My steak tip marinade is a beer-based teriyaki-style sauce made with IPA, fresh lemon juice, oil, soy sauce, Worcestershire sauce and a blend of spices. I developed this beer teriyaki marinade while experimenting with ingredients I had on hand. The result is slightly sweet with a gentle, savory kick.
Marinated steak tips are a summer grilling favorite. They’re simple to skewer with vegetables or cook directly on the grill, and they also work great in a hot cast-iron pan. While many butchers sell pre-marinated tips, I get excellent results by preparing my own marinade at home.
The best part is most of these ingredients are probably already in your fridge or pantry, so this is an easy recipe to pull together at the last minute.
This dish pairs well with pesto pasta salad, lemon butter couscous, or truffle fries. It also complements techniques like reverse searing or sous vide if you want to explore other ways to cook steak.
Ingredient notes and substitutions
Making a homemade steak marinade is straightforward once you know the basic balance. A simple formula to follow is:
- 1 part acid — vinegar, wine, beer, or citrus like lemon or lime juice.
- 3 parts fat — olive oil, canola, avocado oil, or sesame oil.
- Seasonings and dry spices — herbs, garlic, paprika, cumin, red pepper flakes, brown sugar, etc., to taste.
For this beer teriyaki-style marinade I use sirloin steak tips, IPA or pale ale, fresh lemon juice, olive oil, soy sauce, Worcestershire sauce, dark brown sugar for caramelization, and optional mirin to add round sweetness. Garlic, dried parsley, paprika and crushed red pepper finish the flavor profile.
- Sirloin steak tips: Also called sirloin tips, these are thin strips that marinate and grill well. Choose pieces with good marbling; the fat helps keep them tender.
- Beer (IPA or pale ale): I recommend an IPA or pale ale because it contributes body and flavor that stand up to the other ingredients.
- Fresh lemon juice: The acidity helps tenderize and brighten the meat. Lime can be used instead.
- Olive oil: Any neutral oil will work—vegetable, canola, or avocado oil are fine alternatives.
- Soy sauce: Light or dark soy sauce will add umami and salt; choose according to how bold you want the flavor.
- Mirin (optional): A sweet Japanese rice wine often used in teriyaki. It’s optional but traditional in teriyaki-style sauces.
- Brown sugar: Adds subtle sweetness and helps create a caramelized crust on the grill.
- Dry spices: I use dried parsley, crushed red pepper flakes, paprika and fresh garlic (or garlic powder) for an easy, balanced spice mix.
Refer to the recipe card below for exact ingredient amounts and measurements.
Mechanically tenderizing steak tips
Many prepackaged steak tips are mechanically tenderized to make them very tender. If your marinated tips were still chewy in the past, the cut may be too lean or it may benefit from light mechanical tenderizing with a meat mallet.
Before marinating, gently strike the steak a few times with a meat mallet on both sides. Don’t flatten the meat — you only want to break down some muscle fibers so the marinade can penetrate more effectively.
Cooking steak tips indoors
If you enjoy pan-seared steaks, a cast-iron skillet is perfect for searing steak tips while keeping the juices inside. Cast iron works well year-round if you don’t grill during colder months.
Cooking times and target temperatures are similar whether you grill or pan-sear, but when using a skillet you may need to reduce the heat slightly and cook a bit longer to avoid burning the exterior.
| Doneness | Temperature Range |
|---|---|
| Very rare/rare | 120°F to 125°F |
| Medium rare | 125°F to 130°F |
| Medium | 135°F to 140°F |
| Medium well | 145°F to 150°F |
| Well done | 160°F and above |
More steak recipes you’ll love
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Pan-Seared Ribeye with Blue Cheese Butter
T-Bone Steak with Garlic and Rosemary
Coffee Rubbed Steak
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Marinated Steak Tips with Beer Teriyaki Marinade
Ingredients
- 2 pounds sirloin steak tips (nice marbling throughout), not pre-marinated
Beer teriyaki marinade
- 1/2 cup beer (IPA or pale ale)
- 1/2 cup soy sauce
- 2–3 green onions, chopped
- 1/4 cup olive oil
- 1/4 cup Worcestershire sauce
- 1/4 cup dark brown sugar, lightly packed
- 1/4 cup mirin (optional)
- Juice of 1 lemon
- 1–2 cloves garlic, grated, or 1 tbsp garlic powder
- 1 tablespoon dried parsley (optional)
- 1 teaspoon paprika
- 1 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
Instructions
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Trim and, if desired, cut the steak into 3–5 inch strips. Optionally tenderize lightly with a meat mallet to help the marinade penetrate; this is helpful if the meat is lean.
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Combine the beer teriyaki marinade ingredients in a blender, or whisk thoroughly in a bowl until well blended. Place the steak tips in a lidded container or a large resealable bag, pour the marinade over the meat, and refrigerate. Marinate at least 8 hours and up to 24 hours for best flavor and tenderness.
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Remove the marinated steak tips from the refrigerator about 30 minutes before cooking so they come closer to room temperature.
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Preheat a grill to medium-high with the lid closed and clean the grates. Discard any leftover marinade after grilling.
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Grill the tips about 4–6 minutes per side for medium, adjusting time based on thickness. In the final minutes, rotate pieces to sear any edges for an even caramelized crust. Let the steak rest for about 5 minutes before serving.
Notes
These steak tips can also be cooked in a cast iron skillet over medium heat. Start at medium and increase the heat near the end to develop a good crust without burning the exterior.
Recommended internal temperatures for steak:
Rare: 120°F to 125°F
Medium rare: 125°F to 130°F
Medium: 135°F to 140°F
Medium well: 145°F to 150°F
Well done: 160°F and above
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated and should be used as an approximation.