Coffee Steak Rub (Best Seasoning for Ribeyes!)
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Bold and flavorful, this Steak Rub Recipe is sure to satisfy the most avid beef lover. Combine freshly ground dark roast coffee beans with a few savory spices to create a steak rub that elicits a pleasing smoky, earthy taste.
Not just for ribeyes, this coffee rub quickly gives any steak, pork, or even lamb, a unique flavor boost. The coffee tannins intermix with the juices in the meat, help to create a nice crust during grilling, and act as a meat tenderizer, too.
Coffee Rubbed Steak
Several years ago, my hubby and I were enjoying a date night at Frankie Bones restaurant while on vacation in Hilton Head. John ordered the coffee marinated ribeye and never stopped talking about how much he enjoyed that steak.
Fast forward until last weekend, and we finally grilled a coffee rubbed steak that was equally delicious AND easy to prepare. Win, win!
Need inspiration for Valentine Day’s Dinner at home?
- Appetizer: Charred Brussels Sprouts with Garlic Aioli
- Salad: Wedge Salad with Crispy Fried Shallots
- Side dish: Browned Butter Roasted Asparagus or Lemon Garlic Smashed Potatoes
- The main event: today’s Coffee Rubbed Steak!
- Dessert: Chocolate Soufflé for Two Two
Coffee, tannins, and steak
Like red wine and dark chocolate, coffee naturally contains tannins, a biomolecule that binds to protein and results in a bitter flavor. The tannins work to soften the fat in the steaks, like a tenderizer, and works to release more of the meat’s flavor.
Coffee rubbed steak doesn’t take on the flavor of coffee, but instead permeates the meat to create a slightly spicy, earthy taste.
My husband commented that eating a coffee rub steak reminded him of sitting around the campfire, which is one of his favorite things to do so this was a big compliment!
Coffee rub ingredients
- Dark-roast coffee beans — start with a good quality coffee bean and grind them yourself for the best flavor. In a pinch, you can also use espresso ground coffee, but never use instant coffee granules in this coffee rub recipe.
- Ground cumin — or grind whole toasted cumin seeds
- Ancho chili powder
- Sweet paprika
- Kosher salt
- Freshly ground black pepper
How to prep coffee rubbed ribeyes
- Trim any fat on sides of the steaks to 1/4-inch to avoid flare ups during cooking. Lightly brush the steaks with olive oil on all sides.
- Use a coffee grinder to finely grind the coffee beans. Pour the ground coffee into a small bowl and stir in the cumin, chili powder, paprika, salt, and black pepper.
- Evenly apply the dry rub mixture to all sides of the meat, gently rubbing it into the meat.
- Let rest at room temperature for 30 minutes.
Grilling steaks over indirect heat
- Preheat a gas grill to high heat, about 500 degrees. Turn off one burner and place the steaks on this section of the grill.
- Close the lid and cook the steaks for 2 minutes on each side.
- Transfer the steaks to the other side of the grill over direct heat. Continue cooking another 2 minutes per side for medium or adjust cooking times for desired temperature.
- Remove the steaks to a cutting board and let rest for 5 minutes before serving.
Pro tips
- Rubs can be applied just before grilling or up to 2 hours in advance.
- Trim any visible fat on the sides of the steak to about 1/4-inch to help prevent flare-ups.
- Apply rub evenly to ALL sides of the beef.
- Allowing the steaks to come to room temperature for 30 minutes before grilling means the interior of the steaks will cook more evenly and stay juicier.
- If steaks are grilled over direct heat that is too high, the exterior will become charred and overcooked before the interior is cooked.
- To test the doneness of the steak, use the touch test (see below) or insert an instant-read thermometer horizontally into the side so it penetrates the center of the steak, not touching bone or fat.
- To ensure the delicious juices remain inside the steak, always let the steak rest after removing them from the grill for a few minutes before slicing.
Touch test guide
You can gently press tongs into the cooked steak to determine its doneness with this touch test guide. To be totally accurate, use a quick read digital thermometer.
- RARE: 120°F – cool, bright red center and soft to the touch
- MEDIUM RARE: 130°F – warm, red center and beginning to firm up with red juices
- MEDIUM: 145-155°F – slightly pink center, completely firm with brown juices
- WELL DONE: 155-160°F – very little or no pink, firm to the touch
Recommended cuts of beef for grilling
Most of the time when we grill steaks, I opt for a petite filet mignon, but with this unique coffee dry rub, a ribeye seemed a good choice. That being said, if you think a ribeye steak is too fatty—umm… that’s where the flavor comes from though—these other cuts of beef work for this recipe just as well.
- Ribeye steak — bone in or boneless — choose a steak with good marbling
- T-Bone steak — also very flavorful
- New York strip steak — a firmer steak
- Tenderloin steak — commonly known as filet mignon, and the most tender cut
- Flat iron steak — full of flavor, but be careful not to overcook it.
Related recipes
Coffee Steak Rub (Best Seasoning for Ribeyes!)
Ingredients
- 4 8-oz. ribeye steaks 1-inch thick
- 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
Coffee Rub
- 2 tablespoons coffee beans dark-roast
- 1 ½ teaspoons ground cumin
- 1 tablespoon ground ancho chili powder
- 1 teaspoon sweet paprika
- 1 ½ teaspoons kosher salt
- 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
Instructions
Prep the steaks
- Trim any fat on sides of the steaks to 1/4-inch to avoid flare ups during cooking. Lightly brush the steaks with olive oil on all sides.
- Use a coffee grinder to finely grind the coffee beans. Pour the ground coffee into a small bowl and stir in the cumin, chili powder, paprika, salt, and black pepper. Evenly apply the dry rub mixture to all sides of the meat, gently rubbing it into the meat. Let rest at room temperature for 30 minutes.
Grill the steaks over indirect heat
- Preheat a gas grill to high heat, about 500 degrees. Turn off one burner and place the steaks on this section of the grill.
- Close the lid and cook the steaks for 2 minutes on each side.
- Transfer the steaks to the other side of the grill over direct heat. Continue cooking another 2 minutes per side for medium or adjust cooking times for desired temperature.
- Remove the steaks to a cutting board and let rest for 5 minutes before serving.
Video
Notes
Nutrition
Life Love and Good Food does not claim to be a registered dietician or nutritionist. Nutritional information shared on this site is only an estimate. We recommend running the ingredients through an online nutritional calculator if you need to verify any information.
