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What would you fix your spouse for dinner if you knew it was going to be his or her last dinner at home for months? It’s not something the average person may think about, but if you’re a military spouse in the 21st century, it’s come across your mind on more than one occasion.

This week, my husband, along with dozens of other amazing men and women, had to bid a temporary ado to their loved ones as they headed off to a new and important mission overseas.

Mothers, fathers, wives, husbands and children staggered along the bleachers of the gymnasium gripping onto their Soldiers for as long as they could.

Deployment Ceremony

Loaded down with their rucks and weapons, the Soldiers gave their final kisses and hugs and moved into formation. With a large American flag draped in the background, another set of colors marched into the gym, and the National Anthem began to play.  Soldiers saluted, families placed their hands on their heavy hearts and pride filled the room.

These Soldiers were about to embark on an important mission devoted to helping the Afghani people – a mission to help them build a logistical infrastructure so they can fight and survive on their own.

After a final prayer for their safe return, the Soldiers and families proudly, but sadly sang the Army Song, “…The Army’s on it’s way… for wherever we go, you will always know, the Army goes rolling along.”

Then, in single file, the Soldiers began to march out the gym toward the buses. Families couldn’t resist the temptation to swarm the floor. They ran to their Soldiers for a final kiss and hug.

I gazed into my Soldiers eyes for as long as I could, and we both fought back the tears with smiles because we believe it’s important to find happiness in times of great sorrow; otherwise sadness will overcome us. We are only sad because we know about the greatness of happiness that is void at the moment. A simple smile will remind us of the joy and strengthen our spirits.

When my husband arrived at the hangar, he was greeted by the remarkable “hug lady,” a woman who hasn’t missed a deployment in years. He also received a complimentary lunch ~ a hoagie, chicken salad, chips and cookies ~ a reminder that it was going to be a while before he had another Zestuous meal.

Overseas, the Army dining facilities and Army chefs do a tremendous job at creating the dishes our service members love, but they’re still not the same as home cooked meals, especially, if you’re married to a food blogger.

So I knew I had to send him on his way with a full, happy stomach. Whenever there is a special occasion, my husband asks for a rib-eye steak with a side of white sticky rice. If I throw an ear of corn and grilled asparagus on the plate, he’s even happier.

Secrets to a great rib-eye

Season with a rub and marinade

My father-in-law was the one who taught me the secrets to a good steak. He said you don’t have to spend hours marinating it; you just need the right marinade.

He uses a mix of seasonings, soy sauce, teriyaki sauce and Worcestershire sauce.

You simply place the steaks in a rimmed pan, sprinkle the seasonings thoroughly on both sides of the meat and rub them in. Then, drizzle the liquids over both sides of the steaks.

Don’t grill cold steaks

If you let the meat rest at room temperature for 30 minutes before you cook it, your steak will turn out even better. Think about it. Your refrigerator is about 40 degrees, room temperature is about 70 degrees and a medium-rare steak is 125 degrees.

If you put a 40-degree piece of meat on 400-degree grill, the outside will char before the inside has a chance to heat up, let alone cook. Therefore, people tend to keep their steak on the grill longer, in essence drying out their meat.

Now, if you let your meat rest for 30 minutes to an hour, the meat is already more than halfway to the 125-degree point. So when you lay it on a hot grill, the inside will cook perfectly as the outside sears.

Grill on high ~ only flip once

Heat your grill on high. (I love cooking these on my STOK Quattro grill.) Throw the steaks right over the direct heat. Grill them for seven minutes. Then, flip them once and grill another seven minutes, or to the wellness you desire.

No matter what, don’t flip your steaks over more than once. As the beef cooks, the juices will pool onto the meat. That’s good. That’s flavor. If you flip them over and over, you dump off the goodness.

Let ’em rest and butter ’em up

Once they’re done, remove the steaks onto a platter, cover with foil and let them to rest for 10 minutes. This will allow all those good juices to absorb into the meat proteins. If you cut the steak too early, the juices will just run onto your plate.

If you want to make these steaks even more special, which we do because this is a meal fit for a deploying Soldier, do what the restaurants do, add a pat of butter.

Butter? Yes, butter! It doesn’t have to be a fancy, schmancy flavored butter. Just plain old salted butter. Put about one tablespoon on the steak before you cover it with foil to rest.

It will melt all over the top of the steak. I’m hungry just thinking about it.

