You may be skeptical when you see the name “best ever”, but this really is the best meat marinade you’ll ever use. The salty, umami flavors really take your grilling to a new level.
» If you like this marinade, you’ll also love this Chicken Adobo Recipe and this Flavorful Cuban Mojo Marinade.
You can use this marinade for any type of meat for baking or grilling. I personally love it on flank steak and skin-on grilled chicken thighs. It’s really a next-level marinade.
We’ve got you covered for barbecue season with this marinade and our perfectly-balanced dry rub, and smoky Bourbon BBQ sauce. This trio is all you need to prepare your meat for grilling and enjoyable eating. These are super versatile recipes that can be used for any type of meat.
I got the inspiration for this sauce from a very popular recipe on All Recipes. I adjusted it slightly to fit my preferences, which meant reducing the amount of olive oil and dried basil. I prefer to use dried Italian seasoning in this marinade because of the diverse flavors it adds.
» Check out this guide on Flank Steak vs Skirt Steak: What’s the Difference?
Ingredients You’ll Need
- Soy sauce
- Olive oil
- Lemon juice – Fresh squeezed.
- Worcestershire sauce – This sauce includes vinegar, molasses, garlic, tamarind extract and anchovies among other things. It adds a savory saltiness to recipes.
- Garlic – Minced.
- Spices – Italian seasoning and black pepper.
- Hot sauce – We like to use Sriracha but you could use whatever you have handy.
How to Make the Best Meat Marinade
I’ll admit, there isn’t much to do here. Just combine all the ingredients in a bowl and whisk them together until they’re combined.
I find it super easy to throw it all in the chopper attachment of my stick blender to give it a quick whirl. This ensures that the oil gets properly incorporated with the other ingredient to form a thicker “sauce” that will stick better to the meat.
Pour the marinade over your meat and allow it to marinade for at least 4 hours in the refrigerator. I actually really prefer to leave it over night, but it’s not necessary, if you’re short on time.
When you’re ready to cook it, just discard the remaining marinade and put the meat on the grill, as usual.
I really highly recommend trying this meat marinade with skin-on chicken thighs. It adds so much delicious flavor and really throws the wow factor over the edge with chicken thighs.
You only need to marinade it for about 3-4 hours. I often leave it overnight though for more flavor.
When I cook the thighs in the oven, rather than on the grill, I always crisp up the skin side on a skillet before adding it, skin side up, along with the remaining marinade, to a casserole dish and bake it for 25 minutes at 375° F . Perfection.
Tips & Notes
- Excess marinade (that has NOT been added to the meat) can be stored in the refrigerator in a container for up to a week.
- Before adding the marinade to the meat, reserve some in a separate dish to use as basting marinade on the meat as it cooks to give it even more flavor.
Ready for dessert? Why not try one of these awesome Homemade Ice Cream recipes.
Other BBQ Recipes to Try
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Best Ever Meat Marinade
Ingredients
- 1/3 cup soy sauce
- 1/3 cup olive oil
- 1/3 cup fresh lemon juice
- 1/4 cup Worcestershire sauce
- 1 clove garlic minced
- 1 tablespoon dried Italian seasoning
- 1 teaspoon ground black pepper
- 1/4 teaspoon hot sauce like Sriracha
Instructions
- Mix all ingredients together in a bowl and whisk until well combined. Pour marinade over desired type of meat. Cover, and refrigerate for up to 12 hours. Cook meat as desired.
Notes
- Excess marinade (that has NOT been added to the meat) can be stored in the refrigerator in a container for up to a week.
- Before adding the marinade to the meat, reserve some in a separate dish to use as basting marinade on the meat as it cooks to give it even more flavor.
Nutrition
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Laura is a home cook, with 25 years experience behind the stove, who spends an extraordinary amount of time in the kitchen cooking. She loves making new recipes and finding wonderful new things to eat, both at home or abroad. She spends a lot of time researching, crafting, and perfecting her recipes and currently has a cookbook in development.
Marinades and summer grilling go hand-in-hand. I love this flavor combination–perfect for a good London broil. Yum!
Definitely! Great choice.
You’re right, this is the perfect all-around marinade! Its really great on chicken or beef! Thanks!
Glad you liked it!
I’ve been having fun over the last couple of months, making new recipes and experimenting in the kitchen. I was excited to try this. I used it on our eye of round steaks from Aldi!
I agree, this really is the best marinade!! So full of flavor and perfectly seasoned!
I marinated chicken thighs for over 24 hrs (meant to use them sooner) and grilled them over a charcoal grill. This marinade made the chicken thighs tender and full of amazing flavor .
It’s good to hear the chicken wasn’t mushy after a longer marinade. Glad you liked the flavor!