This easy skirt steak marinade is the perfect way to add maximum flavor to your flank steak, while also making it super tender and juicy. Made with easy ingredients you probably already have on hand, this marinade will be a new family favorite!
Why This Is the Best Skirt Steak Marinade
This marinade makes a perfect melt-in-your-mouth tender skirt steak loaded with umami. It has just a little kick of sweetness to bring out the best flavors in the beef, and a perfect balance of acid, garlic, heat, and herbs. Here’s why this recipe is the ultimate marinade for skirt steak.
- Super Easy: This marinade only has 8 ingredients in it, most of which you probably already have on hand, and it only takes 5 minutes to make! All you have to do is put the ingredients in a bowl, and stir until they’re mixed. What could be easier? Plus, it only needs to marinate with the skirt steak for 30 minutes.
- Tenderizes: The secret to this recipe is that it has a bit of acid from the balsamic vinegar and soy sauce. That acid breaks down the muscle fibers in the skirt steak, which tenderizes the meat. Skirt steak is a very lean cut of beef, but 30 minutes soaking in this soy sauce marinade will turn it into one of the most tender and juicy pieces of steak you’ve ever eaten.
- Caramelizes: We all know that the secret to a good steak is to get a golden brown sear on both sides. This marinade really helps with that! The vinegar adds a little sugar to the marinade, which makes the steak caramelize when you cook it. The result is a sear that’s perfectly golden all around.
- Versatile: This is a perfect marinade for skirt steak, but you can also use it with other meats. It works great as a flank steak marinade, and you can also use it to season chicken or pork.
Ingredients Needed
The best party about this recipe? You probably already have all the ingredients on hand to make this easy marinade! For full ingredient amounts and directions, scroll to the printable recipe card at the bottom of this post.
- Olive Oil: You can also use avocado oil if you prefer.
- Balsamic Vinegar: Balsamic gives a great flavor to your steak, but can be substituted for red wine vinegar.
- Soy Sauce: You can also use coconut aminos.
- Minced Garlic: Freshly minced garlic will give you the most flavor.
- Dried Thyme: Fresh thyme also works very well if you have it. Double the amount needed if using fresh thyme as dried thyme is more potent.
- Crushed Red Pepper Flakes
- Salt: We use kosher salt.
- Black Pepper: Use freshly cracked black pepper for the best flavor.
How to Make Skirt Steak Marinade
Homemade marinade for skirt steak only takes a few minutes to make and leaves your cut of meat perfectly seasoned, juicy, and with a beautiful golden sear. You won’t believe how easy this recipe is!
- Mix: Add the ingredients to a bowl and mix.
- Marinade: Mix the marinade with your meat and let it sit for at least 30 minutes.
- Cook: Finish by cooking your skirt steak as desired!
Tips and Tricks
This addictive skirt steak marinade is so easy to make, but here are a few of our favorite tricks to make it even easier and tastier.
- Don’t Over-Marinate: You can marinate your steak overnight and it will be delicious. However, it’s best to not marinate for more than 12 hours, and we think the sweet spot is between 30 minutes and 2 hours. Because skirt steak is so lean, the acid in the marinade tenderizes it. But if it tenderizes for too long, it will break down too much, and become mushy.
- Swap Herbs: If you prefer, you can use rosemary instead of thyme in this recipe. You can also use rosemary and thyme together to make an extra-herbaceous marinade.
- Add Onion: If you want to add a little more depth of savory flavor, add 1 tablespoon of dried minced onion. It adds an extra layer of flavor to your steak!
- Use The Excess Marinade: After the steak is done marinating, don’t throw the liquid away. Instead, pour it into the skillet right before the steak is done cooking, and let the meat baste in it for extra flavor and juiciness.
How to Use This Easy Steak Marinade
This skirt steak marinade couldn’t be easier to use. All you have to do is mix it with skirt steak or another type of meat and let it sit for at least 30 minutes and up to 12 hours. Then cook the meat just as you would without a marinade. You can also use the marinade to season other cuts of beef in your favorite recipes. We recommend this marinade for these steak recipes.
- Air Fryer London Broil
- Air Fryer Steak Bites
- Chicken Fried Steak
- Air Fryer Steak Bites With Potatoes
- Air Fryer Steak Kabobs
Storing Marinade for Skirt Steak
This recipe makes enough skirt steak marinade for 2 pounds of meat. But if you have more marinade than you need, don’t worry: you can store it in the fridge for a week in an airtight container. You can also freeze the marinade for up to 6 months, though you’ll have to give it a mix when it thaws.
More Easy Seasoning Recipes
One of the best ways to take your cooking to the next level is to make your own seasonings. Whether it’s a skirt steak marinade or a spice rub, homemade seasonings are so much better than store-bought ones. They’re also really easy to make! Here are some other recipes for you to try.
- Chicken Taco Seasoning
- Homemade Ranch Seasoning
- Chili Seasoning
- Pork Chop Seasoning
- Cajun Seasoning
- Blackened Seasoning
- Taco Seasoning
Skirt Steak Marinade
Ingredients
- ¼ cup olive oil, or avocado oil
- 2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
- 2 tablespoons soy sauce
- 1 tablespoon minced garlic
- 1 teaspoon dried thyme, or minced fresh thyme
- 1 teaspoon red pepper flakes
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon black pepper
Instructions
- Add all the ingredients into a small bowl and stir until well blended.
- Pour marinade over steak, chicken or pork and marinate for at least 30 minutes before cooking. (Or add meat to a gallon ziplock bag, pour the marinade over meat, seal the bag and store in the refrigerator for up to 12 hours.) Making sure to shake the bag a few times while marinating.
- Remove the meat from the marinade and cook as desired.
