Flank Steak Marinade is an easy-to-make marinade that not only tenderizes flank steak, but it also adds flavour to the steak that complements any smoky barbecue flavours.
Originally posted in June 2021, updated in May 2026.
When it comes to steak, there are so many different cuts. Some are delicious with just a sprinkle of steak spice, while others are tougher and require a good marinade to tenderize them. This steak marinade is perfect for cuts like flank or skirt steak. It adds flavour while tenderizing tougher cuts of beef.
Ingredients For Flank Steak Marinade
Don’t let the ingredients list scare you. There are 11 ingredients; one is optional, and it includes salt and pepper, as well as other ingredients you may already have on hand.
- Soy Sauce– this ingredient is used in many dishes, especially marinades. It is considered an acid that is needed for a marinade to work properly. We prefer to use low-sodium soy sauce.
- Lime– this is an acid that helps break down the toughness of meats. But lime also adds a touch of flavour to this marinade. The juice and zest of one lime is all this recipe needs to add flavour and the acid needed.
- Rice Vinegar– there is a small amount of rice vinegar in this recipe.
- Vegetable and sesame oils– Both vegetable oil and sesame oil are used in this marinade. Sesame oil is optional.
- Sweet Chili Sauce- this is where a little heat is added. Sweet Chili Sauce is both sweet and hot and it adds a lot of flavour to the marinade.
- Ginger and Garlic– freshly grated ginger and minced garlic are behind a lot of the flavour in this marinade.
- Honey– adding honey balances out the flavours. It adds a touch of sweetness without altering the taste.
Using Flank Steak Marinade
To use the marinade, pour over the steak, covering both sides of the meat. Cover and refrigerate for 2 to 4 hours, turning over halfway through to make sure both sides get all the flavour.
Steak can marinade for up to 12 hours in this marinade. Any longer than 12 hours you run the risk of breaking down the muscle fibers too much, causing a mushy texture.
Tips For This Marinade
When marinating steak, use a plastic or glass container. A metal bowl is not recommended, because the metal can interact with the acids in marinades.
We use large freezer bags, which means less cleanup.
When cooking the steak, you don’t want to overcook it. The meat will continue to cook even after removing it from the BBQ. We recommend using a digital instant read thermometer to check the temperature of any meat. Our go-to can be found on Amazon Canada and Amazon USA.
Flank Steak Marinade Can Be Made Ahead
This marinade can be made in advance and stored in the fridge for up to 48 hours. By making it ahead of time, the flavours will be more intensified as the ingredients meld together.
If you freeze your meat in freezer bags, you can add the marinade to the freezer bag when thawing. This will allow the steak to marinade as it thaws.
The marinade can also be added before freezing flank steaks, and the steaks will also marinade as it thaws. This is how we use this marinade for camping or a weekend away at a cottage. Preparing the marinade ahead of time and freezing it on the meat means not having to take all the ingredients with you on a trip.
For another marinade using sweet chili sauce check out our Sweet Chili Lime Chicken
We hope you like this marinade as much as we do. We would love to hear from you if you try this recipe or have any questions about it. Leave a comment below to let us know.
Flank Steak Marinade
Ingredients
- ¼ cup low sodium soy sauce
- 3 Tbsp sweet chili sauce
- 2 Tbsp rice vinegar
- 2 Tbsp honey
- 2 Tbsp vegetable oil
- 1 Tbsp fresh grated ginger
- 1 juice and zest of lime
- 2 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 tsp sesame oil, optional
- ½ tsp kosher salt
- ½ tsp black pepper
Instructions
- Place all ingredients in a medium sized bowl.
- Whisk together.
- Pour over steak and marinade for 2-4 hours, and up to 12 hours.
