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The secret to a tender, juicy, and flavorful steak is a good marinade. If you find yourself craving the perfect charbroiled or grilled steak this balsamic brown sugar marinade is for you. This is the very best steak marinade. I am confident you will love this delicious recipe.
The beauty of this sweet balsamic marinade for steak is that it is easy to make, helps tenderize the meat, and adds tons of flavor. All of the ingredients are things you probably already have in your pantry. Plus, a good marinade is much better than barbecue sauce.
Ok, let’s talk about marinades and marinating a little more.
Marination is simply the process of soaking food (particularly cuts of meat or roasts) into a seasoned liquid (which is often somewhat acidic) for a few minutes or up to a few hours, before actually cooking it.
In a nutshell, the additional step of marinating the meat gives your steak a deeper more robust flavor. If you really want to tenderize meat the way the professionals do, you have to try the Jaccard 48 Knife Meat Tenderizer.
Sweet Balsamic Steak Marinade
Summer is all about grilling and enjoying some time outdoors, and what could be better than digging into a perfectly grilled, delicious, tender cut of beef, marinated with the most heavenly sauce. This steak marinade is also ideal for grilling steaks on a grill pan or indoor grill.
This particular steak marinade is packed full of flavor that uses a base of balsamic vinegar and oil, mixed with brown sugar, mustard, garlic, Worcestershire sauce, and a few spices. This combination helps tenderize the meat, and the tangy taste of the balsamic vinegar can be a great contrast to the fattiness of the meat. The addition of brown sugar is a perfect balance to the balsamic vinegar, garlic, and mustard. All the different flavors come together perfectly.
Best Marinade for Steaks
This is the perfect marinade for Flank Steak and any of the cheaper cuts of steak but it is also AMAZING on Ribeye Steaks, New York Strip steaks -even Filet Mignon. For any marinade, you’ll want something acidic to help tenderize, along with some bold flavors and some sweetness to balance it all out.
This marinade is best for grilled meats. However, I actually love using it on chicken and pork as well. It’s especially handy for chicken breasts if you’re wanting to impart a nice marinade flavor to the chicken while keeping them juicy while cooking.
A steak marinade requires little prep time but does need some time to sit and well… marinate.
Why You’ll Love Balsamic Brown Sugar Marinade for Steak
- Balsamic Brown Sugar Marinade that gives you high-end steak flavors on a ground beef budget
- This steak marinade gives you high-end steak flavors on a ground beef budget.
- It’s a simple marinade that has a big bold flavor.
- Helps tenderize your steaks!
- Brown sugar balsamic marinade makes steak juicier
- Comes together easily and makes dinnertime a breeze.
- Any grilling appliance you choose will work great for this recipe!
For your convenience, a printable recipe card with measurements and nutritional values is available at the bottom of this page.
Marinade Ingredients
Balsamic vinegar – Provides the acidity needed to help tenderize the steak. Use a vinegar that you enjoy the taste of, just as you would choose a red wine to cook with. It’s the same principle.
Low sodium soy sauce – Adds a nice depth of flavor without adding too much saltiness. This will be your salt for the marinade. I prefer to salt the steak as I sit down to eat it, if it needs it. I find that the soy sauce lends enough salt in the marinade that it doesn’t need more added.
Worcestershire sauce – Helps break down the meat fibers, resulting in more tender meat while adding a level of ‘beefiness’ that is delicious and subtle.
Olive oil or Avocado oil – Acts as the binding agent for your marinade.
Brown sugar – Adds a touch of sweetness to balance all of the other ingredients. Use whatever you have on hand, but I normally use dark brown sugar versus golden brown sugar. Either will work fine.
Garlic – If you don’t have any fresh garlic on hand, feel free to use ¼ teaspoon of dried garlic powder instead.
Onion Powder – Provides bold flavor and aroma.
Seedy mustard – Dijon mustard or spicy brown mustard are both great.
Pepper – A basic for every marinade.
Steaks of your choosing
Equipment Needed
Measuring cups and spoons
Gallon size zip top bag or shallow marinating container with leak-proof lid
How to Make Balsamic Brown Sugar Marinated Steaks
Step One: Mix all ingredients into a shallow marinating container or a large zip-top bag.
Step Two: Place the steaks in the marinade and marinate in the refrigerator from 30 minutes to 4-5 hours. The longer the better for infused flavor.
Step Three: Preheat the grill to approximately 350 – 375. *See notes
Step Four: Grill each steak for approximately 4-5 minutes per side, depending on the thickness. (Cooking time varies by steak.)
