We love our steaks here, and not just those elite cuts. There is always a place for this bottom-round steak recipe in our house, and with just a little preparation, you can have it too!
Just think, the perfect budget-friendly steak with a steakhouse-quality feel!
Bottom round steak ingredients
- 1 lb of thinly sliced bottom round steaks. Really any thin sliced beef round steaks, I just happen to be using the bottom round.
- Cooking oil or butter. Butter is always better, in my opinion, but any cooking oil, including olive oil, will be fine.
- Marinade. For this marinade, you’ll need soy sauce, white wine vinegar, Worcestershire sauce, and, of course, garlic cloves!
How to make marinated bottom-round steak
Step 1. Whisk up the marinade.
Combine the marinade ingredients into a small bowl and whisk them together: soy sauce, white wine vinegar, Worcestershire sauce, and freshly minced garlic.
*See the recipe card for exact measurements.
Step 2. Marinade the steaks.
Add the steaks to a one-gallon zippered bag or plastic container and cover them with the marinade. Transfer it to the fridge for at least one hour.
Pro tip: For steaks 1/2″ thick or less, a marinating time between 1 and 4 hours works well. Thicker steaks can be left to marinate overnight.
Step 3. Sear your beef steaks in a cast iron skillet.
- Pat the steaks dry with a paper towel and let them come to room temperature.
- Preheat your skillet to medium-high heat, then add your butter.
- Sear each side for 45 seconds. Since this cut is very lean, it’s best not overcooked. However, if your steaks are thicker than 1/2″, you could add a bit more time.
- Remove from the heat to rest before serving.
Pro Tip #1: Bring the steaks to room temperature to allow for even cooking.
Pro Tip #2: Depending on the thickness of your steak, you may want to tenderize it with a wooden meat mallet to soften the fibers, which is important in thicker-cut round steaks.
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A few helpful supplies
- a small bowl
- a whisk
- a garlic press
- a one-gallon zippered bag
- metal tongs
- a wooden meat mallet and cutting board
- a 9″ cast iron skillet
Why you will love this bottom round steak recipe
- Beef bottom round is the perfect inexpensive cut of meat while still having great flavor.
- I love that I can use this easy recipe and transfer it to any of my steak recipes.
- The marinate not only adds great flavor but helps break down this tougher cut of meat.
- Add your own spin on things with a little ground black pepper, onion powder, or your favorite spices!
- Oh, and don’t just think beef steak; use this for any of your wild game steaks.
What to make with marinated bottom round steak
You have so many options to serve with steak. I often keep it simple with potato fries and green beans, but some days, I want a side dish with more oomph.
My family loves our potato skillet recipe. To serve it as a side dish with marinated bottom round steak, just leave out the sliced steak in the recipe.
Another hearty side dish that goes well with marinated steak is our Garlic parmesan brussel sprouts. This recipe is so good; it can make anyone love brussel sprouts!
Benefits of using a marinade
At its simplest, a marinade is a mixture of an acid and spices for soaking food in. The acidic ingredient, usually some type of vinegar, starts to break down the meat, letting the spices soak in.
That’s the trick. Marinating the meat lets all the flavors from the sauces and spices you are using get deep into the beef. Delicious!
While not all steaks need a marinade, it is nice to use on leaner cuts like this bottom round or flank steaks.
Tips and Variations
Tenderize first if needed: This recipe is perfect for all different round steaks. Just use a meat mallet to soften the fibers for thicker-cut round steaks and add a bit more time.
Play around with the marinade: Once you know how to make a basic marinade, you can make changes to suit your tastes and side dishes.
Sometimes, I add ginger and red pepper flakes to the marinade and serve the steak with rice or egg noodles. This gives the meal an oriental flair with just a few changes. And my family loves it!
I also make a white wine marinade, which I use in my eye of round steak recipe.
Plan accordingly: To get the best results from your marinaded meat, plan to allow your juicy round steak to baste in that wonderful marinade for at least an hour before cooking. Again, if your steaks are thicker than a half inch, consider giving the marinade more time to absorb into your meat.
Use any steak you have on hand: I have made this with top-round steak, flank steak, and even cube steak, and the results have always been exceptional.
Steak questions?
Can I make this with a dry rub?
Indeed, I have several dry rubs, though I would have to recommend this peppercorn steak rub I use here.
What is a bottom round steak?
Bottom round steak is cut from the rump or hind legs, so it’s muscle meat. This cut tends to be leaner and also less tender, which makes it a perfect steak for marinating.
What is the best way to cook a bottom round steak?
While a slow cooker may be a popular way to enjoy this dish, I prefer a quick, high-heat sear cooked to medium rare. It’s both tender and delicious.
Is bottom round steak tough?
Yes, it is a heavily worked muscle that can be tough. However, if you cook it right, you will have a tender steak to enjoy this evening.
What if I don’t have a cast iron skillet?
Any stainless steel pan will produce similar results. Additionally, If you have a Dutch oven, that will work quite well for searing these steaks.
Storing and Reheating
Leftovers can be kept for up to four days in an airtight container in the fridge.
When using your leftover bottom round steak, slice it thinly and add to a stir-fry with other leftovers. It’s delicious this way, so cook extra so you WILL have leftovers the next day!
Wrapping up
If you’re looking for cheap and easy, this delicious recipe ticks both boxes. And once you master the marinade, the flavor possibilities are endless.
Change the spices, change the sides, heck, cook yourself up some mashed potatoes and a savory gravy for a meal to remember.
This dish works well on busy days. You can whisk together the marinade in the morning, and your steak will be tenderized by dinner time.
Let me know how this recipe worked for you. I’m so interested in your feedback! It helps get my creative juices going.
If you are ready to try something new, these recipes help you add more variety to your beef cooking playbook:
- Beef Ribs
- Garlic Butter Ribeye
- Fried Beef Tongue
- Pan Seared Beef Heart
- Reverse Seared T-bone
- Tender Picanha Steak
Marinated Bottom Round Steak
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup of soy sauce
- 1/4 cup of white wine vinegar
- 1 tablespoon of Worcestershire sauce
- 2 cloves of fresh minced garlic
- 1 lb of thinly sliced bottom round steaks
- Cooking oil or butter
Instructions
- Whisk marinade ingredients in a small bowl to combine.
- Add the steaks to a gallon-sized zippered bag and carefully add the marinade.
- Place the steaks in the fridge until ready to cook (1-4 hours).
- Heat a 9" cast iron skillet just past medium heat and add a splash of cooking
oil or butter. (I prefer butter. It seems to give it a better sear) - Once the oil is shimmering, use tongs to place the meat into the skillet carefully.
- Sear both sides for 45 seconds.
- Remove from heat to rest before serving.
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