This London broil marinade recipe will give you the best London broil with big flavor, with soy sauce, vinegar, homemade chili paste and lots of seasonings.
We're cooking up beef in the Chili Pepper Madness kitchen today, my friends, so let's fire up the grill or the broiler and get cooking!
There are so many wonderful cuts of beef out there, and I love so many of them, but today we're doing with an economical cut and we're making one of my favorites, Grilled London Broil. "London Broil" refers to the preparation of the beef - Marinate, Cook, Slice - not the cut.
You can use different cuts of beef, but I'm using top-round, which is a tougher, leaner cut with big flavor that benefits greatly from a good marinade, which is the point of this recipe.
We're talking London Broil Marinade, and this particular recipe makes the perfect London Broil. It's all about tenderizing the steak while at the same time infusing it with addictive flavor, and satisfying that spicy food crave we all enjoy.
Let's talk about how we make this flavorful London broil marinade, shall we?
London Broil Marinade Ingredients
- Peppers. I used 2-3 spicy chili peppers (chopped - I used a jalapeno, Fresno and habanero for this recipe, though you can use other peppers to your preference. Use milder peppers for less heat.
- Garlic. I use 2 cloves, though you can easily double that if you love garlic. You can also use garlic powder.
- Liquids. Use ½ cup soy sauce, 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar and 2 tablespoon olive oil
- Seasonings. Use 1 teaspoon sugar, 1 teaspoon cayenne pepper, 1 teaspoon dried oregano, 1 teaspoon dried thyme, 1 teaspoon salt and 1 teaspoon black pepper. You can vary the ratios to your own preference.
- Hot Sauce! Optional. 1-2 tablespoons of your favorite is good, or try your favorite sriracha.
How to Make London Broil Marinade - the Recipe Method
Make the Marinade. Add the chili peppers, garlic, soy sauce, vinegar, olive oil, sugar and seasonings to a food processor. Process until very smooth.
Score the Meat. Score the London Broil on both sides with a crosshatching pattern, about ¼ inch deep to allow the marinade to penetrate the meat.
Marinate the Meat. Add the meat to a large baggie or into a wide dish and pour the marinade over it. Rub the marinade into the meat and cover. Refrigerate at least 6 hours, though it is best to marinade overnight or 24 hours for better flavor penetration.
How to Cook London Broil - the Recipe Method
For Grilled London Broil
Heat the Grill. Heat a grill to medium-high heat. Very lightly oil the grates.
Grill the Meat. Grill the London Broil for 5 minutes per side. Simply grill 5 minutes, then flip and grill another 5 minutes.
Check the Temperature. You’ll want 125 degrees F internally for medium-rare or 130 degrees F for medium. Continue to grill and flip until you reach your desired temperature, up to 20 minutes TOPS.
I like to use my ThermoPop meat thermometer from ThermoWorks (I"m an affiliate). Works great!
Rest the Beef. Rest for 10 minutes, then slice up against the grain and serve. It's great topped with my homemade chimichurri recipe!
Check out my Grilled London Broil Recipe for more discussion and notes.
For Broiled London Broil
Heat. Heat your oven to broil.
Broil the Beef. Broil the London Broil for 6-7 minutes, then flip and broil another 5 minutes, or until it reaches an internal temperature of 125 degrees F for medium-rare.
Rest the Beef. Rest for 10 minutes, then slice up against the grain on your cutting board and serve.
Boom! Done! London broil is ready to serve! Such a good marinade. Pretty easy to make, isn't it? The secret is all in the flavorful marinade, with all those bold flavors. The cooking part is super easy.
The Benefits of a Marinade and How Long Should I Marinate London Broil?
Marinating not only helps to flavor beef and other foods, but it also tenderizes tougher cuts of meat, making them much more enjoyable.
Typical cuts of beef used for London broil, like top-round or flank steak, are somewhat tough and tenderize the longer you marinate them.
You will get the most flavor penetration if you marinate your London broil for 24 hours, or at least overnight, though you will get great results in 6 hours.