Step Five: Remove from the grill and let the steaks rest for a few minutes to redistribute the juices.
Salty Pot Tip: For even MORE tenderness on your grilled steaks, using a manual meat tenderizer like the 48 Needle Jaccard Meat Tenderizer works WONDERS on tougher steaks, plus it’s super useful to use when marinating chicken, pork, or any other meat. I absolutely love this tenderizer!
What to Serve with Balsamic Brown Sugar Marinated Steaks
Some great side dishes to serve with balsamic marinated steaks are Creamy Cucumber Tomato Salad, Easy Slow Cooker Pineapple Baked Beans, or Crock Pot baked potatoes. Add a delicious salad for a complete meal. For dessert try these easy Mint Brownies.
Variations and Substitutions
- You may substitute a little honey or a small amount of maple syrup for the brown sugar if you prefer.
- Add some red pepper flakes for a little heat.
- You can add some additional seasonings too for extra flavor. Italian seasoning is delicious in this marinade.
How to Store Remaining Marinade
Any and all excess marinade that the meat has soaked in will need to be discarded.
Recipe Tips and Tricks
Can I make it ahead and freeze the marinade?
You can make the marinade in a huge batch and pour it into ice cube trays. Allow it to freeze, remove them, and then quickly transfer them into a freezer bag.
Now you’ll have the marinade on hand whenever you want!. Just remove 2-3 cubes per steak, and just thaw them before use. It’s that simple.
In fact, you can grab some freezer-safe bags or containers, add the steaks and marinade together, and then freeze them for future use (they stay good in there for 1-2 months).
Then, when you’re in the mood to grill, just get them out of the freezer, thaw, and you’re off to the races!
Can I Make the Marinade Ahead of Time?
Yes absolutely. Make the marinade the day before you want to use it. You can marinate the beef (or even chicken or pork!) anywhere between 30 minutes to up to 4-5 hours!
Notes
1. If you like a searing char on the outside of the steaks, start out with higher heat and sear over direct heat till you’ve achieved the desired sear/char. Turn down the heat and grill the rest of the way.
2. If you prefer not a lot of char/sear on the steaks, preheat the grill to only 350 with all burners going and grill according to your preferred doneness.
3. Grilling time will depend on your preference for doneness and the thickness of the steaks.
4. The amount of mustard will also depend on your preferences. If you like a sharper, mustardy taste, then use what the recipe calls for. Use less if you want it more mellowed. ALWAYS taste as you go and adjust.
I love grilling steaks for an easy weeknight dinner and this balsamic brown sugar marinade can’t be beaten! If you try this recipe please give it a star rating on the recipe card below and leave a comment to let me know what you think.
I hope it is your new favorite steak recipe and main dish meal!
~Joanne
Ingredients
- 1/3 c Balsamic vinegar
- 1/3 c low sodium soy sauce
- dash Worcestershire sauce
- 1/4 Avocado oil (see notes)
- 2 tbsp Brown sugar
- 2 tsp minced Garlic
- 1/2 tsp of Onion Powder
- 2 tsp Seedy mustard (see notes)
- as desired Pepper
Instructions
- Mix all ingredients into a shallow marinating container or a large Ziploc bag.
- Using the Jaccard 48 Knife Meat Tenderizer, tenderize the steaks both on front and back sides.
- Place the steaks in the marinade and marinate anywhere from 30 minutes to 4-5 hours. The longer the better for infused flavor.
- Preheat the grill to approximately 350 - 375. *See notes
- Grill each steak approximately 4-5 minutes per side, depending on the thickness.
- Remove from the grill and let the steaks rest a few minutes to redistribute the juices.
- Serve and enjoy!
Notes
1. If you like a searing char on the outside of the steaks, start out with higher heat and sear over direct heat till you've achieved the desired sear/char. Turn down the heat and grill the rest of the way.
2. If you prefer not a lot of char/sear on the steaks, preheat the grill to only 350 with all burners going and grill according to your preferred doneness.
3. Grilling time will depend on your preference for doneness and the thickness fo the steaks.
4. The amount of mustard will also depend on your preferences. If you like a sharper, mustardy taste, then use what the recipe calls for. Use less if you want it tamer. ALWAYS taste as you go and adjust.
Nutrition Information:
Yield: 4 Serving Size: 4 tablespoons
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 65Total Fat: 1gSaturated Fat: 0gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 1gCholesterol: 0mgSodium: 742mgCarbohydrates:
11gFiber: 1gSugar: 9gProtein: 2g
Nutritional data is only approximate. Calculations will depend on brands used.