Heart-Shaped Ribeye Steak Dinner on the Grill

By Todd Martin February 12, 2025 9 mins read 6 Views

With Valentine’s Day right around the corner, surprise your special someone with the infamous “Heart-Shaped Ribeye.”

I’ll show you how to butterfly a ribeye steak so it resembles a heart, cook delicious baked potatoes, and roast broccoli on the grill. This entire meal can be done on the grill in under one hour.

Why I love this recipe

Perfect for Valentine’s Day – A heart-shaped ribeye is a fun and unique way to impress your special someone.
Full meal on the grill – Steak, baked potatoes, and roasted broccoli all cook together, making cleanup a breeze.
Easy but elegant – Simple techniques like butterflying the ribeye and seasoning with classic flavors create a restaurant-quality meal at home.
Quick cook time – From start to finish, this entire meal is ready in under an hour, so you can spend more time enjoying the evening.

Ingredients you’ll need

Beef ribeye steak – I used a USDA Prime Beef Ribeye Steak, but any thicker cut of a ribeye will work for this recipe.
Russet potatoes – these are the best for baked potatoes. I suggest picking out similar sizes so that they cook at the same time.
Baked potato toppings – I like to use bacon bits, butter, and green onion. I recommend using thick-cut bacon for bacon bits.
Broccolini – I love using broccolini for this recipe, however traditional broccoli also works great.
Steak seasoning – black pepper, Kosher salt, and garlic powder. If you have time, I recommend making our homemade steak seasoning; however, you can also use your favorite.
Spray cooking oil – it’s best to use an oil with a high smoke point of 450°F. I used avocado oil spray. Other options include beef tallow, duck fat, canola oil, and vegetable oil. I used the cooking oil to spray the grill grates before searing and the oil for the potatoes and vegetables.

Equipment you’ll need

Grill – I used my Traeger Woodridge Pellet Grill, but any grill will work for this recipe.
Pellets – if using a pellet grill, I suggest using mesquite or oak pellets for this recipe.
Boning knife – use a sharp and flexible knife to butterfly cut the ribeye. I used our Smoke Kitchen Boning Knife.
Meat thermometer – I recommend an instant read thermometer because it’s a hot and fast cook.

What is a “heart-shaped ribeye”?

To make a heart-shaped ribeye, take your standard ribeye steak and butterfly it so it resembles a heart.

I recommend using a three to four-inch thick boneless ribeye steak. When the steak is butterfly cut, it’s going to be thinner than the original steak; therefore, the thicker the original cut is, the thicker your butterflied steak will be.

a raw heart-shape ribeye steak with herbs on it

I would stay away from bone-in ribeye, as you’ll have to remove the bone, which could potentially result in a not-so-good-looking heart shape.

As far as steak quality is concerned, it’s best to use a steak with a good amount of marbling, and a small amount of fat running through it. Fat on the steak cooks at a higher temperature and shrinks, so an overly fatty ribeye will lose its heart shape as it cooks.

How to make a heart-shaped ribeye steak dinner on the grill

1. Fire up the smoker

Preheat your grill to 425°F.

I used my Traeger Grills Woodridge Pellet Grill, but any other grill works for this recipe, whether it’s a pellet grill, charcoal grill, or gas grill.

2. Prep the baked potatoes

Poke small holes all over the potatoes, then place each on a piece of butcher paper big enough to wrap it in.

Spray the potato and butcher paper with cooking spray, and season with steak seasoning.

Wrap the potatoes up in the butcher paper and place them on the grill at an indirect heat. I suggest the top rack of the grill to avoid burning.

3. Prep the ribeye

In order to shape the ribeye into a heart, you’ll need to butterfly it. As long as you have a ribeye at least three inches thick, and it’s cold, rather than at room temperature, it will be easier than you think.

a raw ribeye steak and a knife on a wooden chopping board — To really get a great heart shape, shop for a ribeye that resembles “half a heart”.

Start by turning the ribeye on its side and slicing it down through the middle.
Slice until you reach about ¾ of an inch left of the ribeye.
Begin to separate the ribeye to resemble a heart. Continue to make strokes with the knife to cut further along if needed, it’s best to cut slowly.

Once you have cut and flattened the ribeye, you can trim the steak to continue further resemble a heart. This all depends on the original shape of the ribeye. If the original ribeye closely resembles half a heart, then this process will require little to no trimming.

a raw heart-shaped ribeye steak on a wooden board

Once shaped into a heart, you can season the steak.

4. Prep the broccoli and bacon

I love to roast broccolini or broccoli on the grill to serve with steak. It picks up a great flavor and crispy texture.

Place the broccoli on a small sheet pan with your preferred cooking oil and sprinkle over some steak seasoning. Place on the bottom rack and roast for 10-12 minutes at 425°F.

rashers of raw bacon on a baking sheet in the smoker — I also love to cook the bacon for the baked potatoes on the grill.

Place the bacon on a small baking sheet and sprinkle with a little steak seasoning. Cook on the top rack for 12-15 minutes.

5. Grill the ribeye

Grilling the ribeye steak is simple. At this point, your potato has been baking for about 30 minutes, the broccoli and bacon are almost done, and the grill grates are ready for searing!

Cook times:

If the original steak was three inches thick, the heart shape would be one and a half inches thick, so it will only need to cook for three minutes on each side for medium rare (135°F internal).
If the original steak was four inches thick, the heart shape would be two inches thick, so it would only need to cook for four minutes on each side for a medium-rare steak.

Place the ribeye on the grill grate with the heart facing vertically. After around 90 seconds, flip the steak over in the same position. After around 90 seconds, quarter-turn the steak and cook for 90 seconds, and repeat on the other side.

Adjust those flip and turn times slightly based on the thickness of your butterflied steak.

a cooked heart-shaped ribeye on the grill

You can also use tongs to sear the fat cap on the sides. Check the internal temperature of the steak and remove when it reaches 130°F. Rest for 10-15 minutes, the temperature will continue to climb to about 135°F.

6. Finishing off

While the steak is resting, finish off the baked potatoes.

Unwrap and slice each one down the middle. Squeeze each potato to create an opening.

cooked potatoes in butcher paper on a wooden board

Chop the bacon into bite-size pieces.

Add desired baked potato toppings – I add butter, bacon, steak seasoning, and green onion.

a baked potato with filling in the middle

I love to present the steak on a cutting board with the potatoes and broccolini.

When ready to eat, slice the ribeye down the middle to separate it into two steaks, then slice against the grain.

heart-shaped ribeye stead, baked potatoes and broccalli on a wooden board

Expert tips for grilling a heart shaped steak dinner

Choose the right ribeye – A thick, boneless ribeye (3-4 inches) with good marbling holds its shape best when butterflied into a heart.
Keep the steak cold for easier cutting – A chilled ribeye is firmer and easier to slice, helping you achieve a clean heart shape.
Use a meat thermometer – For a perfect medium-rare, pull the steak at 130°F and let it rest to reach 135°F.
Layer flavors with steak seasoning – Season the ribeye, potatoes, and even the bacon for a well-balanced, smoky taste throughout the meal.
Time it right – Start the potatoes first, then add the broccoli and bacon, and finish with the ribeye for a perfectly timed meal.

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Heart ribeye steak dinner on the grill

If the way to the heart is through the stomach, then this heart-shaped ribeye is your golden ticket to Valentine’s Day success. Make sure to give this recipe a star rating so more people can get lucky.