Fire-Grilled Ribeye with Spicy Thai Chili Sauce
There’s something hard to beat about a ribeye cooked over a ripping-hot fire, especially when it has spent a few hours soaking in a salty, tangy, slightly spicy marinade. This Thai-inspired version combines soy sauce, fish sauce, fresh lime, garlic, ginger, and red chilies for plenty of flavor without overpowering the beef.
The high heat of the grill quickly caramelizes the outside of the steaks while keeping the center tender and juicy. Ribeye works especially well because its marbling can handle the intense heat and carries the bold flavors of the marinade.
The finishing sauce takes things even further. Sweet Thai chili sauce gets punched up with additional lime, soy sauce, fish sauce, fresh chili, and cilantro. It brings sweetness, acidity, salt, and heat together in a sauce that works just as well drizzled over the steak as it does served on the side for dipping.
Serve the sliced ribeye with grilled vegetables, jasmine rice, coconut rice, or a crisp cucumber salad. Just be sure to slice the steak against the grain after resting so every bite stays tender.
Steak
- 2 ribeye steaks, about 12 ounces each
- 0.25 cup soy sauce
- 0.25 cup fish sauce
- 0.25 cup fresh lime juice
- 1 tbsp brown sugar
- 3 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 tbsp fresh ginger, minced
- 2 red Thai chilies, finely chopped
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- Fresh cilantro, for garnish
Spicy Thai Chili Sauce
- 0.25 cup Thai sweet chili sauce
- 1 tbsp fresh lime juice
- 1 tbsp soy sauce
- 1 tbsp fish sauce
- 1 red Thai chili, finely chopped
- 0.25 cup fresh cilantro, chopped
Marinate the Steaks
- Add the soy sauce, fish sauce, lime juice, brown sugar, garlic, ginger, and chopped Thai chilies to a bowl.
- Whisk until the brown sugar is mostly dissolved.
- Place the ribeyes in a shallow dish or resealable bag.
- Pour the marinade over the steaks and turn them several times to coat evenly.
- Cover and refrigerate for at least 2 hours. For deeper flavor, marinate overnight.
Make the Thai Chili Sauce
- Add the Thai sweet chili sauce, lime juice, soy sauce, fish sauce, chopped Thai chili, and cilantro to a small bowl.
- Stir until thoroughly combined.
- Cover and refrigerate until ready to serve.
Fire-Grill the Ribeyes
- Preheat your grill for high direct heat, around 450–500°F.
- Remove the steaks from the marinade and allow excess marinade to drip away.
- Let the steaks sit at room temperature for about 10–15 minutes while the grill finishes heating.
- Lightly oil the grill grates with the olive oil.
- Place the ribeyes directly over the hottest part of the fire.
- Grill for about 4–5 minutes on the first side.
- Flip and grill for another 3–5 minutes, depending on steak thickness and your preferred doneness.
- Use an instant-read thermometer rather than relying solely on cooking time.
Recommended Internal Temperatures
- Rare: 120–125°F
- Medium-Rare: 130–135°F
- Medium: 140–145°F
- Medium-Well: 150–155°F
Rest and Serve
- Remove the steaks from the grill about 5°F before your desired final temperature.
- Rest the ribeyes for 5–10 minutes before slicing.
- Slice against the grain.
- Spoon the spicy Thai chili sauce over the sliced steak or serve it alongside for dipping.
- Garnish with additional fresh cilantro and sliced Thai chilies if desired.
Cook Notes
Because soy sauce and fish sauce are both salty, there’s no need to add additional salt before grilling. If your fire is extremely hot, keep an eye on the steaks—the brown sugar in the marinade can caramelize quickly.
For an even stronger live-fire flavor, grill the ribeyes directly over charcoal or hardwood. A little char around the edges pairs especially well with the sweet, salty, spicy Thai chili sauce.