Worcestershire Sauce Steak Marinade

Worcestershire sauce all by itself makes an excellent meat marinade.

This super tasty Worcestershire sauce steak marinade was first brought to my attention by an OGT reader, who reportedly heard about it from a top executive chef working on the Las Vegas Strip. According to the reader, the chef insisted that using Worcestershire sauce as a steak marinade led to tender, beautifully glazed steaks, which intrigued me enough to dig further into the topic to learn how it worked.

As it turns out, many of the components of a good marinade are present in Worcestershire sauce, including salt and vinegar for tenderness, sugar for sweetness and shine, and savory flavors like onion, garlic, tamarind, and anchovies. After trying this marinade for myself, I would rank this steak tip right up with my hack for making cheap steaks tender and delicious!

Worcestershire sauce ingredients make it a perfect marinade.

If you love rich, “umami” flavors and tender meat, you’ll definitely want to give this marinade a try the next time you fire up the grill! I think it’s one of the best steak marinade recipes ever — if you can even call it a recipe! :-)

How To Make Steaks With Worcestershire Sauce Marinade

You’ll need:

Steaks
Large ziplock bag (or a glass or ceramic bowl)
1/2-1 cup Worcestershire sauce

Pour the Worcestershire sauce over the meat to cover.

Directions:

Place the steaks in a ziplock bag, pour in 1/2 cup of Worcestershire sauce, then press the air out of the bag and seal it. (If you’re using a bowl, place the steaks in the bowl and pour 1 cup of Worcestershire sauce over them.)

Put the bag or bowl in your fridge, then let the steaks marinate for at least 30 minutes, or up to 2 hours. (See “How Long Should I Marinate Steaks?” below for more information.)

After marinating, wipe the Worcestershire sauce off of the steaks.

After marinating, remove the steaks and pat them dry on both sides with a paper towel.

Cook the steaks to your desired doneness in a hot pan or on a grill.

Place the steaks on a hot skillet or grill, then cook to your desired doneness according to the table below. The best way to do this is with an instant read digital thermometer. (Bonus Tip: Take your steaks off the heat when the center is a few degrees below your target temperature, as they will continue to cook for a short time as they rest.)

Steak Doneness By Internal Temperature

Medium rare	130°F	Red center with pink edges
Medium	145°F	Pink center
Well done	160°F	No pink remaining

Optional Ingredients For Added Flavor

Worcestershire sauce makes a delicious and flavorful marinade on its own, but you don’t have to stop there! Consider adding a splash of fresh lemon juice, a couple cloves of minced garlic, or even a few sprigs of fresh herbs for added flavor. Just toss it right in with the Worcestershire sauce!

Almost any cut of beef comes out tender and delicious with a Worcestershire Sauce Steak Marinade.

What Kind Of Steak Should I Choose?

Not sure which cut to choose for your next steak dinner? Here are a few of my favorites:

Tenderloin/Filet Mignon – This pricey cut is melt-in-your-mouth tender, so it’s great for special occasions. Sear it in a hot pan and finish it off in the oven to medium-rare perfection.
New York Strip/Top Sirloin – This juicy cut has great marbling and flavor. It’s also pretty reasonable in terms of price, especially compared to fancier cuts!
Flank Steak – Marinated flank steak is a favorite at our house, and quite affordable too. For maximum tenderness, cut it into thin strips across the grain before marinating.

How Long Should I Marinate Steaks?

In general, you should aim to marinate steaks for about 2 hours, or at least 30 minutes, to allow the marinade time to tenderize and flavor the meat.

If you’re in a hurry, a vacuum sealer makes it easy to marinate meats quickly. If you seal your steaks and marinade together in a vacuum sealed bag, you can get away with marinating them for as little as 15-20 minutes!