Not Worcestershire Or Soy: Marinate Steak In This Italian Sauce For Maximum Flavor

Pesto didn't make our list of a dozen effective ingredients to marinate steaks, but we think it's a worthy addition when it comes to the taste component alone. That jar of pesto that you keep on hand for yummy pasta dishes or savory flatbreads might just be the magic bullet you've been missing for steaks with a big pop of deliciousness. Ultimately, pesto's ingredients actually make it quite a worthy marinade. Grab your favorite steak, because we're diving in!

Pesto can vary drastically in its contents, whether it's homemade or a commercial product. The common denominators in most mainstream preparations are herbs (primarily basil), some sort of nut, oil, cheese, and seasonings like garlic. Traditional Ligurian pesto from Italy relies heavily on pine nuts and Parmesan-Reggiano. If you're making your own pesto, however, you can use whatever ingredients you find tasty and affordable. Prefer a jarred product? Keep in mind that opened pesto may only be good for a few days, so use it up for big steak flavor.

That same amalgamation of ingredients that makes pesto zesty also ensures that your steak will take on extra flavor when you marinate it. Furthermore, the oil in pesto facilitates great searing when the protein's on the heat. This isn't a marinade that necessarily needs to soak for a terribly long time. After slathering your steak in pesto and poking it with a fork a few times, as little as one hour in the fridge may be sufficient. Unless there's a lot of acid involved (which can turn steak mushy after too long), you can extend that time to as many as eight hours for even more impact.

Is pesto an all-in-one marinade product? Honestly, few things are. We'd recommend the addition of at least some pepper to season your steaks (pesto usually has plenty of salt), with maybe some onion powder to boost that vaunted umami savor already provided by the Parmesan and garlic. For efficient tenderizing in addition to great taste, add an acid to your marinade. Vinegar (white or balsamic) is a frequent addition, but we think lemon juice would also play well with pesto's flavor profile. Some online demos we viewed did show a bit of sticking on the grill, so we'd suggest a generous spray of cooking oil on the grates. Of course, reserving some pesto on the side to coat your hot, prepared steaks should be considered mandatory.

Pesto is a classic summer flavor, so few other choices are more harmonious when it comes to warm-weather grilling. Note that we also really love pesto in pasta salad, so the side choices can easily complement your main dish. Pesto-seared steak can get rich, especially at a patio cookout, so we suggest juicy corn and cold, crisp potato salad to round out the picnic. 

But don't limit yourself to just one season. If the forecast isn't really amenable to eating outdoors, we can easily imagine savoring some succulent, juicy pesto steak alongside your favorite warm pasta with a great marinara. Tomato and pesto are a combination blessed by the foodie gods, so a nice, ripe tom-and-mozz salad could also pair beautifully with your new favorite way to prepare beef, no matter what the weather calls for.