Growing up, whenever my parents cooked steak, we always ate it the same way–with soy sauce and white rice. No bells and whistles, just a medium rare steak with some soy sauce drizzled over the top, straight from the bottle.
Steak and soy sauce, in spite of its stereotypical connotations, is still one of the best flavor combinations out there. So what do we do? In traditional steak house fashion, where they often douse a finished steak in melted butter, we decided to do a thick-cut, bone-in grilled ribeye steak with a soy-butter glaze. The glaze is brushed on over the grill and served alongside when you’re digging into a glorious, perfectly caramelized, ever so slightly charred steak. 
Soy sauce and butter has a well-loved history on our food blog (see our Soy Sauce Butter Pasta with Shrimp and our Shiitake Mushroom Tortellini with Soy Cream Sauce as evidence), and this grilled ribeye recipe upholds this glorious, umami-laden flavor combination.
Soy Butter Glazed Steak
- Total Time: 20 minutes
- Yield: 1 large steak 1x
Description
A thick-cut, bone-in rib-eye steak is grilled and glazed with a rich soy-butter sauce, offering a perfectly caramelized and slightly charred flavor.
Ingredients
- 1 thick-cut bone-in rib-eye steak
- Salt and pepper to taste
- 3 tablespoons melted butter
- 1/4 cup low sodium soy sauce
Instructions
- If you’re using a frozen steak, make sure that it’s thoroughly thawed prior to cooking. Rinse the steak under cold water and pat dry with paper towels. Sprinkle on all sides with salt and pepper, to taste. Heat your grill to the max heat–that means at least three of the burners on full blast high, and keeping the lid closed for a good 5-10 minutes.
- Mix the melted butter together with the soy sauce in a small bowl. When the grill is heated, put the steak on the grill, letting it brown for about 1-2 minutes. You can close the grill lid to let the heat build up and get some nice caramelization on the edges of the steak. After 1-2 minutes, turn the steak 45 degrees to get those pretty grill marks. Let cook again for 1-2 minutes. Flip the steak and repeat the above steps for the other side.
- When the steak is pretty well-browned on both sides, use your tongs lift up the steak and brown the edges. Thick cut steaks need TLC on the edges too! Now for the soy-butter glaze. Liberally brush the steak with the soy-butter mixture using a heat-proof basting brush. Flip the steak and brush the other side. You may want to wear an oven mitt for this process, as the butter may cause some fairly strong flame-ups. The glaze will make the steak perfectly caramelized and charred on the outside! Those grill marks we worked on earlier add the perfect uniformity of char and color!
- Liberally glaze the steak continuously until it’s cooked to your preferred doneness–rare, medium-rare, medium, etc; this translates to grilling the steak for an additional 3-5 minutes for medium-rare, 5-7 minutes for medium, or 8-10 minutes for medium-well, though this does depend on steak thickness. A better test for doneness is to poke the steak gently with the tongs. The squishier it is, the rarer your steak will be. More firm means more well-done. Simple right?
- Remove the steak from the heat and let rest for 10-15 minutes. It’s a long time, we know, but it’ll all be worth it when you cut into your steak and skip the lake of beef juice that escapes onto your cutting board!
- Serve with additional soy-butter glaze on the side (you can make a fresh batch or reheat what you used to baste the steak–remember that you basted the steak once it was cooked on the outside, so it’s safe to consume post-grilling).
Notes
For best results, use a thick-cut, bone-in rib-eye steak. Allow the steak to rest after grilling to keep it juicy. The soy-butter glaze can also be used as a dipping sauce. Adjust the grilling time based on the thickness of the steak and your preferred level of doneness.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 10 minutes
- Category: Main Course
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: 650
- Sugar: 1
- Sodium: 1200
- Fat: 52
- Carbohydrates: 3
- Fiber: 0
- Protein: 45
- Cholesterol: 160
Frequently Asked Questions
How do I achieve the perfect medium rare for my ribeye steak?
Use a meat thermometer to check the internal temperature; it should read 130-135°F (54-57°C) for medium rare.
Can I substitute the soy sauce with a different type of sauce?
While soy sauce is integral to the glaze’s flavor, you could experiment with tamari or coconut aminos for a gluten-free option, but the taste will differ.
What type of grill should I use for the best results?
A charcoal or gas grill works well; just ensure it’s preheated to high heat for searing the steak and achieving that perfect char.
