This 3-Ingredient Steak Marinade Brings Big Flavor To Every Bite

There are dozens of methods you could use to marinate a steak, but why exhaust yourself when three simple ingredients can achieve equally satisfying results? A measured combination of red wine, balsamic vinegar, and liquid smoke is all you need to banish bland, tough steak from your kitchen. Not to be confused with steak in red wine sauce, which is certainly delicious, steak marinated this way drinks its wine before hitting the skillet. Red wine and balsamic vinegar are both acidic, acting as tenderizing agents for the meat. You can also have some fun experimenting with flavor. 

Just think of the variety of balsamic vinegars and red wines that could add fruity, chocolaty, or even oaky notes to your steak recipe. Play around with the combination until you find something you like, and make sure to choose a wine you'll enjoy drinking with your steak so none goes to waste. Try combining ½ cup of a drier wine with 1/4 cup balsamic vinegar for your base, and finish with a drop of liquid smoke. Be extra careful when adding liquid smoke into the mix since it can easily backfire and taste like "fake smoke" to some people. Start small, with just a drop, and add more as you taste.

Marinating a steak in an acidic liquid helps to soften a variety of meats by breaking down their exterior. Not every steak will need to be marinated. Focus your efforts on tougher cuts like flank, hanger, and London Broil. How much marinade you need depends on how much steak you're cooking, but in general, a ½ cup of marinade for each pound of steak should be plenty. 

Once your marinating liquid is ready, you can use a shallow glass baking dish, a securely sealed plastic bag, or a container designed for marinating and add the steak. Two important things to keep in mind are time and temperature. Don't marinate the meat for too long, or it will become mushy. The red wine, balsamic vinegar, and liquid smoke marinade only needs a couple of hours to infuse flavor and tenderize, but the timing depends on the thickness of the steak. If you're working on something like a London broil, you can extend the time up to 24 hours. As for temperature, marinate in the refrigerator to avoid the bacteria-related dangers that arise from leaving raw meat out at room temperature. Your marinade may not fully cover the steak, so just flip it after an hour or so to ensure an evenly marinated, tender steak for your next night in, grill out, or protein meal prep.