This 5 ingredient Whiskey Balsamic Steak marinade creates tender, juicy grilled sirloin steak with bold flavor!
My Beer Brats Recipe is another easy grilling recipe that infuses meat with great flavor.
Listen, and listen close now friends. If you are a fan of the red meat – I’m talkin’ steak on the grill, cooked to a perfect medium rare – this recipe is for you.
This is a killer steak marinade, and, please know that I don’t just throw that word around. This Whiskey Balsamic Steak is serious business.
Table of contents
Whiskey Balsamic Steak Marinade Recipe
I saw references to a whiskey balsamic marinade floating around on Pinterest and it peaked my interest. But, just two ingredients? I wanted more. So, I added a little Dijon for body and a little brown sugar for sweetness and to add nice color to the grilled meat. I also added a little olive oil to prevent our lovely steak from sticking to the grill.
I knew it was going to be good…I didn’t know it would be killer.
Ingredient Notes
- Top sirloin steak – The quality of the USDA Choice top sirloin from Costco is very good and I almost always have a few vacuum sealed packages in my freezer. Their USDA Prime is little more expensive but very close to restaurant quality and nice for a special occasion meal.
- Whiskey – If you’re not a whiskey drinker, pick up one or two of those tiny bottles they stock at the liquor store. They’re just shy of 2-ounces each and I keep them in my freezer just for use in boozy recipes like this one.
- Balsamic vinegar
- Extra virgin olive oil
- Dijon mustard
- Brown Sugar
How to Make Whiskey Balsamic Steak
In an effort to avoid eating a humongous piece of steak, I always cut my sirloin down into smaller, serving size pieces before marinating. Pop them into a gallon sized plastic storage bag and the five ingredient marinade. Refrigerate the steak for two to four hours max. This is a rock ’em sock ’em marinade that doesn’t need much time to do it’s work.
Allow the steak to rest at room temperature for about 30 minutes before grilling. Then, season the marinated steak with a little fresh ground pepper and pop it on the grill.
Ideal Grilled Steak Temperature
It’s my opinion that steak should not be cooked beyond a nice, pink, medium-rare, but this is completely up to the cook. Top sirloin is on average about 1-½ inches thick and will take a bit longer than thinner cuts to cook to the desired temperature. It should take from 12 to 15 minutes total to reach the desired, delicious, medium-rare doneness. Use an instant-read meat thermometer to take the guesswork out of it.
- Rare (very red-pink): 125-130 degrees F
- Medium Rare (pink): 130-135 degrees F
- Medium (light pink): 135-140 degrees F
- Medium-Well: 140-150 degrees F
- Well-Done: 155 degrees F or above
Insert a meat thermometer at least a ½-inch deep in the thickest portion of the steak for an accurate measurement. Remember that the internal temperature will rise a bit after the steak is removed from the grill so it’s best to shoot for the lower end of the range of the desired doneness.
Let it Rest
Try to restrain yourself and allow the steak to rest for at least 5 minutes after it comes off the grill. Some of the juices will escape as it rests but even more will be retained with just a little resting time.
Even the leftovers, cold from the fridge, were delicious. Kick off the summer grilling season with this easy, unbelievably tasty Whiskey Balsamic Steak marinade!
Serving Suggestions
Looking for the perfect sides? This Chicken Pesto Pasta Salad and Spicy Baked Beans pair perfectly with this steak or any grilled meat. More great BBQ side dishes:
Whiskey Balsamic Steak
Ingredients
- 2 pounds boneless top sirloin steak
- ¼ cup bourbon whiskey
- ¼ cup balsamic vinegar
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
- 1 tablespoon brown sugar
- freshly ground black pepper, to taste
Instructions
- Cut sirloin into serving sized pieces and place in a gallon sized plastic storage bag.
- In a small bowl or measuring cup, whisk together the whiskey, balsamic vinegar, olive oil, Dijon, and brown sugar. Pour over the sirloin; seal the bag and turn it over a few times to distribute marinade. Refrigerate for at least 2 hours but no more than 4 hours.
- Season the marinated steaks with pepper. Grill over MEDIUM heat for 7 to 8 minutes per side. Cook until steak reaches an internal temperature of 130 to 135 degrees F for medium-rare or 135 to 140 degrees F for medium. Time will vary depending on thickness of steaks.
- Remove from heat and allow to sit for 5 to 10 minutes before serving.
Notes
- Rare (very red-pink): 125-130 degrees F
- Medium Rare (pink): 130-135 degrees F
- Medium (light pink): 135-140 degrees F
- Medium-Well: 140-150 degrees F
- Well-Done: 155 degrees F or above
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated using generic ingredients, and is an estimate not a guarantee. For more accurate results, please refer to the labels on your ingredients at home.
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It’s 9 am and I want this for breakfast. YUM
I think that’s perfectly acceptable 🙂
Oh yeah! I’m a lover of a good steak (medium rare) and whiskey… but have never tried them together. I can’t wait to try this marinade, it looks and sounds delicious!