Recipe Shout-Out: Beer Marinade

If you’re a purist, this recipe won’t float your boat. Me? I’m a Primalist, so things like beer and the random tablespoon of Worcestershire sauce don’t trouble me. So if you’re free of any major reactions to these sorts of things and are willing to relax a bit, I can share with you the best beef and bison marinade I’ve ever tasted. It comes to us courtesy of one of my favorite local ranches, Full Circle Bison Ranch. FYI—They ship nationwide and they have some great specials going on right now. If you have a hard time finding bison or pastured pork (the loin chops are amazing), I can’t recommend these folks enough. If you need recommendations, email me and I’ll let you know my favorites.

I’ve mentioned before that I’ve given up on marinades. This is still mostly true. After years of investing time and money into marinades that sounded great but didn’t deliver, I went exclusively to dry rubs and post-grill-vinaigrette-dunks. This recipe is the only marinade I use because it works and it’s absolutely delicious.

I hear you: “Karen, shut up about how good it is and just give it to us, already!” Alright, alright! But before I do, let me say I’ve used this on ribeyes and flat irons so far. Full Circle recommends chuck, chuck-eye, top round, sirloin, and flank steaks. I think it would be amazing on a tri-tip roast. Whatever cut you choose, I really hope you’ll give this a go before grilling season is over.

Beer Marinade

Here's a Flat Iron steak bathed in Beer Marinade with grilled green onions on top.

3 garlic cloves, minced

2 Tbsp. onion, minced

1 1/2 tsp. salt

1 tsp. fresh ground black pepper

1 tsp. Tabasco or other hot sauce

3 Tbsp. cider vinegar

1 12-oz. bottle lager beer

1 Tbsp. Worcestershire sauce

1/2 cup soy sauce

1 Tbsp. coarse-grained mustard

— Combine all ingredients in a small bowl. Pierce the steak on both sides with a fork and place the steak in a shallow baking dish (or Ziploc baggie). Pour marinade over and cover, refrigerated, at least two hours, preferably overnight. Remove steak from marinade 30 minutes before cooking. Grill and gobble up.

NOTES: I’ve also put everything in a blender because I was too lazy to mince the garlic and onion. Worked great.