Away from football for a minute: marinades!

[Clockwork Orange]

What is your favorite steak marinade, and how long do you marinate with it? If you have several you like, then say them all. I'm looking for ideas and twists on my own marinades.

[VinnieVOL]

I normally just use Dale's, myself.   

[101stDad]

I normally just use Dale's, myself.  

That's pretty much my steak/pork marinade of choice, too.  If I have them, I'll add a couple of drops of Liquid Smoke, a garlic clove, and some fresh rosemary in the bag with the steaks and the Dales.  I let it sit in the refrigerator overnight.

By the way, I have found that the Food Club (Food City) and the Kroger brands of "Dales" are every bit as good as the name brand and it is usually about a dollar less per bottle.  

 

[J-ville Gator]

I tried this, this past weekend and it was fantastic with 1" t-bones on the grill. I let them marinade for around 6 hours.


http://www.grouprecipes.com/392/steak-marinade.html


I usually use Dales but was looking for something different.

[EmerilVOL]

What is your favorite steak marinade, and how long do you marinate with it? If you have several you like, then say them all. I'm looking for ideas and twists on my own marinades.

Depends on the cut of the steak and what I am serving it with.  For flank steak being used in Tex/Mex style of dishes I use either a Margarita marinade I have developed or a Citrus style marinade using fresh lemon and lime juices and seasonings with some red wine (and I leave it overnight).

If it is a Filet....don't frigging do a marinade on a Filet.  Buy a whole tenderloin, remove the silver skin and the "ears" and then slice in 1 and 1/2" up to 2" steaks, put some Kosher Salt and Fresh Cracked pepper on both sides and let sit for 5 to 10 minutes then place on a hot grill and sear for 4 to 6 minutes per side  (longer if you want them medium about 8 minutes per side - but do not do longer than 8 minutes per side Filets should never be "Well Done" AKA Burnt).  If you do them indoors use an Iron Skillet and heat on medium high till the skillet is hot and then put 2 to 3 teaspoons (or 1 tablespoon) of Olive Oil in the skillet.  Immediately place steaks in the skillet and turn over after 2-3 minutes to sear the opposite side.  Place 2 pats of butter (unsalted) on the top of the steak and place into a heated 450 degree oven for 4 minutes for med rare.  Yummmmmm.

Other steaks can use the same as Filet (depending on cut) for Rib Eyes I do an au jus type marinade which I use soy and worteschire (spelling) and some thyme and rosemary in.

[Clockwork Orange]

I normally just use Dale's, myself.   

Way, way, way too salty for me. If I mixed 1 to 5 with beer or thinned it with water, maybe. I used to like really strong marinades but I can't do that anymore.

J-ville, that has some interesting things in it. Might be too sweet with the honey but I'm curious how that works with the sherry and soy.

[VoLynteer]

Way, way, way too salty for me. If I mixed 1 to 5 with beer or thinned it with water, maybe. I used to like really strong marinades but I can't do that anymore.

J-ville, that has some interesting things in it. Might be too sweet with the honey but I'm curious how that works with the sherry and soy.

Johnny Fleeman's has less sodium than Dale's, I believe.  I like to rub a steak with olive oil and crushed garlic, add a little ground pepper and then let my husband grill it.

[Clockwork Orange]

Johnny Fleeman's has less sodium than Dale's, I believe.  I like to rub a steak with olive oil and crushed garlic, add a little ground pepper and then let my husband grill it.

That gets closer to my taste but I do use those in a marinade, usually with a small amount of salty suace (soy or worcestershire) and beer. Definitely pepper and garlic, and the oil seems to help it penetrate.

[VoLynteer]

That gets closer to my taste but I do use those in a marinade, usually with a small amount of salty suace (soy or worcestershire) and beer. Definitely pepper and garlic, and the oil seems to help it penetrate.

There are also some good rubs out there.  I like one that has some sweetness to it.  Are you marinating for tenderness as well as taste?

[ReVOLver]

I have one that's a cajun style with garlic and onions but I have never used it on steak... it's best on shrimp and also good on chicken... I can give you the recipe later when I get home if you want.

[Clockwork Orange]

There are also some good rubs out there.  I like one that has some sweetness to it.  Are you marinating for tenderness as well as taste?

This is a strip steak, so it'll be pretty tender. Usually the salt from the worcestershire and the sugar from the beer help tenderize anyway though.

[Clockwork Orange]

I have one that's a cajun style with garlic and onions but I have never used it on steak... it's best on shrimp and also good on chicken... I can give you the recipe later when I get home if you want.

I'd like it especially for the shrimp. Do you sautee or grill the shrimp?

[ReVOLver]

I'd like it especially for the shrimp. Do you sautee or grill the shrimp?

I put them on skewers and grill and serve with drawn cajun butter. It's really, really, really fantastic. I will get it for you tonight.

[J-ville Gator]

Way, way, way too salty for me. If I mixed 1 to 5 with beer or thinned it with water, maybe. I used to like really strong marinades but I can't do that anymore.

