Give Your Steak 10x The Flavor With This Italian Marinade

Salt and black pepper are arguably the gold standard for seasoning steak. Salt infuses meat with flavor and helps retain moisture as it cooks, while pepper brings sharp, spiced balance to steak's fatty richness. While this seasoning combo is iconic for a reason, there's an Italian marinade called salmoriglio that will give your next grilled steak ten times as much flavor.

So, what is salmoriglio and how is it used? It's an herby, citrusy, usually raw sauce from Southern Italy that gets its name from the Italian word for brine. With simple ingredients like olive oil, lemon, salt, and oregano (some cooks opt for parsley or add garlic), it's sort of like a runnier, more vibrant alternative to pesto. Salmoriglio is typically reserved for grilled swordfish, but it's versatile enough to plate with other proteins, not to mention vegetables.

Salmoriglio's bold nature can hold its own against red meat. An hour of marinating allows the herbed, seasoned oil to coat and penetrate steak. Oregano's woody, punchy taste can show its full complexity in a beef marinade, while the oil carries the ingredients' fat-soluble flavors into the steak, locking in tasty juices. Fresh citrus brightens and elevates each tasting note, and lemon's acidity tenderizes steak by breaking down its exterior. As long as your steak isn't too thick, a salmoriglio marinade all but guarantees juicy, melt-in-your-mouth results, even with tougher cuts.

According to Sicilian lore, fishermen along the Strait of Messina originally combined sea water, lemon, and oregano to create a briny, tart condiment regarded as the preliminary salmoriglio. Most modern versions include salt, oil, oregano, and lemon, but some Sicilian iterations substitute white wine for citrus or add tomatoes or citrus zest. It can be served raw or emulsified for creaminess.

If it's your first time making salmoriglio, start with the basics. Coarse kosher salt is the best choice for steak marinades, as it's easier not to overseason than with finer grains. Use extra-virgin olive oil — no need to use pricey EVOO; you likely won't be able to taste its nuance in the finished dish anyway. Fresh oregano works, but dried oregano offers a more concentrated flavor. Try an imported brand, like Tutto Calabria, if you're feeling fancy. As for the citrus, nothing tops freshly squeezed lemon juice.

Once you have the marinade down, it's time to cook. One solid option is this seared flat iron steak recipe, which already calls for an herby dry rub. The steak is thin enough to be well-penetrated by the marinade, too. Alternatively, add salmoriglio to this sirloin steak sandwich with creamy Dijonnaise, saving extra sauce to drizzle over the meat. You can also easily substitute salmoriglio for the marinade in this herby skirt steak recipe as well.