Grilling Steak on a Budget
By Brenda Hyde
With hot weather arriving, I'm reminded of many summers
when my family was on such a tight budget that burgers were
all we could afford to grill. During those years when we wanted
to grill something better than burgers I would thumb through the
advertisements to see who had round or chuck steak on sale.
You can find it for $1.50 a pound or less during a good sale. No,
it's not T-bone, but when you do a little tricky marinating and
seasoning it's a great meal. The following recipes will work
with any type of steak, but I still can't resist a good sale!
Grilled Marinated Chuck Steak
Ingredients:
1/2 cup sweet onion, sliced very thinly
1/2 cup lemon juice
1/4 cup olive oil or vegetable oil
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon celery salt
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
1/2 teaspoon dried, crushed rosemary
1 garlic clove -- minced
2 1/2 pounds chuck steak, cut 1/2" thick
Combine all ingredients except steak. Marinate the
steak for at least 3 hours, turning several times. Grill
steak over wood, hot coals or a gas grill on low heat.
Grill for about 30 minutes or until done as desired.
Boil the marinade for a couple minutes after removing
the raw meat, and use to baste the steak during cooking.
NOTES: You can substitute fresh herbs by mincing and
using double what is called for.
Marinated Round Steak
Ingredients:
1/4 cup wine vinegar
2 tablespoons soy sauce
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 tablespoons catsup or tomato sauce
1/2 teaspoon onion salt
1/8 teaspoon pepper
2 pounds round steak, cut into sections
Mix all but steak together. Place round steak
and marinade in a plastic bag or glass container
and let sit in refrigerator for about 3 hours. Turn
container several times. Broil 5-8 minutes on each
side to desired doneness.
Grilled Teriyaki Steak
Ingredients:
2 pounds boneless round steak, 1/2" thick
1 teaspoon ground pepper
2/3 cup teriyaki sauce
1/3 cup soy sauce
1 1/2 teaspoons instant meat tenderizer
1/8 teaspoon garlic powder
Sprinkle round steak with pepper; pierce at 1 inch
intervals with a meat fork. Place in a large shallow
container. Combine the remaining ingredients and
mix well. Pour over steak. Cover dish and marinate
for 8 to 10 hours or overnight in refrigerator. Grill
over hot coals 3 to 5 minutes on each side or until
done as desired. Makes 6 servings.
Oriental Style Meat Marinade
Ingredients:
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup wine vinegar
1/2 cup pineapple juice
2 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. garlic powder
1 cup soy sauce
Mix all ingredients and bring to a boil. Cool. Use
to marinate meat for minimum of 4 hours or
overnight for cheap cuts of steak that may need
more tenderizing.
Italian Style Marinade
Ingredients:
1/3 cup olive oil
1-1/2 cups red wine
1 tsp. basil
1 tsp. thyme
1 Tbsp.. black pepper
1 small onion, sliced thinly
3 cloves garlic, minced
Combine and use to marinate steak for
4 hours to overnight.
About the Author
Brenda Hyde is a wife, and mom to three, living in
the Midwest United States. She is also a freelance
writer and editor of Old Fashioned Living.
