How To Make A 3 Ingredient Steak Marinade: Pictures Included

Knowing how to make a marinade is key to an enjoyable and delicious barbecue experience. Here I’ve provided a delectable recipe anyone can follow to make a 3-ingredient steak marinade for the grill.

Why marinate a steak?

Taking time to marinate steak yields better flavor development, more tender and juicy texture.

We have the easiest 3 Ingredient Steak Marinade for you, and we are betting you already have the ingredients on hand – ground black pepper, bottled Italian dressing, and Dijon mustard. Your steak will be tender and flavorful every single time.

3 Ingredient Steak Marinade for Grilling

We love steak, grilled steak to be precise. There’s nothing the screams summer like the smell of steak coming from the grill, and our favorite way to infuse flavor is with a steak marinade.

This grilled steak recipe is modified from Better Homes and Gardens New John Deere Cookbook. We tried to link up to this cookbook from Amazon but it must be a hot commodity as the only copy we could find was used and listed at $499.99!!

During the summer, we are always looking for a quick marinade recipe for meat. We love grilling everything and anything…steak, burgers, brats, bacon, veggies. You name it, and we grill it.

If you prefer pan frying your steak, check out how this post for pan fried steak and gravy.

What to serve with grilled steak?

The options are endless, but there’s nothing better than a beautiful salad such as a crisp Cucumber Tomato Salad or fresh Classic Spinach Salad.  Potatoes are another great option. I recommend Cheesy Potatoes with Bacon or Leftover Mashed Potato Salad.

Steak Marinade Ingredients

• Black Pepper
• Bottled Italian Dressing
• Dijon Mustard

How to Make the Best Steak Marinade Recipe

Step By Step Instructions

1. In a bowl, whisk together black pepper, bottled Italian dressing and Dijon mustard.
2. Cover your thawed steak completely on all sides. A plastic bag such as a resealable freezer bag works great for this.
3. Refrigerate for a minimum of 2 hours or up to overnight in the refrigerator, and then grill to your liking!

For the full recipe for the best steak marinade, scroll to the bottom of this post. 

Equipment

I personally love my Traeger Grill/ Smoker. I purchased mine in 2011, and it still works great. It is used as either a grill or a smoker, or add extra flavor after grilling by turning on the smoke feature for 5 – 10 minutes.

Recipe FAQs

• What is my favorite type of steak?  We personally love ribeye’s (or Delmonico depending on how they are butchered), and T-bones for this 3 Ingredient Steak Marinade. This works on sirloin, skirt steaks, New York strip, and pretty much any other cut.
• If you don’t have Dijon mustard on hand, use regular yellow mustard or stone ground mustard.
• For an easy 1 ingredient steak marinade, try using regular bottled Italian dressing on it’s own. We do this often.
• Be sure your grill is extra hot to get the best char and grilled flavor. We recommend between 450 and 500 degrees F.
• Another tip is to let your steak sit out on the counter for a bit before grilling to bring it up to room temperature. This will ensure even cooking.
• To keep your steak juicy, let it rest up to 10 minutes before serving.  Tent it with aluminum foil to keep it hot. This allows the juices to stay in the meat instead of running all over the plate.

How long should I marinate my steaks?

This depends on what type of steak you are grilling. It it’s a steak with a higher fat content like tenderloin, you really only need to marinate for 15 to 30 minutes. If it’s a tougher cut, marinate for 2 hours or up to overnight.

Do you marinate steak in the fridge or out?

If you’re doing a quick marinade of 30 minutes or less, you could marinate at room temperature; however, to keep it safe, go ahead and marinate in the refrigerator. Use special marinade containers or zip-lock bags to prevent cross contamination.

Easy Steak Marinade Recipe Variations

• Add a squeeze of lemon juice or lime juice or apple cider vinegar for a kick of acid.
• Minced garlic is always welcome.
• Add any spices or herbs you have on hand.
• Onion powder or garlic powder is a great marinade ingredient.
• Use on other proteins such as chicken or pork chops.
• Add fresh herbs such as parsley, rosemary, thyme, basil or dill.

Other Favorite Grilling Recipes

• Grilling is a year round activity for us. If you want a slightly different flavor profile for your steak, try our beef marinade with 4 simple ingredients.
• Have you ever tried Pork Shoulder Steak? It’s on our menu rotation often, so try this easy recipe.
• We also have a recipe for Flank steak with a taco flare, and it is perfect for slicing up and serving on a salad.
• Try these Grilled Shrimp and Smoked Sausage Skewers, and be the star of your next cookout.

Steak Side Dish Recipes

Dutch Green Beans

Sweet and Simple Coleslaw

Southern Vegetable Salad

Crunchy Ranch Pea Salad