Our Most Popular Steak Tip Marinade
This recipe for brown sugar bourbon steak tips from the Yankee archives is a reader favorite. Here’s how to make this popular steak tip marinade.
Steak tips, resting.
Photo Credit : Aimee TuckerGoing back more than 80 years, the Yankee recipe archive includes hundreds of recipes showcasing the best in seasonal New England cooking, but some recipes have risen above the rest to achieve “fan favorite” status. A great example is this steak tip marinade recipe, Brown Sugar Bourbon Steak Tips. Here’s how to make this flavorful grilling dish.
Photo Credit : Aimee Tucker
Brown Sugar Bourbon Steak Tips:
Our Most Popular Steak Tip Marinade
First, cut the sirloin steak tips or flank steak (both work well) into 2-to-3-inch chunks. (Any smaller, and you should put them on a skewer.)
Photo Credit : Aimee Tucker
Next, in a medium bowl, whisk together the steak tip marinade. Key ingredients include bourbon, brown sugar (light or dark), Worcestershire, and soy sauce.
Photo Credit : Aimee Tucker
Once the steak tip marinade is whisked, pour it into a large zip-top bag. Add the steak and a few thick slices of yellow onion. For best flavor, let meat marinate for 2 hours. (For this post we decided to test how the steak tip marinade tasted after different lengths of time — the original 2 hours was still our top pick!)
Photo Credit : Aimee Tucker
When ready to cook, drain and season meat with salt and pepper. Then, set up your grill for direct high heat. (For Yankee grilling advice, see Setting Up the Grill | Charcoal Grilling Tips.) Sear on one side until nicely browned, 4 to 6 minutes. Turn meat with tongs and grill until it reaches desired doneness (4 to 6 minutes more for medium rare, or until meat reaches an internal temperature of just above 140°).
Photo Credit : Aimee Tucker
Still using tongs, remove the steak tips from the grill and allow to rest. A general “how long steak should rest” rule that’s worked in our house is to let it rest for as long as it took to cook it. Letting the meat rest before cutting or piercing it with a fork ensures it stays juicy on the inside once it’s time to eat.
Photo Credit : Aimee Tucker
Finally, cook the marinated onions in a grill pan or grill them on grates away from direct heat, carefully turning once, for 8 to 10 minutes total cooking time. You can also take this opportunity to grill some additional veggies on skewers. We decided to make a few with peppers, onions, and mushrooms.
Once the meat has rested, plate and serve! Some rice, grilled potato planks, or a green side salad would make a fine accompaniment.
Photo Credit : Aimee Tucker
All that’s left to do is dig in!
Do you have a favorite steak tip marinade? Let us know!
This post was first published in 2017 and has been updated.
GET THE RECIPE: Brown Sugar Bourbon Steak Tips
Aimee Tucker
Aimee Tucker is Yankee Magazine’s Home Editor and the Senior Digital Editor of NewEngland.com. A lifelong New Englander and Yankee contributor since 2010, Aimee has written columns devoted to history, foliage, retro food, and architecture, and regularly shares her experiences in New England travel, home, and gardening. Her most memorable Yankee experiences to date include meeting Stephen King, singing along to a James Taylor Fourth of July concert at Tanglewood, and taking to the skies in the Hood blimp for an open-air tour of the Massachusetts coastline.
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