Full of bold flavor, this Steak Kabob Marinade is the best when grilling steak kabobs! Only 5 ingredients in the marinade – this is super easy and a great way to stretch a steak!
We love grilling kabobs! After you’ve tried this Steak Kabob Marinade, make sure to try this Grilled Steak and Potato Kabob Recipe or these Grilled Shrimp and Sausage Kabobs.
I’ve said it before, but I’m a steak girl. If we’re having a backyard bbq, I’ll be more than happy with a good steak. But I’ve also said before that I’m usually pretty minimal when it comes to my steak. I’ll take a steak seasoned simply with salt and pepper over a marinated steak most days. But when it comes to kabobs, it’s all about the marinade!
This is pretty much the perfect steak kabob marinade. It has just the right amount of sweetness from the honey, and the saltiness from the soy sauce. And of course, I’m always happy when there is garlic involved!!
Ingredients
- Soy Sauce: Not only does the soy sauce add a great saltiness, but I always feel like it permeates the meat really well, adding tons of flavor. I do like to use a low sodium soy sauce.
- Honey: The honey adds a great sweet counterpart to the saltiness of the soy sauce. You can use brown sugar instead of honey, if desired, but you may want to add an additional tablespoon.
- Ketchup: This may be an unexpected ingredient, but it adds great flavor. And I love that it is thicker, to help the marinade stick to the meat.
- Balsamic Vinegar: This adds even more acidity, and it also adds depth to the marinade.
- Garlic: I like to use fresh garlic, if possible, but you could also use about 1/4 teaspoon of garlic powder, instead.
- Steak: Check the section below to learn more about what kind of steak to use.
- Vegetables: If you want, you can also add vegetables to your kabobs. I do not marinate the vegetables – just add them once you are assembling your kabobs.
What Kind of Steak to Use for Kabobs
For these kabobs, I used NY Strip Steak. It is tender and doesn’t usually have huge pockets of fat. If budget isn’t a factor, a filet or tenderloin works really well, but we usually stick with a strip steak, ribeye or sirloin.
The biggest tip is to get a steak that will be tender and that doesn’t have a huge amount of fat.
I always urge you to steer clear of the pre-cubed beef at the grocery store, though, as you don’t always know what cut of beef it comes from.
How to This Steak Kabob Marinade
STEP 1: Mix together all of the marinade ingredients in a ziplock bag.
STEP 2: Cut the steak into 1- to 1 1/2-inch cubes. You want to make sure they are all fairly equal in size.
STEP 3: Add the beef to the bag with the marinade. Refrigerate the steak and marinade for 4 to 6 hours. You can marinate it overnight, but I wouldn’t suggest more than 24 hours.
STEP 4: Thread the steak onto skewers (adding veggies if desired) and grill until your desired doneness.
Tips and Tricks
- Make sure to cut the steak cubes around the same size so that they will cook evenly.
- I like to mix the marinade straight in the bag to avoid another dish to wash. You could also skip the bag and use a bowl with a lid.
- You will get the best results by marinating the steak for 4-6 hours. I have marinated for up to 24 hours, but the meat will start to break down and create a weird texture. Especially if you go over the 24 hour mark.
- If you like to add vegetables to your kabob, use vegetables that will cook in about the same amount of time as the steak. I’ll usually add peppers and onions (they will still be crisp tender) but will grill any other vegetables separately.
- If you use bamboo or wooden skewers, soak them in water before grilling.
- The cook time will vary because every grill cooks a little differently. An instant read thermometer is your best bet to have perfectly cooked kabobs.
More Kabob Recipes
Grilled Lemon Shrimp
Bacon Wrapped Teriyaki Chicken Skewers
Sweet and Sour Meatball Skewers
Grilled Indian Chicken Skewers
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Steak Kabob Marinade
Ingredients
- 1/4 cup reduced sodium soy sauce
- 1/4 cup honey
- 2 tablespoons ketchup
- 1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
- 1 clove garlic minced
- 2 1/2 lbs steak trimmed and cut into 1 to 1 1/2-inch cubes (I used NY Strip Steak)
- Assorted vegetables for grilling if desired
Instructions
- In a large ziplock bag, combine the soy sauce, honey, ketchup, balsamic vinegar and garlic. Mix to combine.
- Add the steak cubes, seal the bag, and shake gently to distribute the marinade.
- Refrigerate the marinating steak for 4 to 6 hours*.
- When ready to cook, preheat your grill to high (about 425ºF). Thread your steak onto skewers, adding vegetables if desired.
- Grill until the internal temperature of the steak is 135º-140ºF. This will vary depending on your grill, but will probably take about 10 minutes.
- Serve warm.
Super Mommio says
The marinade flavor was there, but not as strong as I would have liked. Maybe it didn’t come out as well because I marinaded the meat in a bowl, instead of the bag. Anyways, still tasty!
Simply Life says
oooh this looks great!
Betty says
This looks like a great marinade- easy and flavorful! 🙂
Chris says
I’m with you, I prefer salt and pepper for GOOD steaks on the grill. But I can’t help from experimenting sometimes like this. Gorgeous photography!
Katrina says
Lovely! So tasty looking.
Sandy @ RE says
Yum. Maybe I should pull my book out for MON BBQing. LOL
Thanks, girl!
Joanne says
Oh that sweet/salty marinade…love!
Valerie M. says
Sounds perfect and simple!
Holly says
I like the sound of this marinade-simple and yummy sounding:)