How to Grill Papa’s Perfect Ribeye Steak 

Perfect Ribeye Steak is just what you need! This recipe gives you a perfectly grilled ribeye steak that is packed with flavor! It’s the best way to celebrate special occasions or just a Saturday night with friends! This marinade is great for any cut of steak, but Papa loved grilling a Ribeye for his family and friends!

Papa, my darling grandfather was known for his grilled steaks. When I was writing my eulogy for his service I talked about his steak recipe. What I didn’t realize was how influential these steaks really were! When people would write to our family paying their respects many people said “I’ll never forget his grilled steaks!” 

​So if you’re looking for a ribeye steak recipe that gives you the best results, this is the recipe for you!

Whether you want to grill a New York Strip Steak, Bone-In Ribeye Steak, or your favorite cut of beef, this marinade recipe works. 

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How to Make Papa’s Perfect Ribeye Steak

First, let’s chat about the beef!

A perfect grilled ribeye steak starts with good beef.

I got mine from Walmart, choosing their USDA Choice 1.5-inch Ribeye. The other option is USDA Prime, and this is the highest grade giving you the most marbling and fat content. 

My personal preference is the Choice, it’s a thick ribeye filled with flavor. Since ribeyes are a fattier cut of beef, I don’t think the extra marbling is necessary. You just don’t need that much excess fat when grilling ribeyes!

After you’ve chosen your thick ribeye steak, let’s get it into the marinade.

Marinating the Best Ribeye Steaks

Papa was very particular about his steak marinade. It’s a simple blend of Worcestershire Sauce, Soy Sauce, Bottled Lemon Juice, and Montreal Steak Seasoning. You can find all the measurements in the recipe card at the end of this post!

From personal experience, I’m not a huge fan of bottled lemon juice. However! I first made these with fresh lemon juice. While it was amazing, it didn’t taste like Papa’s.

When you’ve lost a loved one, and you’re craving some of their presence you just have to make the recipe the exact way!

So, bottled lemon juice does that! 

You’ll pour the sauces, lemon juice, and Montreal steak seasoning into an airtight container. Add the rib-eye steak, and turn to coat on each side.

No need to season steaks before you put them in the marinade. It’s got it all and does the job in one swipe.

Pop the top on and let these marinate in the fridge for at least 6 hours. You could do it overnight if you plan ahead!

If you’re using a thinner cut of meat you might not want to do a full 24 hours in the marinade. 4-6 hours is plenty of time.

​An hour before you’re ready to grill, remove the steaks from the fridge and the marinade. Lay them out on a paper towel, and flip them over so each side can get any excess moisture off.

We want the steaks dry when they hit the hot grill. 

How to Get Perfectly Grilled Steak

If this is your first time grilling steak, you might be super intimidated! This section will help you through everything you need to know to get tender steaks every time!

First, let’s gather some grilling equipment for this process.

You’ll need a meat thermometer. Whether that’s an instant-read thermometer or a Bluetooth enabled one, like my favorite the Meater, invest in one to achieve your perfect level of doneness every single time. 

If you’re unfamiliar with The Meater it’s a probe you insert into any protein, choose the settings on the app, and it sets the timer for you. You can set your desired doneness, and this Bluetooth-enabled thermometer gives you the perfect grilling time. It tells you when to flip when to remove and let it rest, and how long to rest. It’s a great product to give as a gift to your favorite grilling buddy!

You’ll also need a good pair of tongs. Make sure they are heavy-duty stainless steel and don’t have those rubber covers on the ends. 

A half-sheet pan is always useful to use for carrying your items out to the grill and back in the house, plus it’s great to use when the steaks are done. The rimmed sides allow for any juices to pool inside the sheet pan, instead of going all over the place.

​This recipe is for grilling on a gas grill.

​Make sure your grill grates are clean and free of debris. Then, set your grill temperature to 425 degrees, a high heat. Let the grill preheat for a good 15 minutes before cooking anything.

If you’re worried about anything sticking, swipe some olive oil on the grates using your tongs and a paper towel.

Place your room-temperature steaks on the hot grill. I like to place each steak at a 45-degree angle. 

Let them cook for 2 minutes, on high heat without closing the grill lid.

After 2 minutes, give them a turn to the other 45-degree angle, and close the grill lid.

I usually let them cook for 3-4 minutes, then check. 

Flip them over, and let them cook an additional 4-5 minutes on the other side.

Exact Ribeye Grill Time

There really is no exact time for grilling the best steak.

It all depends on the thickness of your steaks. If you’re using boneless ribeye steaks or bone-in. It depends on how thick the steak is. 

​A thick steak could take anywhere from 8-10 minutes, and this depends on your preferred internal temperature of the steak.

This is why using an instant-read thermometer is so helpful!

• Rare Steaks are around 86-124 degrees internally.
• Medium Rare is 135-145 degrees internally.
• Medium is 145-155 degrees internally.
• Medium Well is 162-170 degrees internally.

Here’s a handy chart for the Ultimate Steak Guide!

These times are all guesstimations. 

​Plus, you need to factor in carryover cooking times. Steaks’ internal temperatures raise a good 5 degrees while resting on the board. So, if you like a medium rare steak, be sure to remove it around 128 degrees, I prefer to remove around 133!

I haven’t tried this, but will next time I grill. When you remove your steaks, place them on a wire rack over the half-sheet pan. That way they aren’t pooling in the juices. You can always use those juices to make a pan sauce you pour over the sliced steak!

Serving Papa’s Steak

After you let the steak rest, you’re ready to serve with your favorite sides!

We always had a big salad and a baked potato with my favorite steak.

Easy Cheesy Cauliflower Casserole gives you the feel and taste of a baked potato without the carbs. It’s a great side dish recipe idea for this ribeye recipe. It’s got bacon, sour cream, green onions, lots of cheddar cheese, and ranch seasoning. All the things you would put into your baked potato, but using steamed cauliflower! It’s just delicious!

I love serving a medium-rare steak over salad, like in the Simple Steak Salad. It’s just an absolute show-stopper! And so easy!

Another great side dish is Brown Butter Rice (Stick of Butter Rice). You can assemble this side dish, get it into the oven, and have plenty of time to grill up the steaks. 

Of course, you can’t forget the compound butter.

Like, in this Steakhouse Chicken Recipe, the compound butter makes all the difference! It’s a little pat of butter that is packed with garlic, shallots, fresh herbs, and seasonings. 

Serve these thick ribeyes with a good glass of red wine, and your dinner table will make the most magical memories! 

Any leftover steak can be used for this Beef and Broccoli Ramen the next day. Talk about comfort food!

Why this recipe works so well

You’ll love this recipe if you’re looking for an easy steak marinade recipe. It uses minimal ingredients but is such a tasty recipe.

The tips you’ll learn for grilling a steak on a gas grill will ensure you have a juicy steak every time.

A good steak is simple. And while most agree that kosher salt and black pepper are all you need, sometimes you might want a little more. 

Plus, it’s the nostalgia of remembering my darling grandfather lovingly preparing this meal for us.

​Save this recipe to your favorite Steak Board on Pinterest!

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