Marinated Steak: Healthy Cooking Tips

Before attending the Natural Food Chef program at Nutrition Therapy Institute, I will admit, I was intimidated to make any kind of meat. I was not confident in adding herbs or spices and I definitely did not venture into marinating or braising. When I was growing up, we ate either boiled or grilled chicken.

Through hands-on culinary training and nutrition education at Nutrition Therapy Institute, I learned how cooking techniques, ingredient quality, and food preparation all influence both flavor and nutrition. I am proud to say that my meat game has made a complete 180 after going through the program. The key to good meat is flavor and how you cook it. I am so excited to share one of my favorite techniques in this healthy marinated steak recipe, along with some tips I have gained over the years in perfecting the best steak. You could use these tips for most any type of meat, so please try replicating with your favorites at home!

Choose High-Quality Ingredients for a Healthy Marinated Steak Recipe

I think it’s safe to say that most people want a savory experience when they eat steak (or any other type of meat for that matter). Making the perfect steak does take a little forethought, but the finished result is so worth it. The number one thing I always take into consideration is the quality of meat. I could argue that quality is the most important factor.

I prefer 100% grass-fed and grass-finished steak whenever I can access it. There are many positive health benefits when you choose higher quality animal products. Recently, I spoke with a local rancher and asked a few questions about the process of raising a grass-fed and finished cow. Basically, most of the cattle in the United States are generally grass-fed for a majority of their life. To fatten up the cattle before processing, they are typically fed grain, creating the marbling we see on most grocery store steak.

Grain is not a natural diet for cattle, which is why I prefer to choose meats that were fed their native diets. When cattle eat an unnatural diet, they could become sick, and in turn, making the meat quality lower. I highly encourage you to seek out your local rancher at the farmers market and ask questions. You can also order from US Wellness Meats or Wild Pastures as they source high quality meats from ranchers around the country. 

LISTEN >>> NTI PodTalk with Autumn Smith, co-founder of Paleovalley and Wild Pastures

How to Marinate Steak for the Best Flavor and Tenderness

The cut of steak doesn’t necessarily matter, although the more expensive cuts like filet or ribeye will have more flavor than a less expensive sirloin. I used a hangar steak in this recipe but I have used flank steak, which I highly recommend! Once you have a high-quality cut of meat, you’ll want to marinate it. This helps to break down and tenderize the meat for a softer taste. You can do this step up to 24 hours before cooking it. I will typically start marinating in the morning, but whatever works for your schedule. You want at least 1 hour of marinating time before cooking.

The marinade should have acidic components to it. I used balsamic vinegar and lemon juice, but you could use another type of vinegar or citrus fruit. I also added coconut aminos for a sweet flavor as well as garlic, salt and pepper. Taking a little extra time to marinate your steak makes all the difference and is one of the reasons this healthy marinated steak recipe turns out so tender and flavorful.

How to Cook Marinated Steak to Perfection

Once you are ready to cook, you want to set the meat out for about 30 minutes. This helps it cook more evenly rather than taking it directly out of the cold fridge and straight to a hot grill or oven. If you plan to grill, make sure the heat doesn’t get super high – around 350F or lower is perfect temperature. You don’t want to decimate the nutritional value by cooking it too high.

Once the grill has reached the optimal temperature, add your steak and cook for 7-12 minutes for a medium steak (depending on your grill it could take more or less time). If you don’t have a grill or don’t want to use one, I like the pan sear method where you finish in the oven. Preheat your oven to around 350F-375F (same as your grill). Again, we don’t want to cook the meat at too high of a temperature. Once the meat has sat out for a while and you are ready to cook, turn your burner to medium heat. Once the pan is hot, add cooking fat of choice; I prefer to use butter. Add steak to pan and brown on all sides to seal in the moisture. You don’t want to burn it, just browned. When all sides are browned, place in the oven for 5-15 minutes, depending on how you like your steak cooked.

Checking Doneness and Serving Your Steak

For any type of cooking method, these are the following internal temperatures your steak should read to ensure it’s done. The USDA recommends 145F for a medium, “food safe” steak but please cook to your liking. Rare is 120F, well-done is around 160F+. Once your steak is cooked to your liking, let it sit for about 5 minutes before cutting. This ensures that all the juices aren’t lost once you cut into it. When you cut your steak, cut against the grain so that again, you don’t lose the juices. Serve with Compound Butter, Easy Artichoke Caprese Salad, rice or another grain or sourdough bread, and Homemade Sauerkraut (because why not?). 

I hope you enjoy this healthy marinated steak recipe and feel inspired to try it with other types of meat as well. I have made this marinade with chicken (breast and thighs) and pork (chops and tenderloin), and it works beautifully with both.

Ingredients: 

1 ½ to 2 lbs steak cut of choice

1 cup coconut aminos

½ cup lemon juice

¼ cup balsamic vinegar

3 garlic cloves, minced

1-2 tsp salt

Cracked pepper 

Avocado or olive oil 

Directions: 

Place all marinade ingredients in a tupperware or ziploc bag and marinate in the fridge for 1-24 hours. Once you are ready to cook, follow instructions in the blog post starting at the header titled, ‘Cooking.’

Enjoy!

About the Author: Meghan McGee is a graduate of NTI’s Certified Natural Food Chef program as well as an Integrative Nutrition Health Coach. She believes food is the most powerful catalyst that brings people together. Sitting around a table, enjoying a nourishing meal with strangers or friends is her absolute favorite thing to do. Her mission is to inspire others to take control of their health.  You can find Meghan’s personal chef and other services at megsnourishedkitchen.com.

Photo by Meghan McGee