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Make the best Teriyaki Marinade with this easy recipe! Sweet, savory, and full of classic teriyaki flavor, it’s perfect for grilling steak, kabobs, or beef skewers for a tender, flavorful meal the whole family will love.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe!
If you’re looking for an easy, dependable grilling recipe, this easyTeriyaki Marinade is one you’ll make again and again. A good marinade does all the hard work for you—just let the beef soak up all that sweet and savory flavor, then toss it on the grill for a delicious meal with very little effort.
This recipe has been a favorite in our family for years after a dear friend shared it with me, and it’s one we come back to every grilling season. I especially love using it for shish kabobs because the cubed beef has more surface area to soak up the marinade. That means every bite is extra tender, juicy, and packed with flavor. Whether you thread the beef onto skewers or marinate a whole steak, this simple recipe delivers consistently delicious results every time.
Ingredients Needed
- Garlic
- Ginger, fresh
- Soy Sauce
- Sugar, granulated sugar or brown sugar
- Sesame Oil
- Green onions or scallions
- Beef, use sirloin steaks, flank steak, ribeye or round tip steak.
How to Make Best teriyaki Marinade
- Mix together all ingredients except for meat and green onion in a saucepan.
- Bring to boil until sugar dissolves.
- Cool mixture.
- Pour over meat and marinate for 4-6 hours or overnight
- Grill meat to desired doneness.
- Cut your meat into 2-3 inch pieces prior to marinating.
- Marinate 4-6 hours or overnight in the refrigerator.
- After marinating place meat onto skewers.
- If using bamboo skewers be sure and soak them in water before using so that they don’t burn up on the grill!
Tips from leigh Anne
- This recipe is best with fresh ginger, but if you are using dry ginger, use half the amount.
- For the most flavorful and tender beef, allow plenty of time for the marinade to work its magic. I like to marinate the beef for at least 4 hours, but overnight is even better if you have the time.
- If you’re making shish kabobs, cut the beef into evenly sized 1 to 1½-inch cubes so everything cooks at the same rate. Uniform pieces also help each bite absorb the same amount of delicious teriyaki flavor.
- Choose a well-marbled cut of beef such as sirloin, tri-tip, New York strip, or ribeye. A little marbling helps keep the meat juicy on the grill.
- Don’t reuse marinade that has been in contact with raw meat. If you’d like extra sauce for serving, reserve a portion of the marinade before adding the beef or make a second batch.
- If you’re using wooden skewers, soak them in water for at least 30 minutes before threading on the meat. This helps prevent them from burning on the grill.
- Avoid overcooking the beef. Grill just until it reaches your preferred doneness, then let it rest for 5 to 10 minutes before serving so the juices stay in the meat instead of running onto the plate.
- Serve the grilled beef with steamed rice, grilled vegetables, or a crisp green salad for an easy, well-rounded meal.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I use this marinade on something other than beef?
Yes! This marinade works great not only on beef but on pork or chicken as well.
What cut of meat should I use with teriyaki marinade?
One of the perks of using a marinade is you can use less expensive cuts of meat because the marinating process tenderizes the meat. I use top sirloin a lot but you can also use flank steak, london broil, skirt steak, round steak. I like to marinate the meat for at least 4-6 hours or overnight if possible.
How long do I marinade meat for?
Beef or Pork. You want to marinade for a minimum of an hour but 6-8 hours or overnight is best.
Chicken. An hour minimum but you but it should marinade for about 4-6 hours for the best flavor. Any longer though and the meat begins to break down and get mushy.
Shrimp. It only needs to marinade for 30 minutes.
Can I freeze meat in the marinade?
Yes! Place the beef and marinade together in a freezer-safe bag and freeze for up to 3 months. As the beef thaws in the refrigerator, it will marinate at the same time, making dinner even easier.
Can I make the teriyaki marinade ahead of time?
Yes. You can prepare the marinade up to 3 days in advance and store it in an airtight container in the refrigerator until you’re ready to use it.
Whether you’re planning a summer barbecue, feeding a crowd, or just looking for an easy weeknight dinner, this Teriyaki Beef Marinade is a recipe you’ll be happy to have in your collection. With just a few pantry ingredients and a little marinating time, you’ll end up with tender, juicy beef that’s packed with flavor. Fire up the grill, gather your favorite sides, and enjoy a meal that’s simple to make and always a hit around the dinner table.
Try these other delicious marinade recipes:
- Chicken Marinade
- Lemon Herb Chicken Marinade
- London Broil Marinade
- Yogurt Chicken Marinade
- Steak Marinade
Be sure and follow me over on YouTube for weekly cooking demos.
Teriyaki Marinade
Ingredients
- 4 cloves garlic chopped
- 1 tsp fresh ginger minced
- 1 cup soy sauce
- 1/2 cup sugar
- 1/4 cup sesame oil
- green onions for garnish
- 2-3 lbs. cubed meat of choice I like sirloin or flat iron steak
Instructions
- Bring all ingredients except green onion to boil until sugar dissolves. Cool.
- Pour over meat and marinate for 4-6 hours or overnight in the refrigerator.
- Skewer meat onto bamboo skewers
- Grill meat and garnish with green onion.
Tips & Notes:
- This recipe is best with fresh ginger, but if you are using dry ginger, use half the amount.
- For the most flavorful and tender beef, allow plenty of time for the marinade to work its magic. I like to marinate the beef for at least 4 hours, but overnight is even better if you have the time.
- If you’re making shish kabobs, cut the beef into evenly sized 1 to 1½-inch cubes so everything cooks at the same rate. Uniform pieces also help each bite absorb the same amount of delicious teriyaki flavor.
- Choose a well-marbled cut of beef such as sirloin, tri-tip, New York strip, or ribeye. A little marbling helps keep the meat juicy on the grill.
- Don’t reuse marinade that has been in contact with raw meat. If you’d like extra sauce for serving, reserve a portion of the marinade before adding the beef or make a second batch.
- If you’re using wooden skewers, soak them in water for at least 30 minutes before threading on the meat. This helps prevent them from burning on the grill.
- Avoid overcooking the beef. Grill just until it reaches your preferred doneness, then let it rest for 5 to 10 minutes before serving so the juices stay in the meat instead of running onto the plate.
- Serve the grilled beef with steamed rice, grilled vegetables, or a crisp green salad for an easy, well-rounded meal.
Chicken. An hour minimum but you but it should marinade for about 4-6 hours for the best flavor. Any longer though and the meat begins to break down and get mushy.
Shrimp. It only needs to marinade for 30 minutes.
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Cindy Bryden says
I marinated thin sliced top sirloin and used it in a stir fry…to die for
Will try chicken next !
Kaitlyn says
This is now one of our family’s favorite recipes! I make it with teriyaki cut steak and grill it with veggies. So good! Thank you!