Hawaiian Grilled Ribeye (Houston's Copycat Recipe)

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.

this recipe

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).

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

Instructions

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

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

2. 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.

3. 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.

4. 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.

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.

Frequently asked questions

Recipe guidelines and test kitchen tips

When developing and testing recipes, here are some key things that I do for more success in the kitchen:

• Be sure to use dry measuring cups for things like flour, sugar, and mayonnaise and a liquid measuring cup for things like water, milk, and broth.
• When measuring dry ingredients like flour and powdered sugar that can pack down, spoon the ingredient into a dry measuring cup and level with a knife as opposed to scooping the measuring cup into the ingredient.
• I tested this recipe using a gas grill. Keep in mind that your cook times may be different if using a different type of grill.
• When recipes call for kosher salt, I use Diamond Crystal kosher salt.

Food safety

Follow these food safety guidelines when making this recipe:

• Do not use the same utensils on cooked food that previously touched the raw meat
• Wash your hands after touching raw meat
• Discard the marinade after using
• Don't leave food sitting out at room temperature for extended periods
• Never leave grilling food unattended
• Always have good ventilation when using a gas grill

See more guidelines at USDA.gov.