Marinating steak is a wonderful way to enhance it’s taste and tenderness. My steak marinade combines oil, soy sauce, garlic, salt, pepper, herbs, dijon mustard and brown sugar giving it a nice sweet, salty and earthy flavor combo. I often use this marinade for filet mignon, but it can be used on any cut of steak!
My love for this steak marinade is real!
I’ve been using this recipe for several years now and I haven’t changed a thing! This steak marinade recipe was inspired by my mother-in-law’s marinade recipe. She used soy and brown sugar along with a few other ingredients to marinate filet mignons one Sunday evening and we all raved how good they were – it was literally love at first bite. I took her recipe and added my own spin on it, adding fresh herbs and some dijon mustard just to elevate the flavor a bit more. I hope you enjoy it as much as I do!
First, what is a marinade?
A steak marinade is a flavorful liquid mixture used to soak steaks before cooking, enhancing their taste and tenderness. It typically combines acidic ingredients like vinegar or lemon juice, which helps break down the meat’s fibers, with oil to keep it moist. The marinade often includes aromatics like garlic, onions, and herbs such a rosemary or thyme, along with spices like black pepper, paprika or cayenne for a kick. Sweet elements like honey or brown sugar may be added for a caramelized finish, while soy sauce or Worcestershire sauce can introduce umami depth. The steak should marinate for at least 30 minutes to several hours, depending on the desired intensity of flavor.
Ingredients:
- Filet mignon: Filet is my favorite cut of meat, but feel free to use other cuts as well.
- soy sauce: Soy sauce gives the steak a nice salty umami flavor.
- olive oil: Olive oil keeps the steak moist but also necessary while cooking so they don’t stick to the pan.
- fresh garlic: I put garlic in everything. That’s all!
- dijon mustard: Dijon helps balance the salty and sweet flavors.
- brown sugar: My favorite ingredient in this marinade! Brown sugar helps caramelize the steaks while giving them a touch of sweetness.
- fresh thyme: I love thyme so that’s why I use it. I love the earthy flavor. You can use other herbs, such a rosemary, too!
- black pepper: Pepper adds a little punch to the overall marinade.
Instructions:
1.) Add ingredients to a bowl and whisk well. The marinade will be thick. Place steaks into a bag that zips shut, pour marinade into the bag and then let marinate for at least 30 minutes in the refrigerator. I suggest marinading for at least 2 hours – the longer they marinate, the more flavor they will have!
2. Remove steaks from the bag and gently pat try. Drizzle a little olive oil in a skillet and place over medium heat. Once hot, add steaks and let cook for a few minutes on each side until a crust forms. You will then place the pan in a preheated oven to cook through to your desired doneness. (see recipe card below for more instruction!)
Substitutions:
- You can use any cut of beef for this recipe! Filet is simply my favorite.
- You can sub coconut aminos for the soy sauce.
- Herbs like rosemary, sage, oregano and bay leaf would be good substitutions for the thyme. You can also use them together to create a more robust flavor profile.
Tips and Tricks for Success:
- Marinate steaks for 2 hours.
- Bring steaks to room temperature before cooking – if the steaks are cold, they will take longer to cook and cook unevenly.
- Let steaks rest on a cutting board before cutting into them for at least 15 minutes. If they rest in the pan, they will continue to cook.
- Prepare the ingredients before starting – get ingredients out, measure, chop, etc. Doing this prevents mistakes.
- How thick the steak is, will depend on how quickly it cooks. If the steaks are thinner, they will cook more quickly so adjust the time in the oven. If the steaks are thin, they may not even need to be cooked in the oven. Simply keep this in mind!
That’s it folks! I help you enjoy this steak marinade recipe as much as I do! If you like this recipe, check out my Flank Steak Recipe, Roasted Beef Tenderloin with Mushrooms and my Bacon Wrapped Filet Recipe.
The Best Steak Marinade
A delicious steak marinade consisting of oil, soy sauce, garlic, dijon mustard, brown sugar, fresh thyme and pepper.
Ingredients
- 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
- 1 teaspoon minced garlic
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
- 2 tablespoons brown sugar
- 1 tablespoon soy sauce
- 1 tablespoon + 1 teaspoon dijon mustard
- a pinch of red pepper flakes (optional)
- 1 tablespoon chopped fresh thyme (sub rosemary, oregano sage or bay leaf)
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
- Add Filets to a gallon size zipper bag.
- In a bowl, mix all of the ingredients with a whisk and then pour into bag.
- Massage the marinade into the filets and put in refrigerator for at least 2 hours. The longer the meat sits with the marinade, the better it will be.
- To cook the filets, add oil to an oven proof pan or skillet and place over medium-high heat. Let the pan heat up slightly then add the filets - they should sizzle. Cook filets for about 2-3 minutes or until a dark crust forms. Turn steaks and do the same on the other side. Then place the pan in the oven and cook the filets for an additional 7 minutes for rare doneness. Let steaks rest for 15 minutes before enjoying to prevent juices from running out. Add a few more minutes if you like your steak more done. See notes below for desired temperatures. Enjoy!
Notes
The thickness of your steak will also depend on how long you cook it - keep this in mind. Use a meat thermometer to get exact temperature for doneness.
Rare: 110-120 degrees F
Medium rare: 120-130 degrees F
Medium: 130-140 degrees F
Medium well: 140-150 degrees F
Well done: 150-160 degrees F
BA Bonetti
I used this marinade on a beef tenderloin. I did not have fresh herbs on hand so sprinkling of a rosemary blend that I often turn to is what I used. It was delicious. My husband raved about it. This is now my “go to” marinade for expensive cuts of meat.
Jessica Erin
Love hearing this comment! So glad you and your husband enjoyed it!
Sandra Rocha
This sounds amazing & want to make this this weekend but we’re BBQ’g, would BBQ’g be recommended?
Jessica Erin
Hi Sandra, Yes! You could definitely make this marinade and put the steaks on the grill.
Kassie
This was absolutely fantastic! I added a splash of good balsamic vinegar (because I had heard vinegar was a tenderizer) – let the steaks marinate overnight & cooked the following evening exactly the way you outlined – they were the best steaks we’ve ever had! Thanks so much for this!!
Jessica Erin
Love the addition of balsamic Kassie – so glad you enjoyed them!
Jodi
Delish! Made this the other night for steak tips on the grill. Came out perfect! Thanks.
Jessica Erin
Yay! So glad you liked it Jodi!
Wanda Nelson
This is wonderful!
Anna @ Garnish with Lemon
Beauuuuuuutiful! I love a great steak, too, and I’m totally digging the flavors in this marinade. Pinned! (P.S. so nice to meet you this past weekend!)
Jessica Erin
Thanks Anna! It was so nice to meet you too!