Inspired by one of our favorite South Beach recipes, this recipe combines a lip-smackingly umami steak marinade with delicious soy ginger peanut sauce for a unique and wonderful special occasion dish that has a special place in our hearts.
This recipe began when Scott and I met in Hawaii. Or not too long after, at least.
We were friends at the time, thanks to a large and exuberant group of mutual friends who always managed to put activities together for all of us to enjoy. Eventually, we started talking separately about things we enjoyed. Which included food.
During my deployment, as I grew close to returning home, we discussed a number of things, but that included food I wanted to eat when I got back. Somewhere, amidst movies we wanted to see and restaurants we wanted to visit, he invited me over to his house for a home cooked dinner.
As in a him cooked dinner. As in I go over, put my feet up, let him pour me a glass of wine, and he would do all the cooking. It sounded incredibly romantic.
The bonus? The food was fantastic.
My husband is an excellent cook. He has a few favorite recipes up his sleeve, and he makes them very, very well. And one of his skills is making a truly delicious and decadent steak.
Take old fashioned charcoal barbecue, aluminum foil, butter, garlic, and thick cuts of beef tenderloin. Let combine for excellent flavor. Add handsome chef to equation. Swoon.
It would be another two years before we got engaged, but I tell you, the poor guy was pretty much stuck with me after that dining experience.
Fortunately, not only was he okay with that, but it doesn’t take a lot of convincing to get him back on the grill.
Over time, he’s taken some of my techniques for meat preparation and tweaked his technique, and I’ve made sure I bring home the best tenderloin I can from the commissary for him to work with {we freeze it in sections and slice it up just before serving, so we can get lean cuts as thick as we want – it’s worth it!!}. Other than that, this is pretty much the recipe for that first delicious meal he cooked for me. So in honor of upcoming Valentine’s Day, we’d like to share it with you.
Cook it up for someone special, serve with your full bodied red wine of choice, and enjoy!
As a note, this is Scott’s recipe, copied from a note card he gave me after that first meal that is still in my recipe book, with a few updates we’ve made together!
[lt_recipe name=”Grilled Steak with Peanut Sauce” summary=”Combine savory marinated steak tenderloin cuts with soy ginger peanut sauce for a delicious and unique special occasion meal!” servings=”2″ total_time=”30M” print=”yes” image=”https://homefrontcooking.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/01/teriyaki-steak-with-peanut-sauce-9080.jpg” ingredients=”For the steak marinade:;1/2 cup low sodium soy sauce;2 tbsp sugar;2 tbsp brown sugar;4 cloves garlic, minced;For the steaks:;2 8-oz thick cut steaks;1/4 cup butter, room temperature;8 cloves garlic;salt and freshly ground pepper to taste;For the peanut sauce:;1 cup peanut butter;1 1/2 cups water;6 tbsp lime juice;2 tbsp ginger, finely chopped;1/2 cup low sodium soy sauce;2 tbsp sugar;2 tbsp brown sugar;4 cloves garlic, minced” ]In a large sealable container, combine the soy sauce, sugar, brown sugar, and minced garlic. Add water if needed to thin the mixture. Add the steaks, ensuring the marinade covers the steaks, and place in the refrigerator to marinate.;To make the peanut sauce, stir together all ingredients in a large saucepan over high heat until the mixture comes to a boil. Remove from heat, but stir constantly to keep combined. If the mixture looks like it’s starting to break, place on medium heat for 1-2 minutes.;Heat the grill {we aim for 500F}. While the grill is heating, take aluminum foil and roll the edges to make a boat. Place the steaks in the aluminum foil boat with the garlic and sliced butter.;Place the foil boat with steaks on the grill and cook for about 3-4 minutes on each side, depending on the thickness. Let the steak rest for an additional 5 minutes before slicing.;Slice the steak into 1/2 – 3/4 inch slices. Serve with 3-4 tbsp peanut sauce.[/lt_recipe]
We like to serve this dish up with a nice and crispy side salad and rice or couscous, and store up the extra peanut sauce for use in Thai peanut chicken bowls and other fun things!
Have a happy Valentine’s Day!
What a sweet story! I’m a sucker for any guy that will cook for me too. It’s the way to my heart, for sure.
I think my love language is “acts of service” or something like that. But mostly involving food. Feeding people {and when they return the favor} is awesome.