Balance The Smoky Flavors Of Grilled Steak With A Mustard Marinade

There are so many arguments around what makes for the best grilled meat, from how often to flip your steak on the grill to the best cuts of beef to use, down to what to add to the marinade. No matter if you're on team charcoal or swear by your swanky gas grill on the deck, there's one ingredient that any marinade can benefit from to balance the smoky flavors. No, it's not Worcestershire sauce. It's actually a squirt of mustard that is one of the best ingredients to give your steak marinade a flavor boost.

Mustard works in steak marinades for a handful of reasons. Marinades are meant to tenderize meat and the acidity in this condiment helps make meats even more tender. It's particularly useful when you want to grill tough cuts like flank steak. Mustard also offers tanginess and levels of spiciness that will help balance out the rich, meaty, and smoky flavors that are expected with a nice grilled steak.

Dijon mustard is one of the more popular variations of the condiment to use in steak marinades because it packs that extra punch. However, the plain yellow version can also work in your steak marinade for a milder spice level. For every pound of steak, a 1/4 cup of mustard should be sufficient. If you're sensitive to spice, start with a couple of tablespoons then add more to taste before it goes on the steak. 

Then combine it with other ingredients like vinegar for more acidity, black pepper, grated garlic, and even fresh herbs like rosemary. Add brown sugar to add sweetness to temper some of the spice, soy sauce for a touch of umami, and don't forget some natural oil to emulsify the rest of the marinade. 

If you're looking for something even more unique, try cooking a grilled tri-tip with blackberry mustard that uses whole-grain mustard and features a sweet fruit sauce that's the perfect pairing to this savory meat. This type of flavor explosion will have you going back for seconds or even thirds.