Description
This Best Steak Marinade Recipe combines a flavorful mix of soy sauce, lemon juice, olive oil, and spices to tenderize and infuse rib eye steaks with rich, savory goodness. Perfect for pan-seared cast iron skillet cooking, the marinade enhances the meat’s juiciness and depth, while a final touch of butter and fresh parsley adds a luxurious finish.
Ingredients
Scale
Marinade
- ⅓ cup soy sauce
- ⅓ cup lemon juice
- ½ cup olive oil
- ¼ cup Worcestershire sauce
- 1 tbsp minced garlic
- 1 tsp ground black pepper
- ½ tsp salt
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- 1 tsp onion powder
- 1 tbsp Italian seasonings
- ⅛ tsp red pepper flakes
Steak and Garnish
- 4 rib eye steaks
- Sea salt to taste (optional)
- 4 tbsp cold butter, cut into 1 tbsp pats
- Finely chopped parsley for garnish
Instructions
- Prepare Marinade: In a small mixing bowl, combine soy sauce, lemon juice, olive oil, Worcestershire sauce, minced garlic, ground black pepper, salt, garlic powder, onion powder, Italian seasonings, and red pepper flakes. Mix well to create the marinade.
- Marinate Steaks: Place the rib eye steaks in a large gallon-sized ziplock bag or a 9×13-inch baking dish. Pour the marinade over the steaks, ensuring all sides are coated. Seal the bag or cover the dish with plastic wrap. Refrigerate and marinate the steaks for 4 hours or overnight for best flavor, flipping the steaks halfway through if marinating overnight.
- Bring Steaks to Room Temperature: About 20-30 minutes before cooking, remove the steaks from the refrigerator and marinade. Place them on a cutting board to come to room temperature, which helps in cooking the steaks evenly and making them tender and juicy.
- Heat Cast Iron Skillet: Place a cast iron skillet over medium heat on the stovetop and allow it to heat thoroughly. If your skillet is new or not well-seasoned, add ½ tbsp olive oil before adding the steaks to prevent sticking.
- Sear Steaks: Place each steak in the skillet and season with sea salt as desired. Cook and sear each side for 3-4 minutes, watching carefully to avoid burning. Flip and repeat on the other side.
- Cook Through on Medium Low: Reduce heat to medium low and continue cooking the steaks, flipping every 3 minutes until the internal temperature reaches your desired doneness using a meat thermometer.
- Rest Steaks: Remove the steaks from the skillet and place them on a cutting board. Tent loosely with foil and let rest for 5 minutes to allow juices to redistribute and enhance tenderness.
- Finish and Serve: Top each resting steak with a pat of cold butter and sprinkle with finely chopped parsley. Serve immediately for a juicy, flavorful steak experience.
Notes
- Use a meat thermometer to check internal temperatures for perfect doneness: Rare 120-130°F, Medium Rare 130-135°F, Medium 135-145°F, Medium Well 145-155°F, Well Done 155°F and above.
- Marinating overnight yields the best flavor, but 4 hours is sufficient for tenderizing.
- Bring steaks to room temperature before cooking to ensure even cooking and juiciness.
- If your cast iron skillet is new or unseasoned, adding olive oil prevents sticking during cooking.
- Resting steaks after cooking is essential to retain juices and maximize flavor.
- Slice steak against the grain to maximize tenderness when serving.
- If grilling instead of pan-searing, pat steaks dry after marinating to prevent flare-ups.
- Using a ziplock bag for marinating is convenient and effective for even coating.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 steak
- Calories: 520 kcal
- Sugar: 2 g
- Sodium: 800 mg
- Fat: 40 g
- Saturated Fat: 12 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 25 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 3 g
- Fiber: 1 g
- Protein: 38 g
- Cholesterol: 110 mg