My husband thoroughly enjoyed the steaks. In fact, he said they were the best rib-eyes I’ve prepared in 16 years. With that, I knew I did all I could to send him onto his mission happy. But just in case it wasn’t enough, I threw in some oatmeal bars for the trip, too.

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Rib-eye Steaks

Ingredients 

  • 1 tablespoon garlic powder
  • 1 tablespoon onion powder
  • 1 tablespoon kosher salt
  • 1 tablespoon black pepper
  • 1 tablespoon Lawry’s Seasoned Salt
  • 1 tsp. Tony Chachere’s Original Creole Seasoning
  • 1 tsp. Accent flavor enhancer, optional/contains MSG
  • ¼ cup soy sauce
  • ¼ cup teriyaki sauce
  • 2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
  • 2-4 rib eye steaks, 1 to 1 ½ inches thick
  • 2-4 tablespoon salted butter

Instructions 

  • bowl of ribeye rub.
  • Combine the dry seasonings.
  • Combine the three sauces.
    ribeye steak seasoned.
  • Place the steaks on a rimmed pan. Rub the dry seasoning on both sides of the steaks.
    steak marinating.
  • Pour the sauce mix over the meat and rub on all sides. Rest at room temperature for 30 minutes to one hour.
    steak on grill.
  • Heat grill to high. Place steaks on direct heat. Close lid. Grill for 3 minutes.
    steak on grill.
  • Turn ¼ turn without flipping. Close lid.
    steak on grill.
  • After 7 minutes, flip the steak over and pour on any extra liquid from the pan. Close lid. Grill for 3 more minutes.
    steak on grill.
  • Turn ¼ turn without flipping. Close lid. Grill for 4 more minutes, or until to your preferred wellness.
    steak resting with butter on top.
  • Place on a baking sheet or casserole dish. Place one tablespoon of butter on each steak. Cover the pan with foil.
    meat resting covered with foil.
  • Allow to rest for 10 minutes.
    bite of ribeye steak.
  • Dig in.

Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.

Additional Info

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Christie Vanover

About Zestuous

Hi. I’m Christie, the head cook and award-winning competitive pitmaster for Team Girls Can Grill. I have won multiple grand championships and have dozens of top ten category finishes. People know me as the girl who is forever hovering over a grill, smoker or campfire with tongs in one hand and a glass of wine in the other.


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14 Comments

  1. This looks like a great recipe. Thank you for the tips too. Can’t wait to try it tonight! Safe wishes to your husband and a HUGE thank you to both of you for your service.

  2. This looks so good! But we don’t have a bbq. Do you have any ideas on what would be another good way to cook it? Skillet? Broiler? Electric griil? Thank you!

  3. My grandson going away (Saudi/Jordan) dinner was his fave, loco moco. Plain hamburger patties over a bed of white rice topped w/ scrambled eggs and gravy.
    For sure when he comes home I’ll do your recipe. My way is plain old garlic salt, blk pepper and olive oil then grill. Thank you.

  4. Good luck, sugar. I am an Air Force brat and was an Air Force wife for 24 years, so I understand. Stay strong even though it’s hard when they go away. Bless you and your husband and keep him safe.

  5. Mine left about 3 months ago and I made something pretty similar for him. Best of luck to you both and here’s to a safe and quick return for both our hubbies.

  6. I don’t know what I’d cook if I had to do it. When my then BF (now husband) was in Afghanistan last year it was the most worrisome time of my life. I must have lost 20 lbs.I’m praying for a safe return of your husband and his unit. God bless the troops and their family. Be strong.

    And your steak does look very lovely!

  7. I shouldn’t have clicked on your post at Facebook because I knew this will happen. I was feeling a little hungry and I haven’t eaten dinner yet. Then I saw your post. Do you realize how much of a torture this is doing to me? Not only my hunger got worse, now I am also salivating. This is a nicely done Steak, Christie! You father-in-law must be a very wise man for giving you the tips on the marinade. 🙂

    Thank you and thank you to your husband for his service to our country. 🙂

  8. It’s difficult to find the right words to express what I’m feeling right now. I guess what it boils down to is that I’m still teary-eyed over what you wrote, and my mouth is watering over the steaks! Thank you for a most beatiful post!

  9. Looks soooooooooooooo GOOD, I can taste it. I bet he thinks of this, (and you) often. He will probably be looking for a small Weber Smokey Joe or small Hibachi Grill and some Rib Eye steaks to try and duplicate this while he is over there.