Recreating Houston’s Hawaiian Ribeye

I LOVE Houston’s. Why? Because it’s consistent and I know I won’t be disappointed. It may not be the best 5 star restaurant in town and I may have been there a dozen times already, but I’ve never encountered a mediocre experience. It’s always above par with reasonable fare. Trusty and reliable. Besides being consistent there’s also another reason I keep going back. It’s called the Hawaiian Ribeye. I love a simple good quality steak with nothing more than garlic salt and pepper. But the pineapple juice marinated Hawaiian ribeye makes my mouth water even when I’m full. I always order medium rare and the cut is always perfectly seared on the outside coated with the savory sweet marinade while the inside is full of marbling and tasting very tender. Not sure how many ounces it is but I can never finish the whole thing. It makes a fantastic breakfast the next day when sliced and heated up on the pan. The aroma fills the entire kitchen.

After getting the new Weber grill and discovering Costco’s fine selection of choice grade ribeye (prime grades can be ordered online), I did a search for the recipe and picked the apple cider vinegar version that seemed the most legit with the most positive user reviews. The recipe is easy enough; I already had everything except the apple cider vinegar. After heating up the ingredients in a sauce pan and then marinating the piece for 2 full days in the fridge, the boyfriend grilled it up last night when we had 12 people over for burgers and brats. Luckily I saved a few slices for him because it was gone in seconds. It was sooooo yummy and tasted very similar to the real thing. The only changes I will make next time is to use a little less vinegar and more pineapple juice. Houston’s also grills theirs over hardwood. Now that this recipe has been tried and deemed true, we are definitely making this again! 

By the way, if you aren’t a fan of ribeyes, the french dip sandwich is also fantastic. Just like I can’t order anything but the ribeye when I’m there, the boyfriend always has to order the Prime Rib French Dip Sandwich served with au jus. My best friend’s favorite entree is the chicken tenders (which is not on the menu). I love you Houston’s.

The Marinade (adjusted for my preference after the first trial)

• 1/3 cup of apple cider vinegar
• 1 6 oz can of pineapple juice
• 1 cup of soy sauce
• 1/2 cup of brown sugar
• 2 tsp garlic powder
• 2 tsp minced ginger

Combine in a saucepan and heat up slightly to let the flavors come together.

 

Let the marinade cool completely. Pour into a quart sized zip lock bag with the ribeye and place in a container in the fridge. Marinate the ribeye for a minimum of 2 days.

grill for 2 min each side for medium rare: