A quick 5-minute London broil marinade transforms an inexpensive cut of meat into a tender and juicy steak. This easy dinner can be prepped ahead and cooks perfectly on the grill or under the broiler.
Marinated London Broil is a simple, affordable way to enjoy a flavorful, restaurant-quality steak at home (with minimal effort). Savory, slightly sweet, and a little bit tangy, the satisfying dish is perfect for a weeknight meal or a special Sunday supper.
Table of Contents
Before You Get Started
A few helpful notes to keep in mind before you marinate your steak:
- “London Broil” isn’t a specific cut of meat — it’s a name often used for lean, budget-friendly cuts like top round, flank, or skirt steak. These tougher cuts are usually about 12 inches long, 2 inches thick, and weigh around 2 lbs., though size can vary. If your piece is thicker, simply adjust the cooking time.
- Always let the meat come to room temperature before cooking so it cooks evenly.
- Use reduced-sodium soy sauce so your meat doesn’t turn out too salty.
- Marinate the meat for at least 4 hours (preferably longer) to help tenderize the tough cut. It is possible to marinate London broil too long. I don’t recommend leaving the meat in the marinade for more than 1-2 days. The acid or enzymes in the marinade eventually cause the meat’s tissue to break down and become mushy.
** Cooking Options: Typical London broil preparation includes marinating the meat for several hours, followed by high-heat searing in an oven broiler or on an outdoor grill. I’ve included both options in the recipe card below, so pick whichever method you prefer.
Step-by-Step: How to Cook Marinated London Broil
Think of this section as me standing next to you in the kitchen, walking you through it just like my mom would (including helpful tips you won’t find in the recipe card):
Step 1: Whisk the Marinade
Whisk together soy sauce, balsamic vinegar, Worcestershire sauce, olive oil, lemon juice, garlic, ginger, and brown sugar. Keep stirring until the sugar dissolves. This combo is the key to that perfect balance of savory, tangy, and just a little sweet.
** Tip: Taste the marinade before adding extra salt. Soy sauce brings plenty on its own.
Step 2: Marinate the Meat
Slip the steak into a big zip-top bag and pour in the marinade. Squeeze out as much air as you can, then seal it tight. Massage the bag gently so every inch of the meat is coated. Place it in the fridge for at least 4 hours, flipping it over once or twice along the way.
Step 3: Bring to Room Temperature
About 30 minutes before cooking, take the steak out of the fridge and let it sit on the counter. This helps it cook more evenly and keeps the juices locked inside.
Step 4: Grill or Broil
- On the Grill: Start over direct heat for about 4 minutes per side to get those pretty grill marks. Then move it to indirect heat until the steak reaches your preferred doneness.
- In the Oven: Preheat the broiler and broiler pan for 10 minutes. Broil the steak 8 to 12 minutes total, flipping halfway through. Keep a close eye so the sugar doesn’t burn.
** Check for Doneness: A meat thermometer is your best friend here. Aim for 125-130°F for rare, 135°F for medium-rare, or 145°F for medium.
Step 5: Rest, Slice, and Serve
Once the steak is cooked, let it rest on a cutting board for 10 minutes. This keeps it juicy. Grab a sharp knife and slice the meat. Taste and season with kosher salt and ground black pepper, or garnish with chopped fresh herbs or scallions. For a flavor boost and a restaurant-style finish, top the steak with pats of room temperature butter. The butter melts over the hot steak and mixes with its juices, creating a rich, silky sauce right on the surface.
** Tip: Slice the meat thinly against the grain (perpendicular to the natural lines that you see running through the meat). This way you cut through the fibers and shorten them, rather than cutting alongside the fibers.
Serving Suggestions
There are so many ways to enjoy a marinated London broil:
- Pair it with grilled potatoes, au gratin potatoes, mashed potatoes, creamy baked mac and cheese, and Southern-style green beans for a classic Southern meal.
- Slice it thin and tuck it into warm tortillas with vinegar coleslaw for easy steak tacos.
- Use leftovers on top of a spinach salad or baked potato for a quick lunch.
- Then, add a cream cheese pound cake for dessert.
Variations and Customizations
- Use rice vinegar or red wine vinegar instead of the balsamic.
- Add Dijon mustard for an extra punch of flavor.
- Toss in fresh herbs like rosemary or thyme if you’ve got them.
- Substitute with maple syrup or honey in lieu of the brown sugar.
- Make the marinade spicy by adding crushed red pepper flakes or cayenne.
Preparation and Storage Tips
- Store: The cooked steak will last in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 3-4 days.
- Freeze: You can also wrap the leftovers tightly and store in the freezer for up to 3 months. Thaw the frozen meat in the refrigerator overnight. Use the leftovers on sandwiches, on top of a steak salad, or in quesadillas.
- I do not recommend freezing the raw steak in the marinade. Extended exposure to the acids in the marinade, combined with damage from ice crystals, can cause the meat to become mushy.
- How to Reheat: Warm individual servings of steak in the microwave for about 30 seconds, or just until it reaches the desired temperature.
FAQs and Troubleshooting
- How long should I marinate London Broil? At least 4 hours for flavor and tenderness, but no longer than 2 days or the meat may turn mushy.
- What if my steak is too salty? Stick with reduced-sodium soy sauce and avoid adding extra salt until after cooking.
- Why slice against the grain? Those long muscle fibers make meat chewy. Cutting across them shortens the fibers, which makes every bite more tender.
- What if my steak burns under the broiler? Move it a little farther from the heat or switch to finishing with indirect heat (from the oven) after the initial high-heat sear.
This is one of the best recipes for marinade. I’ve made this several times and it comes out perfect every time.
– Shawn
Did you make this recipe?
If you enjoyed this recipe, please leave a comment with a 5-star review at the bottom of the post. Thank you!
Watch How to Make It
London Broil Marinade
Ingredients
For the Marinade:
- ¾ cup reduced-sodium soy sauce
- 2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
- 2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
- 2 teaspoons minced garlic
- 1 teaspoon minced fresh ginger
- 2 teaspoons brown sugar
- 1 (2 – 2 ½ lb.) London broil (top round, flank steak, or skirt steak)
- Optional garnish: pats of softened butter; chopped fresh herbs
Instructions
- In a large bowl, whisk together all of the marinade ingredients until completely combined. Pour marinade into a large zip-top plastic bag. Add London Broil to the bag, squeeze out all of the air, and seal the bag. Toss gently to coat the London Broil with the marinade.
- Place in refrigerator to marinate for about 4 hours (or up to 2 days), tossing occasionally to redistribute marinade.
- Remove meat from the marinade, discard the marinade, and pat the meat dry.
TO GRILL:
- Allow the meat to sit on the counter for about 30 minutes to come to room temperature. Remove meat from marinade and grill the meat for about 4 minutes per side over direct heat, then move to indirect heat until the meat reaches 125-130°F for rare, 135°F for medium-rare, or 145°F for medium. Transfer meat to a cutting board and let stand 10 minutes. Cut meat diagonally across the grain into thin slices.
TO BROIL:
- Allow the meat and marinade to sit on the counter for about 30 minutes to come to room temperature. Meanwhile, preheat the broiler and the broiler pan to HIGH. Allow to heat for 10 minutes.
- Make sure to use an actual broiler pan, rather than a baking pan. A broiler pan has a rack built in that prevents the rendered fat from becoming a fire hazard. Transfer the meat to the broiler pan and discard the marinade in the bag.
- Broil the steak for 8 to 12 minutes, turning once about halfway through. The specific time will vary depending on the size and thickness of your steak, so use an instant-read thermometer to know when your meat is done. It should be 125-130°F for rare, 135°F for medium-rare, or 145°F for medium. Transfer meat to a cutting board and let stand 10 minutes. Cut meat diagonally across the grain into thin slices.
Notes
- Marinate the meat for at least 4 hours (preferably longer) to help tenderize the tough cut. It is possible to marinate London broil too long, so I don’t recommend leaving the meat in the marinade for more than 1-2 days.
- The brown sugar in this marinade helps create a nice sear on the outside of the steak, but it also makes it easier for the meat to burn. As a result, it’s best to grill the steak for about 4 minutes per side over direct heat (to get those nice grill marks), but then move the steak to indirect heat for the rest of the cooking time (to prevent burning).
- Flavor booster: top the warm steak with pats of room temperature butter for a restaurant-style finish. The butter melts over the hot steak and mixes with its juices, creating a rich, silky sauce right on the surface.
Nutrition
Made dinner for my wife, it was delicious and easy to make. This site has awesome recipes for a variety of meats.
– Jeff
More Marinade Recipes to Try
Chicken Thigh Marinade (Grilled or Baked)
3 hours hrs 17 minutes mins
Salmon Marinade with Garlic, Lemon, and Herbs
45 minutes mins
Honey Garlic Dijon Pork Tenderloin Marinade
8 hours hrs 40 minutes mins
If you love beef recipes, be sure to try this grilled beef tenderloin, a simple steak marinade for grilling, and the best filet mignon in a cast iron skillet, too!
Originally published in July, 2017, this post was updated in October, 2025.
I have made this London Broil recipe many times and love it. Last time I was mixing up the marinade I noticed some Shiitake mushrooms drying out in the fridge so cut them up and tossed them into the marinade with the beef. Then I cooked the plumped up mushrooms in that sauce. They were salty, juicy, garnished the sliced meat beautifully, making it even more delectable.
That sounds amazing, Brenda! Thanks for the tip. I LOVE mushrooms with steak. 🙂
Woah JENNIFER
Bob actually has a point. No one and I mean NO ONE, wants to read about the history of meat. Okay so if at some point they could just get to the actual thing we were all there for, that would be great thanks.
7
Love this marinade I tend to use it on Flank Steak more than London Broil and it’s delicious. A favorite for my family thank you for sharing.
Thank you for your kind note. 🙂
Beyond a doubt this is the best marinade for ANY meat.
I used my cast iron grill pan and cooked on stove top, 4-6 min per side. Cooked to 135 for mr. (I had a 2 inch thick piece of London Broil)
I boiled down marinade to a thick sauce. We loved the sauce served drizzled on top of sliced meat.
Fantastic!!!
YUM! That sounds delicious, Chaneku! Thank you!
I am not going to rate as I want to try again. The marinade is wonderful. How do you get the meat tender? I marinaded the meat for 24 hours flipping it through the time.
Hi Cindy!
Be sure to use a meat thermometer to test for doneness. Overcooking will create a tough steak. Then, rest the meat before slicing, and cut against the grain. Hope this helps!
I followed your recipe and used your marinade. The London Broil was PERFECT!!
I cannot believe someone would comment that it was disgusting.
Definitely a success!
Thank you
Thank you, Ava!
This is a family favorite. I usually use 1 recipe for 2 pieces of meat and it works great.
Yay! Thanks, Sandra. I’m so happy to hear that!
marinated 4 hours.
Meat very tender and tasty.
I used london broil
Awesome, Jayne! Thanks so much for sharing.
I made this tonight. Gave a ‘london broil’ a good forking over on both sides to soak the marinade in. Flipped every hour, for about 4 hours because I used a bowl, not a bag in the fridge.
2 lb. cut, cooked in a small charcoal Weber, reduced to smoker temperatures with airflow, include hickory chips for flavor. Slow cooked until internal was 125f. Let rest, and reduce excess marinade in cast iron pan.
After rest, sliced thin, with liberal marinade. We served with roasted parsnips and a chop salad.
My wife wanted to make sure I saved this recipe. I will be doing this one again.
Sounds delicious, Will! Thank you so much for trying it out. We’re glad you enjoyed it!
I didn’t have balsamic vinegar and used white vinegar, marinated approx 7 hours and baked. The results were a juicy flavourful tender London Broil.
Thank you!
We’re so glad you were able to make it work for you, Gail!
This recipe was amazing!!! The only ingredient I added was a 1 tsp of sesame seed oil.
Thank you very much!
Thank you so much, Marybeth!
This recipe was amazing!!! I cooked it on my George Foreman grill after letting it marinate about 9 hours. The only ingredient I added was a 1 tsp of sesame seed oil.
Thank you very much!
I want to say, “BRAVO BRAVO”! TO START, I HAVE NOT grilled it yet, HOWEVER, when you cook all of the time like I do, tasting the marinade was enough for me to want to run to the store and QUICKLY buy some more meat to marinade!!
I KNOW 100,000% THIS IS GONNA BE SUPERBLY YUMMO!!! Even more crazy, I have a friend who doesn’t cook much and after I tasted the marinade, she came to mind. My thoughts you may ask… SHE IS MISSING OUT ON DELICIOUS FOOD AND I will go a step further to say, her hubby deserves this! He works hard and comes home to cook most of the time!! I WILL BE LOOKING AT MORE OF YOUR RECIPES AND LET YOU KNOW HOW IT ALL TURNS OUT!! GOD BLESS YOU AND YOUR FAMILY!
Char
Thank you so much, Char! We hope you enjoy this and our other recipes as well!
Was in a hurry and didn’t marinate the steak long enough (just over 3 hours). Steak had some ice crystals on it when pulled from freezer. This said, the results were excellent. Best London Broil ever cooked at home. Did add a couple of tablespoons of Chipotle Ranch dressing but that got lost in the other flavors. Will use a little more of the spicy ranch dressing next time. Recipe is a keeper. Thanks you.
Thank you, Richard!
Excellent!! Made London broil with this recipe, was outstanding!!
Thank you so much, Maryfrances!
Really outstanding!
Thank you so much, Christopher!
It was fabulous! And easy. I dont’t have an outdoor grill anymore whichI hate! Ihad to broil in oven. Made roasted lemon potatoes & honey galzed carrots.
We’re so glad you enjoyed it, Charise!
This marinade is exquisite! However, the website is a disaster with all the garbage ads, you cant even read anything and the constant popup junk. I refuse to buy anything from those places.
London broil recipe is delicious. Easy to make
Thank you, Charla!
Unable to save to Pinterest
Excellent recipe
Thank you, Danny!
Excellent marinade! The london broil cooked about 7 minutes on each side on our Traeger wood pellet grill, which I think takes longer than other grills, and was tender and flavorful, nicely pink on the inside. You won’t find this marinade’s equal in any store.
Thank you for the feedback! We’re so glad you enjoyed it.