Worcestershire sauce is the simple ingredient that makes steak tastier and juicier, according to cook Karli Bitner, creator of Cooking with Karli. The sauce is the main ingredient in her go-to steak marinade, and she says it is “guaranteed to leave your steak juicy, flavourful and tender”.
Why add Worcestershire sauce to steak?
The best steaks are so tender and juicy you can cut them with a butter knife, and one of the “best ways to tenderise a piece of meat” is with acidity. The recipe uses Worcestershire sauce to break up the meat and let all the other flavours soak in. Bitner noted that this basic ingredient “makes even cheaper cuts incredibly tender, juicy and flavourful”.
She urged: “Don’t skip this ingredient! It helps tenderise the meat, and there is just something about Worcestershire sauce that brings out the yummy beefiness of a steak.”
What else goes into the steak marinade?
While Worcestershire sauce is the main ingredient, Bitner also adds lemon juice to boost acidity. Oil is key, but she recommends choosing one with a high smoke point, like avocado oil, so it can stand up to the high heat of the hob.
The other ingredients include soy sauce, garlic powder, parsley flakes, and salt and pepper.
How to make steak tastier and juicier
Ingredients:
- Steak of choice
- One quarter cup of lemon juice
- Half a cup of oil
- One quarter cup of soy sauce
- One quarter cup of Worcestershire sauce
- Half a teaspoon of salt
- Half a teaspoon of pepper
- One tablespoon of garlic powder
- One tablespoon of parsley flakes
Method:
In a large zip lock bag, combine the lemon juice, oil, soy sauce, Worcestershire sauce, salt, pepper, garlic powder, and parsley flakes. Seal the bag and shake to mix. Add the steaks to the bag and seal it, removing as much air as possible. Mix the steaks around in the marinade, coating them all as much as you can.
Marinate the steaks for at least two hours and up to overnight. The longer you leave them, the more tender and flavourful they will be, though they still turn out after just a few hours. To cook, heat a pan to high heat and sear the steak on each side for three minutes, then lower the heat to medium.
Cook the steak to your preferred doneness: one to two minutes for medium-rare, two to four minutes for medium, and four to six minutes for well-done. Finally, leave the steaks to rest for five to 10 minutes before serving. This gives the juices a chance to spread evenly throughout the meat, since cutting into it too quickly lets the moisture run out, making the steak tough and dry.
