The PERFECT Asian Steak Marinade Recipe

This recipe for an Asian steak marinade was originally a sponsored post. I make this all the time to give a ton of flavor and enjoy beef without making it the biggest part of the meal.

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All summer, I grill out, but I get tired of hamburgers and hot dogs – the usual cookout fare. Instead, I find fun recipes that are ones people might not eat all the time but are nonetheless incredibly tasty.

Sometimes I make Asian inspired turkey burgers or kefta kebabs, but every time I make these Asian grilled steaks, people rave about them.

Cooking beef is easy. We typically grill outside, but even when the weather isn’t cooperating, that doesn’t stop us because it’s easy to use a grill pan inside or even start it on the stove and finish it in the oven, depending on the cut of meat we choose.

What temperature should top sirloin be grilled at?

You want to grill top sirloin at two temperatures, so be prepared with your grill.

You want to sear each side for 3-4 minutes at medium high heat, then let it cook to temperature over medium low heat.

Make sure to adjust your propane grill with two different temperatures on different sides, or set up your charcoal grill with most of the coals on one side to create that temperature difference.

Is top sirloin steak tender when grilled?

If you take a top sirloin and plop it on the grill, it will likely not be as tender as you want it when you remove it. However, the Asian steak marinade helps to tenderize it, in addition to providing an amazing flavor.

The key is also to grill your top sirloin steak as described above. This helps creak a tender top sirloin steak, especially when you slice it against the bias to serve it.

How long can you marinate steak?

When you use this Asian steak marinade, you want to let it marinate for at least four hours. You can marinate steak up to overnight if you choose.

Unlike chicken or fish, top sirloin won’t turn to mush with this marinade after a few hours of marinating.

Why should I let my steak rest after grilling?

One of the best grilling tips I ever received is to let it rest for five to ten minutes after you take it off the heat before you cut into it. This allows the juices to redistribute and keeps them from all running out and leaving you with dried out beef.

I simply place a layer of tinfoil in a tent over my Asian marinated steak to insulate some of the heat while the meat rests. This ensures I still have steak at the perfect temperature when I serve it.

And remember that your meat will still cook as it rests, so let it get to those last couple degrees while it rests. You don’t need to cook it all the way to 145 degrees for medium perfection.

Can I use other cuts of beef?

I use top sirloin because it is incredibly lean and cheaper than many other cuts of meat. That said, you can swap out the top sirloin for flank steak or skirt steak.

Both work well with this marinade. Make sure to watch the cook time of a skirt steak, as it often cooks faster than top sirloin or a marinated flank steak.

How do I cut a grilled top sirloin to serve?

For this Asian marinated steak, you want to slice it on the bias and against the grain. Both of these are easier than they may sound.

To slice something on the bias, you do it diagonally, at 45 degrees. Rather than slicing straight up and down at a 90 degree angle, turn your knife slightly so that you cut from left to right as you slice down.

To cut against the grain, simply look at your steak. You’ll see the stripes of the muscle fibers that run in one direction throughout the grilled top sirloin.

Make sure you cut perpendicular to those lines. This way you end up with short meat fibers that are easier to enjoy.

What should I serve this Asian marinated steak with?

The beauty of this Asian marinated steak is that you have a ton of flavor without needing a lot of meat per person. This steak tastes great with accompaniments that share equal billing.

I treat this almost like an Asian takeout where it gets a good serving of white rice to enjoy with each bite, along with vegetables. The rice helps stretch the meat, which helps as we all see food prices rising significantly.

I love to add a green vegetable like garlic sesame kale, grilled baby bok choy, or roasted broccoli. You want something with flavor that stands up to the steak dinner without overpowering it.

How to Make Asian Steak Marinade

Mince the garlic. Make sure you chop it finely, as this helps to release more flavor and also ensures there are no big chunks on your grilled top sirloin.

Add rice vinegar, fish sauce, soy sauce, mirin, minced garlic, and oil to a zip top bag or shallow dish. Seal it and shake a bit to ensure it all mixes together.

Mirin is a sweet cooking wine, and fish sauce is a standard Asian staple that adds a ton of umami to your dishes. Both are ones to keep on hand for all your Asian inspired dishes.

Add the steak to the bag, then seal it again. Make sure to remove as much air as possible.

Place it in the refrigerator for at least four hours and up to overnight. Periodically, flip the bag to ensure all the steak marinates evenly.

One hour before you plan to grill, remove your steaks from the fridge and let them come to room temperature. Meat cooks more evenly when it isn’t cold, which creates a more juicy steak in the end.

Preheat your grill to medium high, as you need a hot grill to start. If you can reserve a second section at medium low, prep this, as well.

Remove your steaks from the zip top bag, and discard the marinade. Alternatively, you can create a sauce with the Asian steak marinade by boiling it and then reducing it by at least half.

You can make it richer by adding a tablespoon or two of butter if you choose. That said, this steak has enough flavor already that I generally do not make a sauce for it.

Grill your steaks for three to four minutes per side on medium high to sear in the delicious flavor and juices. Place the steaks on the medium low section to finish cooking.

Let the Asian marinated steaks cook until your meat thermometer shows an internal temperature of just under 145 degrees. Remove from the grill and place on a tray.

Tent tin foil over the steak, and let it rest for 5-10 minutes. It will finish cooking during this time, as well as redistributing the juices from cooking.

Slice on the bias against the grain to create thin slices of meat. Serve with rice and vegetables for a perfect grilled top sirloin.

If you garnish the steak with julienned carrots or thinly sliced onion and sliced green onion, they look gorgeous in addition to adding even more flavor.

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