Red Wine Marinade for Steaks - Southern Style
BBQ Cooking - Grilling Tips
Looking for some grilling tips for beef? I have some specifically for steaks, and I'm sharing them here with you. I really like BBQ cooking steaks. A nice thick T-bone, ribeye, Porterhouse, filet, or New York strip on the grill is my idea of a great meal! I like mine Pittsburg rare – a little charred on the outside and red on the inside. Yum! Of course, the problem is the price. Choice steaks are expensive these days. The grocery stores around here often have lower grades of meat at reasonable prices, but it’s hit or miss with them. Sometimes you end up with a tender, juicy piece of beef, and sometimes you end up with cheap steaks that are veritable shoe leather. You could always go with inexpensive cuts of beef, too, but you run into the same inconsistency. Sirloin, round steak, flank steak, eye of round, and eye of chuck can be wonderful on the grill or practically inedible. So what’s a savvy consumer to do? How do you make cheap steaks tasty? Read on to find out!
Marinade for Steak
My answer to this dilemma is to use a great marinade for steak, and it just so happens that I came up with one last year that’s the best beef marinade I’ve ever used. I bought some cheap T-bones with little marbling, at a big discount. I knew the steaks would be tough, so I set out to tenderize them. They turned out to be the best steaks we have ever eaten. Ever! And believe me, I’ve eaten a lot of steaks. I used to be married to a cattle rancher, and I know my beef. I also know that cheaper steaks might need a little help in order for them to turn out tender, juicy, and tasty.Steak marinades supply that extra boost.
Most steak marinades include some type of oil and some type of liquid that is acidic in nature. Obviously, the oil helps keep the beef moist, while the acid helps to make the meat more tender by partially breaking down muscle tissues. For this steak marinade recipe, the Italian dressing supplies the oil, along with some vinegar, which is acidic. The red wine adds more acid and flavor. I love onions and garlic, so I use both in this beef marinade. The black peppercorns impart even more flavor.Try my method for tenderizing meat and my marinade recipe. I think you’ll like it!
Red Wine Marinade
This is the best steak marinade I've ever used. I've tried it on all sorts of steaks with great success - T-bones, ribeyes, flank steak, sirloin, and strips. Heck, I've even used it on roast beef, and it was great! Don't add salt to your marinade for tough meat, as it can make the meat even tougher. You can always sprinkle on some salt once the meat is done.
Rate my recipe. Thanks!
Cook Time
Ingredients
- 4 steaks
- commercial meat tenderizer
- 1/2 cup bottled Italian dressing
- 1 1/2 cups red wine
- 1 red onion, sliced thinly
- 1 tablespoon minced garlic
- 1 tablespoon black peppercorns
Instructions
- Rinse steaks. Pierce all over with a fork, on both sides. Generously sprinkle meat tenderizer on the meat. Rub the dressing into the meat. Do this on both sides.
- Let steaks sit at room temperature for 15 minutes.
- Place steaks in a plastic or glass container or in a food bag. Pour wine over the steaks.
- Add the onion rings, the garlic, and the peppercorns. Cover bowl or close bag.
- Refrigerate overnight, turning steaks occasionally.
- Remove steaks from marinade and discard the marinade. Grill steaks over medium-hot coals, to desired doneness.
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