153. Marinated steak four ways 1. grainy mustard, 2. honey balsamic, 3. Italian and 4. Greek inspired by the local steak house

I’ll have the steak please.

This post explains how to simply marinate, and cook the perfect steak.

Four simple steak marinating recipes are featured below. Both recipes are straight forward, simply mix together all the ingredients for the marinade, and then add the steaks. These marinades work for any cut of steak. For best results I like to use rib-eye, strip-loin, tenderloin or skirt/flank steak (when I am using the Italian or Greek marinades). I recommend marinating your steaks for a minimum 1 hour to a max of 24 hrs. Always bring the steak to room temperature prior to cooking.

It took me awhile to get the cook on steak just right. And, I mean a long time! I was never taught the proper method so, I had to figure it out myself - and, I did. After exhaustive research, many videos and tutorials, do this and then that, but not this. I managed to ruin a multitude of steak dinners, however now I can tell you with authority, cooking steak is really super simple. The timing, and correct cooking method is not intimidating, follow the one flip rule, and you are set to serve the prefect steak.

This post is for steak cooked in a cast iron pan on your stove top. People mess up the cook on steak when they overthink. Complicating the cooking, and guessing when to flip, and how often should you flip, to baste or, not to baste etc, …

This simple method is how I cook steaks every time without fail (98% of the time). My go to is a ‘one flip and done’! We like our steaks cooked to a medium-rare but, you can always add a minute or two to each side if you prefer the steak cooked further. An extra minute per side gives you a medium steak.

• NOTE: Cooking on a grill follows the same rules but, if you want the diamond grill marks like your local steak house, you will have to flip 4 times, and at regular intervals with a 180 degree rotation per flip. This is a post for another time!

If you get the cook on your steaks just right, you have a perfectly delicious meal in minutes. Add a side or two, and you have balanced dinner in next to no time. These marinades will delight in their simple ease of preparation, and delicious results.

The marinades -

1. Grainy mustard - 2. Honey Balsamic - 3. Italian - 4. Greek

• Choose one of the marinade recipes listed below.

• Marinate the steak for a minimum of 1 hour to a max 24 hours.

1. Grainy mustard

1/4 cup olive oil

1/4 cup grainy mustard

1/4 tsp Worcestershire sauce

hot sauce to taste - I use 1/2 tsp

1/4 tsp salt

1/4 tsp black pepper

3 - 5 steaks of your choice - consider using strip-loin or ribeye

2. Honey Balsamic

1/4 cup olive oil

1/4 cup balsamic vinegar

1/4 cup Worcestershire sauce

1/4 cup soy sauce

1 Tbsp dijon mustard

2 tsp honey

3 garlic cloves, minced (1 Tbsp)

1 tsp freshly ground black pepper

3 - 5 steaks of your choosing - consider using strip-loin or ribeye

3. Italian

1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil

1 tsp rosemary

1 tsp garlic powder

1 tsp thyme

1 tsp oregano

1/4 tsp chilli flakes

4 cloves garlic diced or minced

Salt to taste (1 tsp recommended)

1 tsp black pepper

3 - 5 steaks of your choosing - this recipe is great for a flank or skirt steak

Use a mallet or rolling pin to help mash the garlic into the spices.

4. Greek

1/3 cup lemon juice

1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil

4-5 cloves mashed or finely minced garlic (I use 5)

3 tsp dried oregano

2 tsp salt

1 tsp black pepper

1 lemon slices for plating and serving

3 - 5 steaks of your choosing - this recipe is great for a flank or skirt steak

Method to cook the perfect marinated steak

1. In a glass dish or, self sealing ‘Ziploc’ bag, add all the ingredients and combine/mix well. If using a glass dish be sure to cover with some plastic wrap while marinating.

2. Add the steaks to the marinade and combine so that all sides are coated.

3. Marinate in the fridge for a minimum of 1 hour, and up to 24 hours. Remove the steaks from the fridge 1 hour prior to cooking. Allow the steaks to reach room temperature. Dab the steaks with paper towels to remove any excess marinade or moisture. This will achieve a better sear and ensure the marinade doesn’t burn.

4. Grill or pan fry the steaks in a cast iron pan. Preheat the pan to medium high. When the pan is to temp, add a bit of olive oil (I add 1 or 2 Tbsp) prior to adding the steak - depends on the size of the pan.

   The cook : For medium-rare on a 3/4 inch steaks, I recommend 4 minutes a side on a pre-heated grill or cast-iron pan. The heat should be medium-high. 8 minutes total cook time.

5. Let the steaks rest on a plate for an additional 5 minutes prior to serving. A fresh sprinkle of sea salt just before serving is always lovely. Serve with sides of your choice.

Serve and enjoy!