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

By
Daniel Gritzer
Daniel Gritzer
Daniel Gritzer
Editorial 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 March 07, 2019
20170420-steak-marinades-beer-vicky-wasik-4.jpg
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.

Recipe Details

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

Active 10 mins
Total 10 mins
Serves 6 to 8 servings

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.

This Recipe Appears In

Nutrition Facts (per serving)
378Calories
25gFat
1gCarbs
34gProtein
×
Nutrition Facts
Servings: 6 to 8
Amount per serving
Calories378
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 25g33%
Saturated Fat 10g48%
Cholesterol 124mg41%
Sodium 309mg13%
Total Carbohydrate 1g0%
Dietary Fiber 0g1%
Total Sugars 0g
Protein 34g
Vitamin C 1mg6%
Calcium 29mg2%
Iron 2mg14%
Potassium 422mg9%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.
(Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate.)

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