However, if you are pressed for time, you can marinate your beef for 1 hour. You will still get some flavor penetration.
That's it, my friends. I hope you enjoy my London broil marinade recipe. Let me know if you make it. I'd love to hear how it turned out for you. Keep it spicy!
Recipe Tips & Notes
- Best Cuts of Meat for London Broil. Top-round steak is sometimes labeled "London Broil" in grocery stores. Flank steak is traditional as well. You can also use skirt steak. All of these work wonderfully with a marinade.
- Other Ingredients. You can work in other flavor building ingredients if you'd like for your marinade. Popular additions include Worcestershire sauce, lemon juice or lime juice, and other seasonings.
Storage & Leftovers
Storing your London Broil Marinade in an airtight container in the fridge may allow you to store it for up to 7 days. To maximize the storage life, make sure to refrigerate the marinade promptly.
Try Some of My Other Popular Recipes
Got any questions? Ask away! I’m happy to help. If you enjoy this recipe, I hope you’ll leave a comment with some STARS. Also, please share it on social media. Don’t forget to tag us at #ChiliPepperMadness. I’ll be sure to share! Thanks! — Mike H.
London Broil Marinade Recipe
Ingredients
- 2-3 spicy chili peppers chopped - I used a jalapeno, Fresno and habanero for this - Use milder peppers for less heat
- 2 cloves garlic chopped
- ½ cup soy sauce
- 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
- 2 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 teaspoon sugar
- 1 teaspoon cayenne pepper
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1 teaspoon dried thyme
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon black pepper
- Hot sauce to taste 1-2 tablespoons is good, or try your favorite sriracha
- 2 pounds London Broil
Instructions
- Add the chili peppers, garlic, soy sauce, vinegar, olive oil, sugar and seasonings to a food processor. Process until very smooth.
- Score the London Broil on both sides with a crosshatching pattern, about ¼ inch deep to allow the marinade to penetrate the meat.
- Add the meat to a large baggie or into a wide dish and pour the marinade over it. Rub the marinade into the meat and cover.
- Refrigerate and marinate the meat at least 6 hours, though it is best to marinade overnight for better flavor.
FOR GRILLED LONDON BROIL
- Heat a grill to medium-high heat. Very lightly oil the grates.
- Grill the London Broil for 5 minutes, then flip and grill another 5 minutes.
- Check the temperature. You’ll want 125 degrees F internally for medium-rare or 130 degrees F for medium. Continue to grill and flip until you reach your desired temperature, up to 20 minutes TOPS.
- Rest for 10 minutes, then slice up against the grain and serve.
FOR BROILED LONDON BROIL
- Heat your oven to broil.
- Broil the London Broil for 6-7 minutes, then flip and broil another 5 minutes, or until it reaches an internal temperature of 125 degrees F for medium-rare.
- Rest for 10 minutes, then slice up against the grain and serve.
Nutrition Information
Carol says
Mike, love your recipes. Haven’t tried this one yet, but have a comment. A lot of people don’t like getting out their big food processor and all the parts. I also have a Mini-prep (very small to grind or chop, not a coffee grinder type). I use it all the time to grind nuts, make marinades, even small amounts of pesto. It only has the single blade. Perfect for the job. Sometimes, if I see a recipe needs lots of equipment, I just pass it by. This looks like I can use my mini-prep. Just a suggestion to maybe mention mini-prep Or food processor.
Michael Hultquist - Chili Pepper Madness says
Thanks, Carol. Yes, I use my small food processor all the time for this and many recipes. Smart idea.
Jeremie says
OK, the little buddy is marinating for tomorrow night! I cannot wait 😉
Michael Hultquist - Chili Pepper Madness says
Excellent! I'm sure you'll enjoy it! So tasty.
Jeremie says
Unfortunately, I probably overcooked the meat, but the flavor was amazing, incredible!
This day was a sad, a very dark day here, for me, Mike, but this meal was its rainbow! and I thank you very much.
Michael Hultquist - Chili Pepper Madness says
Sorry to hear, Jeremie, but very happy you enjoyed the flavor. I hope your days get better and better, sir.