edit: Found the "Finger Test" for steaks

http://simplyrecipes.com/recipes/the...eness_of_meat/

[wpgflamesfan]

Originally Posted by Northendzone

so what is the consensus on this? it has always been my understanding that low and slow dries out steak.

i have always cooked them on high, and turned them over as few times as possible. once i take them off the grill, i tent em, and let em rest for a couple of minutes.

Steaks should be grilled on as high of heat as possible (this is not barbeque) and touched as little as possible. Letting them rest is also key.

[Frequitude]

Originally Posted by Oliwa

bbq sauce. yellow mustard. soy sauce. mtl steak spices.

This, plus worcestershire sauce and pepper.

[Canada 02]

my favorite marinade, great with skirt steak, flat iron steak or a sirloin tri-tip roast

in a blender combine
1/3 cup olive oil
1/4 cup soy sauce
2 scallions
1 clove garlic
2 tablespoons lime juice
1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes
1/2 teaspoon cumin
2 tablespoons brown sugar

- add marinade to meat in a zip-lock. Refrigerate at least 1 hour, but I prefer 4 hours for steaks, overnight for the tri-tip roast

- dump marinade; pat dry the meat; let stand, covered, to come to room temp. before grilling

[Flacker]

Not a huge fan of marinated steaks being a beef lover.

The most important thing to remember after marinating is to make sure you get them warmed up to room temperature and that they are dried off really well. A wet, cold steak will end up with that unmistakable boiled texture and won't sear worth a damn.

Good luck, the world has taken a turn for the better for you, enjoy your grill!

Also use caution with overly salty marinades, salting steaks before grilling will dry them out considerably.

[cmyden]

Everyone seems to have different opinions on heat, but the last time I made steak I tried the method from Cook's Illustrated. CI is pretty awesome, they test things over and over in a kitchen facility almost in a scientific way until they get the best result. Pretty much everything I've tried using their recipes or techniques has been delicious.

The method they found worked best was slowly cooking the steaks in the oven at a low temperature (275 F) until they reach an internal temperature of 90-95 degrees (for rare to medium rare). You use one of those internal meat thermometers to determine exactly what this point is.

What does this do? Well allegedly...

This slow baking at a low temperature allows enzymes in the meat (cathepsins) to break down connective fibers, making the meat super tender. It's sort of like dry aging at turbo speeds in the oven. This enzyme only works at temperatures below 140 degrees, which is why hot broiling the steaks for a short amount of time does not cause this tenderizing effect.

Then once you've done that, you transfer it to a pre-heated cast iron grill for about 2 minutes a side. I'm sure transferring it to a really hot BBQ would be the same.

http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/a...ipe/index.html

^^ method, instructions, pics.

When I tried it, the steak was the best I had ever made, but I was also using rib eye from a good butcher in Calgary, which was probably the highest quality steak I've ever bought. So it's hard to say which had more to do with it. More testing needed!