J-ville, that has some interesting things in it. Might be too sweet with the honey but I'm curious how that works with the sherry and soy.

It's really not overbearing, it balances it out from the saltiness of the soy and you can adjust the amount ogf honey used. It was something dfferent and won't be an everyday thing. I should've used a little less ginger though. Overall did well and I will use it again.

[VoLynteer]

Another thing we like to do is add some dried chiles or peppers.  We grow all kinds and always dry some to spice up our cooking.  Some smoked Spanish Paprika also adds a lot to a marinade.  My dad has a marinade that has burbon and brown sugar in it. 

[Volznut]

What is your favorite steak marinade, and how long do you marinate with it? If you have several you like, then say them all. I'm looking for ideas and twists on my own marinades.

No marinade, especially a filet. A little salt, pepper, grill it and serve juicy with melted butter. I don't like drowning the flavor of the beef, I don't even use steak sauce.

[ReVOLver]

For an off-the-shelf steak marinade, it's hard to beat the A1 Chicago Steakhouse marinade IYAM.

This thread has me ready to grill. Did I mention that I just bought one of these on July 3rd? I'm going to add the side firebox / smoker for it at some point...

http://www.chargriller.com/store/product_info.php?cPath=21&products_id=29&osCsid=76a999808d163ecd4c3a73d78370cb6b

[Clockwork Orange]

No marinade, especially a filet. A little salt, pepper, grill it and serve juicy with melted butter. I don't like drowning the flavor of the beef, I don't even use steak sauce.

Steak sauce . . . 

The really odd thing is I've heard people poo-poo marinades because they drown the flavor, then suggest dipping the steak in A-1. Talk about drowning flavor!

[Clockwork Orange]

For an off-the-shelf steak marinade, it's hard to beat the A1 Chicago Steakhouse marinade IYAM.

This thread has me ready to grill. Did I mention that I just bought one of these on July 3rd? I'm going to add the side firebox / smoker for it at some point...

So you can use that thing with either charcoal or gas? That's nice, especially with a side burner as that's something all charcoal grills lack. You know I'm a charcoal nut but with some things I admit it makes little difference and gas would be convenient. I will especially envy you if you get the side firebox. I do some indirect grilling but you can't get the temp low enough for real smoking.

[ReVOLver]

Steak sauce . . . 

The really odd thing is I've heard people poo-poo marinades because they drown the flavor, then suggest dipping the steak in A-1. Talk about drowning flavor!

I don't ever use steak sauce unless it's a really bad cut of meat. But marinades are designed to enhance the flavor of a steak, not drown it, because most of it cooks away. As a matter of fact, A1 sauce functions pretty well as a steak marinade where most of it is baked away by the grill. It's also a good thing to mix into raw hamburger before you make patties.

I also have a really good hamburger recipe where you put bleu cheese slices (or whatever cheese you prefer) in the middle of the patty when you form it.

[Volznut]

I don't ever use steak sauce unless it's a really bad cut of meat. But marinades are designed to enhance the flavor of a steak, not drown it, because most of it cooks away. As a matter of fact, A1 sauce functions pretty well as a steak marinade where most of it is baked away by the grill. It's also a good thing to mix into raw hamburger before you make patties.

I also have a really good hamburger recipe where you put bleu cheese slices (or whatever cheese you prefer) in the middle of the patty when you form it.

I can't stand the flavor of A1. Too vinegary...something, I don't know. I do mix in some onions and a little woschester (sp?) sauce into my burgers sometime.

[VoLynteer]

I don't ever use steak sauce unless it's a really bad cut of meat. But marinades are designed to enhance the flavor of a steak, not drown it, because most of it cooks away. As a matter of fact, A1 sauce functions pretty well as a steak marinade where most of it is baked away by the grill. It's also a good thing to mix into raw hamburger before you make patties.

I also have a really good hamburger recipe where you put bleu cheese slices (or whatever cheese you prefer) in the middle of the patty when you form it.

A little bleu cheese, bacon and some A1 makes a great burger.    You know, I even put spinach through a food processor and put it in hamburgers or meatloaf or spaghetti sauce...my stepsons have no idea they are eating spinach!!

[ReVOLver]

A little bleu cheese, bacon and some A1 makes a great burger.    You know, I even put spinach through a food processor and put it in hamburgers or meatloaf or spaghetti sauce...my stepsons have no idea they are eating spinach!!

I love spinach. But I can't eat it anymore, nor can I drink tea or eat turnip greens... my stones turned out to be oxalate stones. 

[VoLynteer]

I love spinach. But I can't eat it anymore, nor can I drink tea or eat turnip greens... my stones turned out to be oxalate stones. 

Oh NO!! 

[Jedi Master]

Folks, you shouldn't be marinating your steaks unless you have a bad cut of beef.     Please learn to savor the delicate flavor of a good cut of beef grilled properly.   Juicy, tasty and not masqerading behind other introduced flavors.  This is your public service announcment for the day.