Zesty Beer, Lemongrass, and Ginger Steak Marinade for Grilling Recipe

By
Daniel Gritzer
Daniel Gritzer
Daniel Gritzer
Senior Culinary Director
Daniel joined the Serious Eats culinary team in 2014 and writes recipes, equipment reviews, articles on cooking techniques. Prior to that he was a food editor at Food & Wine magazine, and the staff writer for Time Out New York's restaurant and bars section.
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Updated Mar. 07, 2019
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Vicky Wasik

Why It Works

  • Marinating is mostly a surface treatment, so even an hour is enough to get plenty of flavor onto the meat.
  • Salt in the marinade helps the beef retain moisture during grilling.

For this marinade, I popped a bottle of light lager, then infused it with fresh ginger, lemongrass, coriander seed, thyme, and lemon zest. Olive oil in the mixture helps extract some of the fat-soluble flavors of the aromatics. The result is a lightly funky and herbal flavor that pairs well with fatty steaks, like boneless short ribs.

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Recipe Facts

Active: 10 mins
Total: 10 mins
Makes: 4 to 8 (8-ounce) steaks

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Ingredients

  • 1 (12-ounce; 355ml) bottle light lager beer
  • 3 tablespoons (45ml) extra-virgin olive oil
  • 1 (6-inch) length fresh lemongrass, lightly bruised with the blunt side of a knife
  • 1 (2-inch) strip fresh lemon zest
  • 1 (1-inch) knob peeled fresh ginger, sliced
  • 1 teaspoon (5g) toasted coriander seed
  • 4 sprigs fresh thyme
  • 1 teaspoon (5g) kosher salt
  • About 2 to 3 pounds (900g to 1.4kg) steak of your choice

Directions

  1. In a large zipper-lock bag, combine beer, oil, lemongrass, lemon zest, ginger, coriander seed, thyme, and salt. Swish until salt is dissolved.

  2. Add steak to bag, press out air, and seal. Refrigerate for at least 1 hour and up to 12 hours. When ready to cook, remove steak from marinade, blot dry with paper towels, and grill as desired.

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