Bourbon Steak Marinade is a delicious blend of simple spices and sauces. It gives any cut of meat amazing flavor and is easy to make.

Get My Easy Grilling Cookbook Bundle for 75% OFF
Homemade Sauces and Marinade is one of my favorite things to make. I usually always have all the ingredients and I can adjust the ingredients to what I prefer. This marinade is packed with flavor and is a budget friendly marinade to make.
Check out more homemade marinades to give any cut of meat flavor – Hibachi Steak Marinade, Asian Chicken Marinade, Whiskey Steak Marinade, and Grilled Pork Chop Marinade Recipe.
Table of Contents
Why We Love This Marinade
If you are looking for a marinade that makes your favorite cut of beef flavorful, this bourbon flavor marinade is the one to make.
The marinade mixture ingredients blend perfectly together and is quick to make.
Ingredients

- Bourbon – We usually use Jim Beam Brand
- Soy Sauce – If you are out, check out these Soy Sauce Substitutes
- Olive Oil – Use oil of your choice
- Brown Sugar – Learn How to Make Homemade Brown Sugar
- Cloves Garlic, minced – You can also use garlic powder
- Worcestershire Sauce – Check out these Worcestershire Sauce Substitutes if you are out
Scroll to the bottom for the full recipe in the recipe card.
How to Make Bourbon Steak Marinade

Step 1 – In a medium bowl, whisk together all ingredients until the brown sugar is dissolved.

Step 2 – Pour the marinade into a large resealable plastic bag or a non-reactive container.

Step 3 – Add the steak to the marinade, making sure it’s well-coated.

Step 4 – If using a bag, squeeze out excess air before sealing. If using a container, cover tightly
- Step 5 – Refrigerate and marinate for at least 2 hours, or up to 8 hours for more flavor. Avoid marinating longer as the alcohol and soy sauce can start to break down the meat.
- Step 6 – Remove the steak from the marinade and discard the excess. Pat the steak dry with paper towels before cooking.
- Step 7 – Cook the steak using your preferred method such as a hot grill or in a cast iron skillet.
Expert Tips
- Marinating Tips – For tender cuts like rib-eye steaks or strip steak, 2 hours of marinating is plenty to soak in the flavors. If you’re using tougher cuts like flank or skirt steak, aim for closer to 6-8 hours. Just don’t go over 8 hours, since the soy sauce and alcohol can start to break down the meat and make it mushy.
- Room Temperature Steak – After removing the steak from the bourbon marinade recipe, allow it to rest at room temperature for about 20-30 minutes before cooking. This will help the steak cook more evenly.
- Cooking Time – Cooking steak will vary depending on how you like your steak cooked. We like to allow the steak to rest then slice into bite-size pieces to easily serve.

Serving Suggestions
This bourbon steak recipe creates an amazing meal with any cut of meat. We love to serve our steak with veggies and easily cook them on the grill with our steak. These are some of our favorites.
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes, bourbon is great to break down the meat’s tougher protein and it also helps to give the steak delicious smoky flavor.
We think this bourbon marinade taste best on flank steaks, London Broil, or Sirloin Steak.
Not only does this marinade works great with beef, you can also use it to marinade pork such as pork chops, pork tenderloin and even pork loin roast. This marinade is even great to marinade chicken breast, chicken wings or chicken drumsticks.

More Easy Marinade Recipes
Grilled Beef
Italian Dressing Steak Marinade
Easy Grilled Chicken
Balsamic Chicken Marinade
Easy Grilled Chicken
Chicken Pickle Juice Marinade
Grilled Beef
Pineapple Steak Marinade
We love to hear from you. If you make Bourbon Steak Marinade Recipe, please leave us a comment or a star review.

Bourbon Steak Marinade
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup bourbon
- 1/3 cup soy sauce
- 1/4 cup olive oil
- 2 tablespoons brown sugar
- 2 cloves garlic minced
- 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
- 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 1 teaspoon black pepper
- 1/2 teaspoon onion powder
Instructions
- In a medium bowl, whisk together all ingredients until the brown sugar is dissolved.
- Pour the marinade into a large resealable plastic bag or a non-reactive container.
- Add the steak to the marinade, making sure it’s well-coated.
- If using a bag, squeeze out excess air before sealing. If using a container, cover tightly.
- Refrigerate and marinate for at least 2 hours, or up to 8 hours for more flavor. Avoid marinating longer as the alcohol and soy sauce can start to break down the meat.
- Remove the steak from the marinade and discard the excess. Pat the steak dry with paper towels before cooking.
- Cook the steak using your preferred method.
Using this marinade made the most delicious steak!