Goat cheese on a steak?  We too were a little skeptical, at first.  But the recipe comes from Bobby Flay’s latest cookbook, “Barbecue Addiction,” so we felt confident that the combination would be more delicious than disaster.  We own several of Bobby’s cookbooks (we’re on a first-name basis because we met him once, for 25 whole seconds at a book signing) and we’ve learned that he has a great knack for pairing rather unusual flavor profiles, as well as creating unique sauces and garnishes to perfectly accompany various grilled meats.  And this rib eye recipe is no exception.  Don’t just take our word for it, take it from Bobby himself:  “This dish may sound like a crazy combination, but I have to tell you, it works.”  Chef Flay is absolutely correct that the tangy goat cheese and bright lemon-honey-mustard sauce come together to complement the rich beefiness of the marbled rib eye.  It’s a match made in steak heaven.

At least 30 minutes before you plan to serve the steak, whisk together the honey-mustard sauce ingredients:  1/2 cup honey; 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard; 1 tablespoon whole grain mustard; and the grated zest and juice from a Meyer lemon.  If you aren’t familiar with them, Meyer lemons are a little bit sweeter than regular lemons.  They can be difficult to find, and around here are only in season in the fall.  If you can’t find a Meyer lemon, our BFF Bobby Flay helpfully suggests using the zest and juice of half of a regular lemon, along with the juice of half of an orange to add a bit of sweetness.  Thanks, Bobby!  Set the sauce aside at room temperature to allow the flavors to come together.

Around 30-40 minutes before grill-time, season the steak on both sides with salt and pepper and allow it to sit at room temperature.  Dan read somewhere that seasoning the steak this far in advance will allow the salt to release moisture from the steak, but also provides enough time for the meat to re-absorb the (salt & pepper flavored) juices before you grill it.  Bringing the steak to room temperature prior to grilling also allows the meat to cook more evenly throughout, as opposed to having a cold steak cook faster on the outside than on the inside, when placed on a hot grill.

Place the steak on the grill over direct, medium-high heat and cook for about 3 minutes.  Rotate the steak 90 degrees (to get those good grill marks!) and cook another 3 minutes.

Flip the steak over, grill for about 2 1/2 minutes, rotate 90 degrees (for matching good grill marks on both sides) and cook another 2 1/2 minutes.  Finish cooking the steak over indirect heat until it is done to your liking.  We like ours medium rare (more like extra-medium rare for me), which for this particular rib eye meant about another 12-15 minutes.

Allow the cooked steak to rest for about 5 minutes so the juices redistribute throughout the meat.

Press chunks of the goat cheese on top of the rib eye — similar to the way you would top a steak with compound butter.  The original recipe calls for seasoning the goat cheese with salt and pepper ahead of time, but we didn’t think it was necessary.  (We can agree to disagree with Bobby, since we’re such good friends.)  Next, drizzle the lemon-honey mustard all over the steak.

Sprinkle chopped parsley over the steak and serve.  The online version of this recipe actually calls for garnishing the finished dish with watercress, which has a peppery flavor.  So we’re thinking that a little chopped arugula, with its similarly peppery notes, would also work well.  But parsley’s fresh flavor is a cohesive way to brighten up the entire dish in its own right.  No matter the garnish, it’s the goat cheese and honey-mustard sauce that elevate this already flavorful steak to restaurant-quality, dinner-party fare.