Marinated Top Round Steak

Partially sliced medium-rare top round steak on a wooden cutting board

The Spruce Eats / Nita West

Prep: 10 mins
Cook: 16 mins
Marinate: 6 hrs
Total: 6 hrs 26 mins
Servings: 4 servings

Top round is a lean and flavorful piece of meat from the beef round primal cut. It is easy on the budget and can be cooked in a few different ways. Also known as inside round, the top round is most often roasted whole and sliced for roast beef, but the meat is fabricated into steaks as well, making for the most tender steaks to come out of this tougher section. This cut tastes best marinated and cooked to between medium-rare and medium (135 F to 145 F).

The flavor is best if you allow the steak to marinate in the refrigerator for at least four hours, so make sure to plan ahead. This recipe outlines steps for cooking the top round steak on a charcoal or gas grill or under the broiler. You can also cook the steak in a skillet on the stovetop or with an electric grill pan. Slice the steak thinly against the grain, which shortens tough fibers and makes the meat more tender. Serve with garlic roasted potatoes and asparagus for a delicious meal.

"This top round recipe was really good. The marinade is easy to prepare using kitchen staples, which adds to its thriftiness. I marinated it for 6 hours and would not do less. When cooked for 6 minutes per side to medium-rare, the steak was nice and tender, unlike any round steak I’ve cooked before." —Colleen Graham

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A Note From Our Recipe Tester

Ingredients

  • 1/4 cup vegetable oil or canola oil

  • 2 tablespoons red wine vinegar

  • 1/4 cup soy sauce (preferably low sodium)

  • 1/4 cup Worcestershire sauce

  • 1 tablespoon ketchup or tomato paste

  • 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard, Creole mustard, or a similar brown or gourmet mustard

  • 1 1/2 teaspoons finely minced garlic

  • 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

  • 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano

  • Dash crushed red pepper flakes

  • 1 (1 1/2- to 2-pound) top round steak

Steps to Make It

Marinate the Steak

  1. Gather the ingredients.

    Ingredients for marinated top round steak recipe gathered

    The Spruce Eats / Nita West

  2. Combine the oil, vinegar, soy sauce, Worcestershire sauce, ketchup or tomato paste, mustard, garlic, pepper, oregano, and crushed red pepper flakes in a large measuring cup or bowl.

    Marinade ingredients in a small pitcher being stirred smooth with a spoon

    The Spruce Eats / Nita West

  3. Put the steak in a large food storage bag or nonreactive container and pour the marinade over. Seal the bag and turn it several times to coat the meat. Refrigerate the steak for 4 to 8 hours, flipping the bag over every so often to allow the marinade to cover both sides.

    Top round steak with marinade in a large clear plastic bag placed in a rectangular baking dish

    The Spruce Eats / Nita West

Broil the Steak

  1. Preheat the broiler. Remove the meat from the marinade, letting the excess drip off, and place on a baking sheet. Put on a rack about 2 to 3 inches from the heat source.

    Drained steak placed on a sturdy rimmed baking sheet

    The Spruce Eats / Nita West

  2. Broil for 6 to 9 minutes on each side, depending on the thickness of the cut and your desired doneness.

    Dark brown broiled steak on a rimmed baking sheet

    The Spruce Eats / Nita West

Tip

  • To get a good sear on both sides, warm up the baking sheet under the broiler while preheating.

Grill the Steak

  1. Preheat a grill to medium and remove the meat from the marinade, letting the excess drip off. Place the steak on the grill and cook for 5 to 10 minutes on each side or until it reaches your desired doneness. 

    Dark brown grilled steak on the grates of a charcoal grill

    The Spruce Eats / Nita West

Rest and Slice the Steak

  1. Remove the steak from the cooking source and let it rest for 3 to 5 minutes before you slice it.

    Cooked steak resting on a rimmed baking sheet

    The Spruce Eats / Nita West

  2. Slice it thinly against the grain, serve it with your choice of sides, and enjoy.

    Partially sliced medium-rare steak on a wooden cutting board

    The Spruce Eats / Nita West

Tips

  • Top round is also sold cut thick and labeled London broil, or cut thin and marked as Swiss steak.
  • Flank steak makes an acceptable substitute for top round steak. 

Steak Doneness Temperatures

To assure the steak is done to your liking, it's best to use a meat thermometer and remove the steak when it reads 3 to 5 degrees below the desired temperature as it will continue to rise as the meat rests. (The minimum safe temperature for fresh beef, pork, and lamb is 145 F.) Follow these guidelines for beef doneness:

  • Rare: 120 F to 125 F 
  • Medium-Rare: 130 F to 135 F 
  • Medium: 140 F to 145 F
  • Medium-Well: 150 F to 155 F
  • Well Done: 160 F and above
Nutrition Facts (per serving)
614 Calories
34g Fat
6g Carbs
71g Protein
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Nutrition Facts
Servings: 4
Amount per serving
Calories 614
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 34g 44%
Saturated Fat 9g 44%
Cholesterol 204mg 68%
Sodium 1208mg 53%
Total Carbohydrate 6g 2%
Dietary Fiber 0g 1%
Total Sugars 3g
Protein 71g
Vitamin C 3mg 14%
Calcium 47mg 4%
Iron 7mg 39%
Potassium 805mg 17%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.
(Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate.)