Hawaiian Grilled Ribeye (Houston's Copycat Recipe)

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A simple, yet flavorful soy and pineapple marinade is the secret to this Houston's Hawaiian ribeye recipe. It's been awhile since I've been to Houston's in Atlanta, but this is the steak I always order.

The combination of salty and sweet is perfect (and I will never complain about the loaded baked potato that comes with it.) Since I don't get to Houston's often enough for my liking, I decided to make my own version of this delicious steak at home.

Houston's Hawaiian Ribeye copycat recipe on a white oval platter with slices of grilled pineapple wedges and green onions with a wooden handled meat fork off to the side as well as a teal striped kitchen towel on a wooden table surface.

Growing up, Saturday nights were "steak nights" in our house. We'd often have baked potatoes and a wedge salad or green beans to go with it. Ribeyes were also always the cut of choice--the flavor is just incomparable to other cuts in my opinion.

It's got the perfect amount of fat to meat, and fat equals flavor. Flavored with this easy marinade, these ribeyes are amazing for Saturday night steak night or any night of the week. After one bite, I bet you'll agree!

Need some ideas of what to serve with this steak? If you're making it in the summertime, my beet and watermelon salad is perfect to go with it. My grilled street corn is also a fantastic side.

For steakhouse vibes, serve with my cast-iron smoked gouda macaroni and cheese and my kale caesar salad (minus the grilled tuna). Finally, for a super-quick side, try these air fryer peppers and onions. And while you're at it, throw some extra pineapple on the grill for this grilled pineapple mai tai recipe. It's delish!

Ready to get started? Let's do it!

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Ingredients
Instructions
Substitutions
Variations
Equipment
Storage
Tasty Tip
Frequently asked questions
Related
Pairing:
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Recipe guidelines and test kitchen tips
Food safety

Ingredients

Before we get started, let's gather the ingredients we need for this Houston's Hawaiian rib eye recipe:

boneless ribeye steaks
pineapple juice
low sodium soy sauce
apple cider vinegar
brown sugar
garlic cloves
fresh ginger
cornstarch
pineapple slices
green onions

(See recipe card for quantities.)

Instructions

Now that we've got our ingredients, it's time to get cooking!

Whisking the marinade in a clear glass bowl with a wire whisk and some of the reserved marinade in a Pyrex measuring cup off to the side.

First, whisk pineapple juice, soy sauce, brown sugar, vinegar, garlic, and ginger in a medium bowl. Set aside ½ cup of the marinade.

Steaks and the marinade in a large zip-top bag inside a wide baking dish with the glass marinade bowl off to the side.

Then, place the ribeyes in a large resealable plastic bag inside a baking dish. Pour the large amount of the marinade over the steaks in the bag. Seal bag and refrigerate for 8 hours.

Thickened marinade sauce in a small saucepan with a small whisk on top of a round wooden board.

Next, whisk together the reserved ½ cup marinade and the cornstarch in a small saucepan. Bring to a boil over medium heat and whisk for 2 minutes or until thickened. Set aside.

Grilled Hawaiian ribeye on the grill grates with pineapple wedges and green onions on either side.

Finally, preheat a gas or charcoal grill to medium-high heat. Remove the steaks from the marinade and discard the marinade. Grill the steaks 3 to 4 minutes on each or to desired doneness. Grill the pineapple wedges and green onions at the same time until charred.

Hint: If the weather is crummy, feel free to use a grill pan instead of grilling outside. Be sure to turn on the vent though--the sugars from the marinade may create a good amount of smoke.

Substitutions

Here are some alternatives for ingredients in case you need to change things up:

Steak - Instead of boneless ribeyes, you can use bone-in. They'll just take a little longer to cook. New York strip is another good alternative cut.
Soy sauce - I highly recommend using low-sodium soy sauce for the marinade. Regular soy sauce will be too salty. If that's all you have, that's okay--just cut it with some water.
Vinegar - I love the flavor that the apple cider vinegar lends to the marinade. You can also use rice vinegar, balsamic vinegar, or white vinegar if you prefer.

Variations

Looking for other ways to adjust this recipe? Here are some thoughts:

Spicy - Add a little crushed red pepper flakes to the marinade to give this steak some spice.
Soy butter - Serve these steaks up steakhouse style. Stir a little of the thickened Hawaiian steak marinade into softened butter. While the steaks are resting after grilling, dollop the butter on top and let it melts over the steaks.
Hawaiian pork - Use this marinade to add flavor to pork chops.

Equipment

Here's the equipment you'll need for this recipe:

liquid measuring cup
dry measuring cups
chef's knife
microplane grater
whisk
medium bowl
baking dish
small saucepan
charcoal or gas grill
metal tongs
meat thermometer

Storage

Store any leftover steak and pineapple in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.

To freeze leftover grilled steak, wrap the steak tightly in plastic wrap and aluminum foil and place in a zip-top plastic freezer bag. Freeze for up to 6 months.

Tasty Tip

No one likes a leathery steak, right? For perfect results, a meat thermometer is the best way to ensure you cook the steak to the correct temperature. Insert the thermometer into the thickest part of steaks. Cook to the following temperatures based on your preferred level of doneness:

Rare: 120°F to 125°F
Medium-rare: 130°F to 135°F
Medium: 140°F to 145°F

Frequently asked questions

Can you marinate steak in pineapple juice overnight?

You can with a few conditions. Make sure the meat you're marinating has a high fat content. Leaner cuts marinated for that long in pineapple juice will become mealy due to the high acidity.

Can you marinate ribeye too long?

Yes. Too long and the marinade can make the meat mushy and unappetizing to eat.

Should you poke holes in steak before marinating?

No! Doing so will release the the natural juices from the meat.

Why has my steak gone brown after it's been marinating?

That is totally natural and is due to oxidation. Once the steak is exposed to oxygen, it'll begin to brown. Also, the marinade is brown so it's totally normal for the steak to become brown.

Why do you put vinegar in marinade?

Adding vinegar to the marinade helps tenderize and add flavor to the steak.

Looking for other recipes like this? Try these:

Pairing:

These are my favorite dishes to serve with these Hawaiian Grilled Ribeyes:

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